Red Bull team principal Christian Horner believes the pairing of D🉐aniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen has been the best driver line-up his team has ever had in Formula 1.

Ricciardo and Verstappen became teammates at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix, when the Dutchman was fast-tracked into the senior squad as replacement for the struggling Daniil Kvyat 🧸just four races into the season.

Both drivers hav💎e gone on to claim nine victories between them since, with Ricciardo and Verst🌸appen taking two wins apiece across the 2018 campaign, which marks their final season together as teammates at the Milton Keynes-based squad.

“I said to them in our last d🐼ebrief that for me, it’s been our best partnership that we’ve had in Red Bull Racing’s career,” Horner said.

“In fact it’s probably the best one I have ever had in my cಞareer in terms of the dynamics between the two, the respect, the way they have pushed each other on.

“I think on traওck, and I think they have both benefited each other off-track.

"M🅺ax has learnt a lot from Daniel, the way he’s operated himse🌱lf within the team and it’s been a very good rapport and they’ve both pushed each other to new levels.”

Red Bull losing F1’s best overtaker

Horner said Ricciardo - who leaves to join ꦍRenault for 2019 after spending five years at Red Bull following his promotion from Toro Rosso - will be missed in more ways than one.

“He’s been a pleasure to have in the team the last five years🔜,” he explained. “He’s been with Red Bull since 2007. And it has been great to see him grow and evol🌞ve. 

“Ironically when we were first faced with a dilemma of who do we replace Mar❀k Webber with - there was Jean-Eric Vergne, there was Daniel Ricciardo, there was Kimi Raikkonen - and our biggest concern about Daniel wasn’t his pac💞e but it was that we hadn’t seen him race wheel-to-wheel while he was at Toro Rosso.

“Ever he’s been in a Red Bಌull Racing car he’s done nothing but overtake and arguably has become ꧋the best overtaker in the business. He’s driven some fantastic races for us. His personality has been a tremendous fit for the brand. 

“His energy in the team ✤has been hugely popular, the dynamics with him and Max - you’ve only got to look at the mischief they get up to - it’s been great. All we can do, as that chapter closes, is wish him the best of luck for the future and a new chapter opens w🎶ith a new talent in Pierre Gasly.”