Daniel Ricciardo
I watch a lot of films and TV shows, mainly featuring action and adventure. There’s one line from one of them that’s stuck in my head since I heard it, although I can’t remember exactly from where – “From chaos comes opportunity”. *
In a way, that’s how Daniel Ricciardo has probably looked at the entire “Multi-21” scandal from Malaysia, and even more so when the thin “Mark Webber to sportscars” rumour started during the three week break to China.
You see, being part of Red Bull Young Driver’s programme, there might be a hot seat available next to Sebastian Vettel next season. With that in mind, and with so many other drivers being linked there as well – we’re looking at you , Kimi – then you have to put the performances in to justify putting your name in the hat. That’s exactly what Smiling Dan did in China.
He had an excellent weekend throughout, starting in an excellent 7th place on the grid. Now, while some people may dispute that his high starting spot was due to the Pirellis dictating where others started, he still had one shot to get his car into Q3 and he duly took it. In the race he held his own in the pit-stop strategy roulette that happened throughout the afternoon, and if there had been a few laps more he could have nabbed 6th.
In the furore that was Red Bull’s controversial victory in Malaysia, has come the chance for drivers to stake a claim for one of the best drives in the sport – Daniel might just be the man to take it, based on this performance.
Keep smiling Danny Boy, you’re our Top Dog for China.
*This may not neccesarily be true. I may have made it up for dramatic effect.
