Red Bull making inroads into Mercedes domination - Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo was quick to offer Mark Webber a shoe of champagne on the Belgian GP podium as a testimony of the Red Bull driver's satisfaction of coming home second this afternoon at Spa.

In a race marked by Safety Cars, both virtual and real, a red flag and a bit of chaos, Ricciardo was able to stay pretty much out of trouble - with the exception of a bit of debris which damaged his front wing - and run up front all afternoon although at a fair distance from race winner Nico Rosberg.

"It was cool," the Aussie said on the podium.

"Obviously it was pretty messed up at the start, there were a lot of virtual safety cars and then the red flag.

"We knew we had a bit of damage actually from the first corner but we fixed the front wing and then got back out.

"It was a bit of a race by myself but I enjoyed the pace and to keep Lewis behind was a good achievement today."

REPORT: Rosberg wins at Spa as Hamilton recovers to third

While Ricciardo accomplished pretty much what he expected, banking only on a bit of good fortune to win outright, he does believe a Red Bull victory on its own merit isn't far off.

"We've had three podiums in a row and we're definitely making inroads. I think we held our own quite well, Nico a little bit more pace but generally we're making inroads which is positive.

"Monza will probably be our most challenging circuit in the second half of the season, but then we've got Singapore and Suzuka to look forward to."

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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.