10/03/2015
NEWS STORY
Though it ultimately ended in disqualification, Melbourne 2014 was a dream for the ever-smiling Daniel Ricciardo.
Stepping up to the 'big team', replacing countryman Mark Webber, after two seasons with Toro Rosso, Ricciardo out-qualified his illustrious teammate Sebastian Vettel, and went on to finish the race second, before the little matter of "fuel irregularities" raised its head.
Now, with Vettel at Ferrari, Ricciardo, who went on to win three races last year, the only non-Mercedes driver to win a GP in 2014, is team leader for the four-time constructors' champions.
"I don't feel any more pressure than last year, that was already a pretty big step for me," he told reporters ahead of this year's season opener. "Coming into a top team everyone was asking questions of me. Can I be up to Seb's pace? Can I get on the podium? I feel like I answered a lot of those questions.
"I think I've proved what I'm capable of," he added, "and it's just a matter of hoping we've got the equipment."
Unlike the popular Australian, his car is one of the true unknown quantities on the 2015 grid, like Mercedes, Red Bull has yet to reveal its true pace.
"It's really a question of how much we have improved and if we've improved enough to close the gap on Mercedes," he admitted. "Testing has shown us that Mercedes are still really strong, I don't want to be pessimistic at all, but they seem to be the team to beat at the moment.
"Behind them it's pretty close with us, Ferrari and Williams, we all look to be next in line. I think if we put it all together we can definitely fight for at least that last spot on the podium this weekend."