Daniel Ricciardo has explained the reasoning behind his comment that Max Verstappen was a ‘sore loser’ following the𓄧ir coming together in the Hungarian Grand Prix, but insists he is back on good terms with his Red Bull Racing counterpart.

Verstappen collided with♎ Ricciardo on the opening lap of the Hungaroring race after understeering into his team-mate at T💖urn 2, moments after losing the position to the Australian when he was run wide on the exit of Turn 2.

Prompting a furious Ricciardo to point the finge🌠r of blame squarely at Verstappen – who was given an in-race time penalty – the fiꦕve-time race winner would brand him a ‘sore loser’ at the time.

It is a comment Ricciardo has provi♋ded further context for, ide🐻ntifying Verstappen’s bungled front row and turn one in Spa last year as a primary example.

“I ma🐎de a comment calling him a sore loser, there was not too much reference to that, it was just me trying to say somethiꦦng. The comment that I made if he goes back a bit and then tries to make it up, in a way it is probably similar to the start here last year.

“He had a f𒊎ront row and did not get the best jump and it was like I will try and make it up straight away. O🅷kay there was a gap on the inside, but it was always going to bottle neck. It is those little things which where it is not the first time he has done that but is it a weakness?

“I don’t know if it is a weakness, it will get ironed out over time, it is probably just youth at the moment. I am not trying to school him or anything. It was not the first time he had done a first la𝔉p move like that.”

Despite emot▨ions runni𝔍ng high entering the summer break, Ricciardo says Verstappen’s instant private apology was sufficient.

“After the engineers’ meeting, after the race, Max pulled me aside and we spoke oneꩲ on one in private. It was all I could ask from him. He can’t 🐽give me my points back.

“Maybe he could have given me some of his prize money! But I am just kidding. It was all he could do and at least he did that and itꦦ was sincere and we shook hands ꧂so I was satisfied with that.

“As a person, this year we got to spend more ti🀅me together being teammates for a longer period, so I have seen him more away from racing as well and I see that he is, last year he was more of a young kid and I see him more 💧of a young adult now.

“He has definitely matured more now. His apology was all I could ask for and it was not with his manageඣr or Christian standing next to him, it was just one on one so that was the right way to d🌜o it and the best way for us to move forward.”