New Red Bull Racing driver Daniel Ricciardo will win a 2014 Formula One Grand Prix according to fellow compatriot Mark Webber.
Sebastian Vettel’s former teammate pulled the plug on his F1 career at the end of last season only to be replaced by a fellow Aussie in 24-year-old Ricciardo.
Despite his inexperience, Webber believes Ricciardo will have success ahead of Vettel at times this year.
“First of all, he thoroughly deserves the seat — you don’t get a seat like that from not putting the yards in,” Webber said of promoted Toro Rosso driver.
“He’s put the work in, he’s been over in Europe for a long time, and he left Australia very early to achieve his goal.
“He’s achieved arriving in Formula One, he’s earned his stripes, and now he’s in a top team where he can show to everybody, including himself, what he’s really capable of.”
Webber, talking to the AAP, didn’t specify the technical opinions behind his claim, but did mention the strength of the Red Bull team as a key factor in Ricciardo’s development.
“He’s got a great team around him as well. Patience will be required to a degree because it is a bit of a new scenario for him. But once he finds his feet, the sky could be the limit for him.”
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Both Vettel and Ricciardo are coming off a forgettable test week in Bahrain last week.
Red Bull Racing hit up the Sakhir circuit ahead of next month’s F1 opener in Melbourne only to see Vettel stuck in the garage for much of the first day before completing 59 laps the next.
Ricciardo managed a combined 43 laps on days three and four due to technical issues.
“I guess we still need more time,” Ricciardo admitted, “…But it is coming and we’re heading in the right direction.”
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