In every phase — practice, qualifying and the race itself, and in all the weather variables for which Melbourne is so famous — Daniel Ricciardo never put a foot or a wheel wrong. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Wayne Ludbey / News Corp Australia
DANIEL Ricciardo delivered Australia's best result that Albert Park fans have ever witnessed, but now must wait on the outcome of an investigation for breaking Formula One laws.
He could still be stripped of his second place at Sunday's grand prix in Melbourne.
The manner in which the young star held his nerve under intense pressure over the riveting second half of the race confirmed he has what it takes to be major force in Formula One now he is in a good car.
He's the real deal, in other words — just as Mark Webber has kept telling anybody who asked. And plenty did.
"I have to continue this now, but the team has to be pleased with what they're seeing now," Ricciardo said after getting his Red Bull home in second place, 24sec behind Nico Rosberg in a Mercedes and 2.2sec ahead of rookie Kevin Magnussen in a McLaren.
Ricciardo and his Red Bull Racing team have been referred to race stewards, who were meeting to determine the Australian's fate.
Ricciardo's car exceeded maximum fuel flows during the race, FIA Formula One technical delegate Jo Bauer said.
The statement Formula One technical delegates passed on to race stewards regarding the Red Bull racer. Source: Supplied
Rosberg would be entitled to wonder if he really did win the Australian Grand Prix given the hero's reception the big crowd gave Ricciardo while watching him become the first Australian to step on the podium at Albert Park.
The tension had been palpable as Magnussen, a 21-year-old Dane making his F1 debut, hunted the Australian down over the second half of the 57-lap race, sweating on a mistake or a motor malfunction in front.
Daniel Ricciardo celebrates on the podium. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images
Neither happened as the Red Bull management, desperate for a happy ending after losing four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel to an engine issue almost immediately after the start, kept encouraging him with calls of "good job" over the radio.
They could have been talking about the entire weekend, with Ricciardo out-performing his celebrated teammate from start to finish, much to the delight of the local fans, who are all too aware of the hostility that existed between the German and Webber.
In every phase — practice, qualifying and the race itself, and in all the weather variables for which Melbourne is so famous — Ricciardo never put a foot or a wheel wrong.
He did it while simultaneously shouldering the enormous promotional workload that comes with being the only Australian at the Australian Grand Prix, always with that beaming smile fixed to his face.
Even 20 minutes before the "go" light flashed green, he was still being bailed up by TV crews for a chat, and obliging.
Australian Daniel Ricciardo drives his way in second place at the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images
Asked if he was nervous, he said: "No, just excited." All around him, tens of thousands of fans were, on his behalf, both.
Ricciardo has inherited not only Webber's seat at Red Bull but his status as the face of Australian motorsport, and he'll be every bit as popular as his charismatic predecessor, too.
His performance, or more to the point, his potential as his career moves to another level, is a welcome gift for the Melbourne race, which has only another year on its contract.
Ricciardo himself went out of his way to repeatedly emphasise how much he believed the race meant to Melbourne, and it wouldn't have been lost on Premier Denis Napthine, who was one of the first to congratulate him.
Being the young dude he is, Ricciardo's favourite phrase seems to be "it's cool".
That's what he said again when it was all over — and there was no shortage of seconders. It was a great moment in Australian sport.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
Ruling might put Ricciardo in reverse
Dengan url
http://sportifoclube.blogspot.com/2014/03/ruling-might-put-ricciardo-in-reverse.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
Ruling might put Ricciardo in reverse
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
Ruling might put Ricciardo in reverse
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar