Ricciardo makes F1 debut-in rival team

Ricciardo makes Fl debut in rival team

Red Bull Racing reserve driver Daniel Ricciardo made his Formula 1 debut at Silverstone after being drafted into HRT to replace Narain Karthikeyan. Seen by Red Bull as the next talent of Vettel proportions, the Australian had previously been

driving for Toro Rosso in Friday morning practice sessions. Red Bull decided that it was better to get him race experience by paying for a seat at HRT rather than by dropping Sebastien Buemi or Jaime Alguersuari later in the season.

Ricciardo fared well against team-mate Tonio Liuzzi, although he started and finished last. “I think starting from the back there wasn’t so much pressure of having to really muscle someone out of the way in the first few corners,” he said. “I was quite relaxed, actually.”

Silverstone was the first race since Austria 1977 to feature two Australians on the grid, when Alan Jones won for Shadow and Vern Schuppan finished 16th for Surtees.