Ricciardo: 'Five podiums in a row is awesome!'

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Red Bull Racing's Daniel Ricciardo achieved his fifth consecutive podium finish at the Austrian Grand Prix on Sunday, hailing his "awesome" run.

The Aussie did better than to hold his own at the start, jumping Kimi Raikkonen for third on the opening lap with a decisive overtake at Turn 4.

Ricciardo then built his race, banking on consistency and a well-timed strategy, but found himself falling into the clutches of a charging Lewis Hamilton in the closing stages of the race.

The Honey Badger held off the Silver Arrows however, pulling out all the stops to secure the last spot on the podium.

"It was a fun race!" Ricciardo told Martin Brundle on the podium.

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"We had some decisive moments at the start, then defending from Lewis in the last couple of laps, which got pretty close – let's just say I stuck to my braking points and where I thought the limit was.

"Five podiums in a row is awesome, but to get it here in Austria... Max got the home podium last year, and I was a bit envious, so it's nice to be up here this year."

Reflecting on his tight wheel-to-wheel battle with Hamilton, the Red Bull driver said he was relieved to see the checkered flag, unsure he would of held on to P3 for another lap.

"He got the DRS, he got a good exit out of Turn 1, while mine wasn't so good, so he got close, but it was nice to hold him off, and I was very pleased to see the chequered flag.

"I wasn't going to brake if I didn't need to! I believe it was clean and fair."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.