GREATEST RACE: Daniel Ricciardo on the unexpected battle that earned the respect of a champion


Daniel Ricciardo had high hopes in 2014 when he stepped up to Red Bull and pushed to make his mark alongside four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel. In the next chapter of our Greatest Race series, the Australian – whose F1 career now appears to be over after RB’s mid-season driver swap – remembers not one of his breakthrough wins that year, but an exciting wheel-to-wheel scrap with Fernando Alonso that changed the way he thought about the sport going forward…
Ricciardo’s rise to Red Bull
Ricciardo was two-and-a-half seasons into his Grand Prix career – which began with an initial run-out for HRT and a stint at Toro Rosso – when the senior Red Bull team promoted him to replace retired countryman Mark Webber.
Next Up
Related Articles
Our writers reflect on the 2026 season so far
ExclusiveLawson examines factors behind his impressive 2026 so far
UnlockedHINCHCLIFFE: My top five drivers of the 2026 season so far
ExclusiveHow Lindblad is racing ‘for my five-year-old self’ in F1
What F1 drivers have been up to during the summer break
The stats showing how Antonelli has stepped up in 2026
