Australia’s Daniel Ricciardo didn’t hold much hope of seeing the chequered flag, let alone stand on the podium.
The Perth-born driver was stunned by his second place behind German Nico Rosberg in Sunday’s Australian grand prix which signalled generational change in Formula One ranks.
Sebastian Vettel, world champion in the past four years, didn’t even finish five laps of the Albert Park circuit in Melbourne.
Instead, the likes of Ricciardo and Danish debutant Kevin Magnussen eclipsed their elders.
Magnussen, a 21-year-old in his first Formula One grand prix, came third.
And 24-year-old Ricciardo became the first Australian to finish on the podium at a home grand prix since the event joined the Formula One world championship in 1985 – the year Rosberg’s father, Keke, won in Adelaide.
“We had never done a race distance up until today so we didn’t really have much confidence that we could see a chequered flag, let alone see it in a podium position,” Ricciardo told reporters.
Ricciardo and his Red Bull Racing car started second on the grid, with Rosberg third – both behind Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton in pole position.
Rosberg said he started like a “silver arrow” and by the first turn his Mercedes had taken a lead he never relinquished, while Ricciardo remained second as Hamilton slipped into a pack with car troubles.
Hamilton was forced to retire after jour four laps and Vettel’s world title defence ended a lap later with mechanical troubles.
“People were passing me – I didn’t understand,” Vettel told reporters.
“I realised I had no power. I tried to recover but it didn’t happen.”
Rosberg won in a glorified procession: he gradually extended his lead to a whopping final margin of 24.5 seconds ahead of Ricciardo, who crossed the line 2.2 seconds ahead of Magnussen.
“Obviously I’d like the gap closer, he (Rosberg) was a pretty far way in front today,” Ricciardo said.
“Second is great. But it would be nice to at least have seen Nico on the straight and not five corners ahead.”
Ricciardo said he was struggling to comprehend the enormity of his achievement, coming after a carrying the hopes of a nation.
“When I flew into Melbourne this week, it’s a bit embarrassing to see my face on a few billboards,” he said.
“It’s obviously nice, all the support is great.
“But I don’t know, the fame is something which I guess I will still have to get used to.
“But it’s really nice to give the fans what they wanted to see.”