- Daniel Ricciardo claimed he would choose Lewis Hamilton as dream team-mate
- Hamilton admitted he would relish teaming up with the Red Bull driver
- The Mercedes star is out of contract at the end of the 2018 season
- Hamilton is looking to win fourth world title at Mexican Grand Prix
- READ: All the latest F1 news, features and points tables
Lewis Hamilton has admitted he would relish the opportunity to have Daniel Ricciardo as a team-mate.
The Brit’s comments come after Ricciardo claimed in Austin that his dream team-mate would be the Mercedes star or Fernando Alonso.
Hamilton is out of contract at the end of 2018 but admits that while it would be a ‘privilege’ to race alongside the Ricciardo, he claims the 28-year-old will have to get the better of team-mate Max Verstappen first.
Lewis Hamilton shakes hands with a young fan after arriving at the Hermanos Rodriguez track
The fan also got to hug Hamilton who greeted supporters ahead of the Mexican Grand Prix
‘Daniel is a fantastic driver, it would be a privilege to race against him,’ Hamilton told motorsport.com. ‘He’s a great character, he always bring a lot of positivity within his team.
‘I think it’s interesting, I think it’s cool, I take the compliment that people say they [want to race against me].
‘I don’t truly necessarily believe that people want to be up alongside me because that is not always necessarily the best thing for an individual. But in some cases, it could be a really good thing because it can help you grow.
The area outside the Mercedes garage was packed with fans desperate to meet Hamilton
The Brit smiles for a selfie with a supporter after greeting fans on Thursday
The 3-2year-old was also on hand to sign autographs ahead of this weekend’s Mexican GP
‘You look at Daniel, he’s got a great driver in his team-mate and to be honest, he has got to really work to outperform him first.’
| DRIVER | TEAM | WINS | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Lewis Hamilton | Mercedes | 9 | 331 |
| 2. Sebastian Vettel | Ferrari | 4 | 265 |
| 3. Valtteri Bottas | Mercedes | 2 | 244 |
| 4. Daniel Ricciardo | Red Bull | 1 | 192 |
| 5. Kimi Raikkonen | Ferrari | 0 | 163 |
| 6. Max Verstappen | Red Bull | 1 | 123 |
Hamilton’s main focus this weekend will be on becoming Britain’s most successful Formula One driver of all time by claiming a fourth world championship.
The 32-year-old leads Sebastian Vettel by 66 points with just 75 to play for and can clinch the title in Mexico with two races to spare if he finishes fifth.
Hamilton arrived at the Hermanos Rodriguez circuit on Thursday ahead of Sunday’s race and appeared popular among the locals.
The Mercedes star signed autographs and greeted supporters including a young child who enjoyed a hug and handshake with the Brit.
Hamilton admits it would be a privilege to have Daniel Ricciardo as a team-mate