Max Verstappen’s Red Bull chapter opened with a shock debut win in Spain 2016.
Since then the car has evolved and the seat beside him has rotated through contrasting styles: Ricciardo’s measured aggression, Pérez’s street-track timing, Gasly and Albon’s rebuilding arcs, plus Tsunoda and Lawson turns.
Below is a race-anchored ranking of those teammates and what their peaks showed best.
1) Daniel Ricciardo — the closest match
When Max arrived at Red Bull, Ricciardo was already elite on Saturdays and ice-cold on Sundays. Spain 2016 gave Max the win, but Monaco tells the Ricciardo story better.
In 2018 he lost MGU-K power and still won, nursing the car for 50 laps while fending off Vettel. That is teammate pressure at the highest level.
2) Sergio Pérez — the big-race closer
Checo did exactly what Red Bull needed in street-fight Sundays. He won Baku in 2021 after late chaos, then became the first driver to take multiple Baku wins in 2023.
He was also runner-up in 2023, delivering points on days the car was tricky. Peaks were high, valleys were real, but the trophy case is proof.
3) Carlos Sainz Jr — the day-one bar-setter
Back at Toro Rosso in 2015, Sainz kept the standard high for a teenage Max. He was fast, tidy, and forced Max to grow up quick. Their head-to-head shaped Max’s habits.
You felt it even more once Max moved up and won Spain 2016. The level Sainz demanded in the junior team was part of that launch.
4) Pierre Gasly — tough Red Bull stint, epic redemption
It never clicked across the garage at Red Bull in early 2019, but Pierre’s character arc is elite. Brazil 2019 he out-dragged Hamilton to P2 in a photo finish.
A year later he won Monza for AlphaTauri. That is resilience and class, even if the direct Max matchup was heavy.
5) Alex Albon — rough breaks, real growth
Albon’s story has both heartbreak and hope. Brazil 2019 he had a podium in his hands until Hamilton tipped him around.
In 2020 at Mugello he finally got that first podium. He was learning while living next to peak Max, which is like revising for an exam in a hurricane.
6) Yuki Tsunoda — the mid-season call-up
In 2025 Red Bull made the bold swap and promoted Tsunoda from Racing Bulls from the Japanese GP onwards.
It was a trust play and a reset for the team after a messy start. Short sample, giant pressure, and he earned the shot.
7) Liam Lawson — the sprint-start that stalled
Lawson was confirmed for 2025, but after two tricky weekends he was moved back to Racing Bulls before Japan.
Australia brought a crash and China brought a painful Saturday. Small sample sizes are cruel in F1. The talent is real; the timing was brutal.
