Daniel Ricciardo is convinced his relationship with teammate Max Verstappen can stay competitive and healthy, even if they are title rivals in 2017.
Verstappen was elevated to Red Bull from Toro Rosso ahead of the Spanish GP this year and won his debut race for the team. Ricciardo is yet to be out-qualified by Verstappen in their races together and could have won in Spain himself were it not for a Red Bull strategy blunder, before a botched pit stop cost him a nailed-on win in Monaco.
Red Bull has confirmed the pair are under contract until 2018 and Ricciardo says the arrival of Verstappen has been beneficial to the whole team.
"It's hard to predict what's going to happen in the long run but I can obviously speak for the first few races, and it's been good," Ricciardo said. "Max came in and set a bit of a tone in Barcelona so that was obviously a pretty crazy weekend. Since then it's been good.
"Monaco then didn't work as well for him, and he openly admitted it and took it on the chin. So we've thrived off the new challenge, the new rivalry, so hopefully it can keep pushing the team in the right direction."
Red Bull is hoping 2017's regulation changes put the onus back on aerodynamics and elevates them into title contention. Ricciardo says respect between the two teammates will be key to ensuring such a rivalry does not get out of hand in that eventuality.
"Hopefully there is some rivalry as a rivalry would probably mean we're fighting for victories more often, but sure you can still have a healthy one. I think if you're mature about it and just admit one guy is better on the day and be open about it, I think you will always have good respect for each other. It's probably when you start making excuses out of nothing is when it doesn't work out too well so just keep going hard, and I think so far so good."
Though Ricciardo is eight years older than his teammate, at 26 he remains one of the brightest young commodities on the grid. The Australian knows he could have achieved more in his time in Formula One but is in no doubts he is ready for a title tilt.
"In 2011 I got my chance and it was my dream come true, then you do a few races, and then you're like now I want to be with a better team, I want points, I want podiums, I want wins. Fortunately I've been able to get some wins now, which is a big box ticked for me.
"Now it's like, OK, I want the next best thing which is a world championship. In a way you're never satisfied but obviously that's good because I'm still very young and hungry so that fuels my hunger, but sure I'm happy. Obviously I'm very grateful to be in this position.
"I think all of us appreciate to be in this position, all 22 of us that are here. It is awesome but you can't help but want more. I think Seb [Vettel] at my age already had his four titles. So when I look at Seb I'm like uhh! I'd obviously love to achieve more at this age but fortunately I've got some time on my side I think."