Daniel Ricciardo has become the 21st recipient of the Lorenzo Bandini Trophy, awarded to the professional racing driver who most impressed the judging panel in the year prior, usually from the world of Formula 1. Daniel joins the likes of Michael Schumacher (2003), Fernando Alonso (2005), Mark Webber (2006), and Sebastian Vettel (2009) as previous winners.
The trophy is named after the Italian former F1 driver Lorenzo Bandini and was presented in the small village of Brisighella by members of the Bandini family and David Missiroli, the Brisighella town mayor. Brisighella is close to the Imola circuit and the Faenza factory of the Scuderia Toro Rosso team.
“I was quite overwhelmed with the reception I received at the event. The Italians really love their motorsport,” Daniel said. “To be awarded with the Lorenzo Bandini trophy was an honour and to join the many great drivers on that list makes me proud.”
The event was a pretty big deal, too, with a 270-strong dinner held in celebration attended by F1 identities such as Giancarlo Minardi and Aldo Costa, currently a designer with Mercedes AMG F1.
Let’s hope this isn’t the last F1-related trophy Daniel receives in his career.
[Source: Red Bull Racing]