Special Feature- Daniel Ricciardo

Ricciardo Moves to Red Bull in 2014.

Daniel Riccairdo moving to Red Bull is a very sensible move; I am delighted for the young Australian. But was this the right move for both parties? The answer is yes, it most certainly was and here is why. Firstly of course Sebastian Vettel, the championship favourite once again and a dominant force within the team. He would have wanted a supporter alongside him in the team; it will also bring a sense of calm between the teammates. We all know how things were and still are between Webber and Vettel, not the best of friends that is for sure.

This is a great for the team too; they can mould Ricciardo into the team just like they have done with Vettel. But it is also good for the Red Bull brand. If they keep replacing drivers with other drivers from other teams, it would damage the reputation of the Red Bull young driver programme.

The step into Formula 1 for a member of their young driver programme is the Toro Rosso team. Impress and perform, the driver could step up to the main Red Bull team as Vettel did in 2009, Riccairdo in 2014. It is the natural progression route for the young members of the team, if they are good enough. But Daniel Riccairdo is also a great character, constantly smiling, very happy to talk and a very easy going person. One could say, just like Mark Webber. He will be a great ambassador for the company and their partners, just like Vettel. Who wouldn't want him leading the way in a brand, promoting the latest watches or a new Infiniti road car? He fits into the team like a hand into a glove, he will be a huge success with Red Bull I have no doubt at all.

He is a brilliant driver and Red Bull say they expect him to be challenging Vettel by the middle of next season, that is a bold statement given how dominant Sebastian is, and also how protective the team are of him.

Daniel Ricciardo Stats:
Born – July 1st 1989
Age – 24
Nationality – Australian
Grand Prix Debut – British Grand Prix 2011
Teams Driven For – HRT & Toro Rosso
Grand Prix Starts – 42

Daniel Ricciardo said this after the announcement was made. “I feel very, very good at the moment and obviously there’s a lot of excitement running through me, since joining F1 in 2011, I hoped this would happen and over time the belief in me has grown; I had some good results and Red Bull has decided that this is it, so it’s a good time”.

Team principle Christian Horner said this, “It's fantastic to confirm Daniel as the team's race driver for 2014, He's a very talented youngster, he's committed, he's got a great attitude and in the end it was a very logical choice for us to choose Daniel”. Horner added, “He's got all the attributes that are required to drive for our team: he's got a great natural ability, he's a good personality and a great guy to work with”.

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Thanks once again to Kevin Bennett for providing photos for this feature. Check out www.kevinbennettphotography.co.uk for all Kevin’s work