Verstappen and Ricciardo enjoy one of the tighest team-mate bonds in the sport and they are close mates away from F1 too.

But the Dutchman, 20, has one problem with his older ally.

Speaking ahead of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen told a press conference: "He keeps farting. It smells so bad in our hospitality all the time!

"He's a great guy. Of course on track you always try to beat eachother but off track we can have a really great laugh.

"To be honest, I've never experienced something like that in racing - to have a really good team-mate who I can have fun with.

"I hope we can be team-mates for a long time."

Both highly-rated drivers could be free agents at the end of 2018 and their futures are uncertain.

Christian Horner has admitted it's important to have options driver market but insists Red Bull's priority is to keep the pair.

Verstappen added: "I think it'll last because we respect each other.

"When you fight for a world championships it'll get a bit more tense on the track but at the end of the day you always come back to where you respect each other.

"You have to accept if one guy is faster than the other - that's what we can do.

"When somebody has a good race we can really say to each other, well done you really deserved that, and I think that's also really important."