Daniel Ricciardo has been named 'Breakthrough of the Year' at the Laureus World Sports Awards in recognition of his remarkable 2014 campaign with Red Bull.
Ricciardo claimed three wins - in Canada, Hungary and Belgium - and eclipsed four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel in his first year at the team after stepping up from Toro Rosso. His breakthrough year saw him finish third in the drivers' championship behind Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.
The Australian was picked ahead of footballers James Rodriquez and Mario Gotze, tennis player Marin Cilic and Alpine skiing Olympic Slalom champion Mikaela Shiffrin. Ricciardo follows in the footsteps of Juan Pablo Montoya (2002), Lewis Hamilton (2008) and Jenson Button (2010) in winning the breakthrough category.
Hamilton was also up for the Sportsman of the Year award after claiming his second world championship last year but was beaten to the accolade by tennis star Novak Djokovic. The other nominees for the top prize included world number one golfer Rory McIlroy, footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, Moto GP sensation Marc Marquez and pole vault world record holder Renaud Lavillenie.
Laureus chairman Edwin Moses, two-time Olympic gold medallist in the 400m hurdles, was guest at last weekend's Chinese Grand Prix and conducted the post-race podium interviews.