This was published 7 years ago
Daniel Ricciardo gets Albert Park grandstand named after him
An illegal fuel line once cost him a podium finish at Albert Park, but Daniel Ricciardo will now have a grandstand named in his honour at the formula one track.
Ricciardo was set to become the first Australian to finish in the top three of his home formula one event in 2014, before he was disqualified due to an illegal fuel mechanism.
However the Australian Grand Prix announced on Friday, as the Red Bull driver celebrates his 27th birthday, that the new grandstand overlooking the third, fourth and fifth turns would be called the Ricciardo Premium Grandstand.
"Having a grandstand named after me is definitely the ultimate birthday present and an incredible privilege," Ricciardo said.
Daniel Ricciardo is all smiles ... if you don't ask him about Ferrari.Credit: Getty Images
"Hopefully turn four will be my best corner on the Albert Park Grand Prix Circuit."
The Red Bull driver has three F1 wins to his name, but his best finish in Melbourne is fourth.
He becomes the 10th driver to have an Albert Park grandstand carry his name, joining legends such as Jack Brabham and Michael Schumacher.
As he prepares for the Austrian Grand Prix this weekend, the usually affable Ricciardo has decided he would rather move on.
Not from his Red Bull Formula One team, which the Australian is now committed to contractually until at least 2018, but continuing questions about his future and a possible switch to Ferrari.
He and the team made clear weeks ago that options had been taken up, but Ricciardo was asked again at the Austrian Grand Prix on Thursday to confirm he was staying for the next two seasons.
"Yeah, yeah," he replied.
Asked for more detail, some flesh on the bones, he added: "Every word I say ... one word turns into 10, and then 30 and 50. So, I'll just leave it at that."
Pressed further, Ricciardo said it was his decision as much as the team's.
"We want to win. This year is going to be tough for a world title but obviously where we are this year is where we are," he said.
"But looking ahead to next year, and spending time with the team and seeing what's ahead, I think it's the best place to be to try to challenge [champions] Mercedes, so that's where it stems from."
Former champions Red Bull are the only team to have beaten Mercedes this season, although it was Ricciardo's 18-year-old Dutch teammate Max Verstappen who did that on his debut for the team in Spain in May rather than the Australian.
Verstappen moved up from Toro Rosso, Red Bull's junior team, to replace demoted Russian Daniil Kvyat and Ricciardo welcomed the new challenge.
"Max came in and set a bit of a tone in Barcelona," he said, wryly.
"That was obviously a pretty crazy weekend and I think since then it's been good. Obviously Monaco didn't work as well for him and he openly admitted it and took it on the chin," he added, referring to the youngster's crash in his next race.
"In a way we've thrived off the new challenge, the new rivalry, so hopefully it can keep pushing the team in the right direction."
Ricciardo might have won in Spain and Monaco but for team errors, while Verstappen cashed in in Barcelona when the Mercedes drivers collided.
The Australian said the rivalry between the pair was still a healthy one.
"I think if you're mature about it, and if you can basically just admit if one guy's better on the day and be open about it, then you'll have good respect for each other," he said.
AAP, Reuters