Daniel Ricciardo snubs former team-mates with pick for most underrated driver - EXCLUSIVE

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Daniel Ricciardo decided against opting for team-mates past or present when asked to select the most underrated driver on the F1 grid. The McLaren star threw his backing behind AlphaTauri's Pierre Gasly, who has worked hard to restore his reputation after a failed spell with Red Bull in 2019.

Gasly was called up from what was then known as Toro Rosso to Red Bull three years ago, although his spell with the heavyweight F1 outfit lasted only 12 Grands Prix. Teaming up with Max Verstappen, the Frenchman struggled to adjust to the shift in expectations and was soon sent back to where he came from.

The 26-year-old has relished the fightback and finished in the top 10 of the Drivers' Championship for the past two seasons running. Despite having driven alongside dark horses such as Esteban Ocon and Nico Hulkenberg in the past, Ricciardo believes that Gasly is deserving of the 'most underrated' label.

"Personally, I like Pierre Gasly," he told Express Sport. "For the record, he’s not the only driver I like. I like him as a person, but also what he’s demonstrated, and he’s not the only one. Getting to the top of Red Bull, he got a really big opportunity with them and it was fairly short-lived.

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