Daniel Ricciardo Fan Club

[MONSTAR]

Thought i would make one now as im sure it wont be long before Australia's newest F1 star will make the grid. Hopefully RBR get him into a STR seat for next year. I think this guy is the real deal. Sign up now!!

Q & A: Ricciardo on rookie test pace

By Edd Straw Tuesday, November 16th 2010, 16:20 GMT


A year on from his Formula 1 testing debut in last winter's rookie sessions, Red Bull protege Daniel Ricciardo was called up again by the new champion team for this week's Abu Dhabi test - and started in style with a dominant fastest time.

AUTOSPORT heard his thoughts on the performance afterwards.

Q. That time today would've put you third on the grid at the weekend...

Daniel Ricciardo: Yeah, the team mentioned that so it was quite good. Realistically, I knew I could do a decent job but I really wasn't sure how close I could get to the big boys' times from the weekend, so it was quite cool. A bit closer than I thought.

Q. Did you do a qualifying simulation? How much fuel were you carrying?

DR: It was quite a proper qualifying simulation, but we were a bit safe with fuel. If it was Q3, I think the boys would've taken a bit more out and run a bit closer to the edge, so maybe there's a bit more in there still, which is nice to know.

Q. What was your programme today?

DR: It was mainly just to get me up to speed with everything. There wasn't much development going on for the team. We tried something in the afternoon, something they tried mechanically in the last few races, but it was quite invisible for me so it was still just about driving and trying to do some good times, which was cool. I didn't have to do any aero tests - they haven't strapped anything to the car yet. Maybe tomorrow we'll do a bit more fidgeting with that, a bit more for the technical boys.

Q. How much improvement could you feel in the car from last year? Did it inspire a lot of confidence?

DR: I guess it makes it a bit easier for sure if you know that you've got a fast car and it does all that you want it to. It's quite a pleasure. Throughout the year with World Series, or any junior category, you can get the perfect car, but it's very, very rare and this was very close to it. You brake and you turn and it does everything just as you hope and imagine it will.

Q. How much more at ease were you today compared with the last test?

DR: It was more the nerves, I got that out of the way last year. I was a little bit tense last year, as I guess most people are at their first Formula 1 test. But this morning was okay, I did an installation lap, came in and got into it quite soon after on the first run.

Q. Do you now feel ready to step up to F1?

DR: Yeah, I think it's hard to know when you're exactly ready but I think I've done quite a bit now in the junior categories and now this is my fourth proper day in an F1 car, so it's probably as much as you're going to get at this age and with limited testing it's not easy.

So I think I'm ready and tomorrow we'll try and do a few more long runs, maybe prepare more for a race situation to see how the body holds up, but I think I'm probably as ready as I can be.

[Rus-Evo]

Daniel Ricc-WHO-do??

Never heard of him, but to test at big boy speeds is good (even if he had a more rubbered up track than the big boys perhaps).

A driver to look out for...........when is he gonna do the cheesey Canberra milk ad then?

[WebHead]

Pffttt, I'll reserve judgement until I hear him talk in a few press conferences. One 'monkey backmarker' comment and I'm out!

[MONSTAR]

He's a gun this kid. Blew them away in his 1st year in British F3 and almost won the championship in formula renault 3 in his 1st year. GP2 is most likely where he will be next year then F1 to take Webber's seat. ( i hope that last bit ).

He blew everyone away at the 1st young driver test at the start of the year by over a second and that was the 1st time he ever tested a F1 machine.

Racing History

Started Karting at age 9 to 16 winning numerous State and National Races.
2006: Winner of Formula BMW Asia Pacific Scholarship.
2006: Competed in Formula BMW Asia Series (12 podiums out of 19 races including 2 wins and 1 Pole)
2006 Formula BMW Asia: 3rd in overall Championship
2006 Formula BMW World Final: 5th place
2007 Formula Renault 2.0 Italian Championship: 6th place
2007 Selected for Red Bull Junior Team 2008
2008 – Formula Renault 2.0 WEC Championship winner
2008 – Formula Renault 2.0 Eurocup Runner-up
2009 - British F3 International Series Champion (6 wins, 12 podiums)
2010 - Formula Renault 3.5 Series
F1 reserve driver for Red Bull Racing and Toro Rosso

[MONSTAR]

Pffttt, I'll reserve judgement until I hear him talk in a few press conferences. One 'monkey backmarker' comment and I'm out!

Thats ok mate. Seb's Fan Club is just down the road. Im sure all his fans will welcome you on there.

[revngo]

Pffttt, I'll reserve judgement until I hear him talk in a few press conferences. One 'monkey backmarker' comment and I'm out!

Lol!

Never heard of him either, I will reserve judgement til I see him drive an F1 car a few times
But would be nice to see another Aussie on the grid.

[lightmas]

Yea..i like him

Havent seen any of his racing this year, but saw a fair bit in his F3 year in 09

As for next year, too early for F1, no point in rushing it. One year in GP2 first.