Daniel Ricciardo has been named World Breakthrough of the Year at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Shanghai.
The Australian was nominated following a hugely impressive debut season with Red Bull, stepping up from Toro Rosso to win three races in 2014 as he finished third in the championship to the dominant Mercedes pair of Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
“2014 is a year I’ll remember for a long time — it was definitely a breakthrough in my mind as well,” Ricciardo said. “Standing on the top step of the podium a few times was icing on the cake.”
Ricciardo - who had to accept his award by video message as he is in Bahrain ahead of this weekend's grand prix - was the only successful nominee from Formula One, with Hamilton missing out on the Sportsman of the Year award to tennis star Novak Djokovic.
Hamilton had already admitted after the Chinese Grand Prix he knew he wasn't going to win the award, while his Mercedes team was also beaten to Team of the Year by the Germany national football team.
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