If Daniel Ricciardo is to someday succeed Mark Webber at Red Bull, he believes he must do something exceptional this Formula One season.

The 23-year-old West Australian driver starts his second full F1 season at this weekend’s Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne with Red Bull’s junior outfit Toro Rosso.

Ricciardo spent 2012 hovering at the fringe of the top 10 and picking up regular minor points.

But Ricciardo believes more of the same won’t be enough for him to eventually step from a mid-grid team to the sport’s pointy end.

“If myself and (Toro Rosso teammate) Jean-Eric (Vergne) are just matching each other this year, it’s probably not going to be enough,” Ricciardo said on Tuesday.

“I definitely want to blow it apart if I can this year – do something special. Podiums would be great.

“But we’ve really got to see where we are as a team. I think we’ve improved.

“The bigger question is how much has everyone else improved? We’ve really got to make sure we’ve improved more than them as well.”

For all-conquering Red Bull to become a future option, there is also the small matter of when 36-year-old Webber decides to step away from the sport – something he has made clear is not yet on his horizon.

Webber, on the latest in a series of rolling one-year deals, turns 37 mid-year and Red Bull and he face some critical decisions later in 2013.

Ricciardo’s best F1 finish is ninth – something he managed at last year’s Australian GP.

He is confident natural improvement after 31 grands prix starts, as well as a better Toro Rosso package, will help lift them to bigger things in Melbourne.

“I definitely think I can push higher. But the car does play a part,” he said.

“I definitely feel as a team we’re going to improve this year. Myself with extra confidence, more experience, these things will naturally improve as well.”