GEN NEXT READY TO STEP UP

New Delhi: If there is one constant in Formula One it has to be change! Michael Schumacher finally hung up his accolade-laden racing boots last year and in 2013, it has been the turn of Australian maverick Mark Webber. 
    The next line of top drivers is ready to step up to the plate to challenge the likes of Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso. Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg are two of the brightest in this lot. One has the ‘biggest smile’ in F1 (Ricciardo) while the other has the ‘biggest frame’ (Hulkenberg). 
    Scuderia Toro Rosso’s Ricciardo has certainly managed to get his nose ahead, grabbing the much-coveted Red Bull slot left vacant by Aussie counterpart Webber. Many, though, believe that Red Bull might have opted for an easier option demarcating a clear No. 1 and 2 in the team for next year. 
    For Ricciardo, it means a big jump both in terms of profile and salary which will reportedly go up from $600,000 to close to $2 million per year. “It is obviously a move that I had dreamed about for a long time. It’s, logically, the next big step of my career. In the lead up to it there was plenty of speculation...normally I had five journalists in my media sessions but it has quadrupled to 20 now,” Ricciardo told TOI, delighted about the move. 
    The Aussie has had a mixed season with seventh-place finishes in China and Monza but marred that by at least six poor outings. “It’s been a good season with a few disappointments, like retiring 3 laps from the end of Korea while being in the points. But generally it has been good, as the team has made progress from the previous year,” Ricciardo, who like Vettel comes from Red Bull’s Young Driver Program, said. Hulkenberg has also been in red-hot form in the second half of the season for Sauber. A fifth place in Monza was followed by a stunning fourth in Korea and an impressive sixth in Suzuka last week, making the German the man-in-demand. 
    Rumours circling around Hulkenberg indicate a possible return to Sahara Force India, or a move to Lotus as Kimi Raikkonen’s replacement, or a shock move to Ferrari if Fernando Alonso does agree to take up McLaren’s offer. “I drove one ofthe best races in my career so far in Korea. I have had cars in the mirrors before, but there were a lot and it was a bit annoying. The car’s traction was very good, so that kept me alive against Alonso) and then (Hamilton,” Hulkenberg told TOI. 
    Talent has never been in question for this German ever since he took pole by more than a second for Williams at a rainy Interlagos in 2010 or won GP2 with a race to spare thrashing his ART teammate Pastor Maldonado by 64 points. 
    Michael Schumacher’s longtime manager Wili Webber also managed Hulkenberg for some time once said that the Sauber driver reminded him of a young Schumacher. 
    But at 1.85m and 78kg with his kit on, Hulkenberg is one of the ‘biggest’ drivers in F1 which could be an issue with the 1.6 litre V6 engines coming into action in 2014. “Formula One is a sport where experience is very important. This is my third year as a driver and I find that it is a learning progress. Every year is different, rules change, people change and you constantly grow and learn,” Hulkenberg said about his growth in the sport. 
    Both these youngsters are no strangers to India. Hulkenberg drove for Force India in 2012 while Ricciardo has had two impressive races for HRT and Toro Rosso in the last two years of the Indian Grand Prix. 
    “Last year I had a good result in India as I finished eighth, so it was great to get some points. It is quite a nice track and one of the modern ones with some tricky sectors, especially sector two as there are a lot of corners that are combined. When I was racing for Force India, I had to arrive quite early, do a big PR tour and do a bit of promotion for Formula One,” he added. 
    Ricciardo is also looking forward to his return to India this week. “I have not had much time to visit India but my main impression is how nice and friendly the people are.” 
KNOW THE YOUNG STARS NICO HULKENBERG (Sauber) Born:Emmerich am Rhein, West Germany 
    Also known as the ‘Hulk’ due to his changing personalities behind the wheel 
    Previously managed by Willi Weber, the longtime manager of Michael Schumacher. Weber said he reminded him of Schumacher as a young driver 
    Favourite to replace Kimi Raikkonen at Lotus 
DANIEL RICCIARDO (Toro Rosso) Born: Perth, Western Australia 
    Signed on by Red Bull to partner Sebastian Vettel from 2014-17; salary will reportedly jump from $600,000 to over $2 million a year 
    Along with Vettel has been part of Red Bull’s Young Driver Program. Vettel joined at age 11 while Ricciardo was picked up at 18

EYEING THE BIG LEAGUE: Sauber’s Nico Hulkenberg (left) and Daniel Ricciardo of Toro Rosso