Ricciardo itching to get back behind wheel
MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo cannot wait to get back behind the wheel in a bid for redemption at his home Australian Grand Prix where a controversial disqualification robbed him of a maiden podium last season.
Ricciardo thrilled home fans when he finished second at Albert Park in March but the result was cancelled due to a fuel consumption technicality. Red Bull appealed but the disqualification stood.
Ricciardo recovered to notch three race wins for the Formula One season and said the disappointment had spurred him on.
"Looking back, what happened on Sunday night here, if anything, just fuelled a bigger fire which was already in me," Ricciardo told reporters in Melbourne on Thursday at the launch of the 2015 Australian Grand Prix.
"It served me well for the rest of the season.
"It gave me a taste and then took it away, so it made me want to get back there.
"I'm already hanging out for March -- try and get a little bit of redemption."
Ricciardo came third in the championship behind holder Lewis Hamilton and his Mercedes team mate Nico Rosberg but won plenty of admirers by outshining his four-times champion team mate Sebastian Vettel, who has since departed for Ferrari.
From being the new boy after two years at Red Bull's feeder team Toro Rosso, 25-year-old Ricciardo will be the senior driver next season with new team mate Daniil Kvyat of Russia in the garage.
Red Bull lost their constructors title to Mercedes last season and he said his team was desperate to get it back.
"I wouldn't say (the team) are furious, but they've lost the number one spot this year," he said.
"When you have something that's taken from you, obviously it's a bit like the podium in Melbourne -- it fuelled a fire.
"I know they're hungrier than ever to get back on top.
"I believe my guys have a bit more hunger than everyone else right now."
(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
