Daniel Ricciardo was a hot commodity before his thrilling victory at the Chinese Grand Prix. His exploits in Shanghai have only served to elevate his name at a time he is mulling over where he will be driving in 2019, with the Australian currently in the final year of his Red Bull contract.
Ricciardo, who turns 29 this year, knows this decision will define the rest of his Formula One career. Getting it right would provide him with the championship contender he has craved since he rose to prominence in 2014, but the wrong step at this stage could doom him to more frustrating years in uncompetitive machinery.