F1: Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo - teammates or rivals at Red Bull?

Friends or foes: Sebastian Vettel (R) of Red Bull Racing talks with Daniel Ricciardo (L) of Toro Rosso as they attend the press conference prior to the German Grand Prix on July 4, 2013. (Getty Images)

The much-awaited seat at Red Bull for the 2014 Formula One season has finally been filled, bringing an end to all the drama. Exit Mark Webber. Enter Daniel Ricciardo.

The number one contender finally managed to bag the seat with the best car (and team) on the grid today. And the excitement was clearly visible on Ricciardo’s face in the video interview released by Red Bull, but the young Australian is going to team up with the big fish in triple world champion, Sebastian Vettel.

Will they show a healthy camaraderie or will it be the similar story of teammate gunning down colleague?

Teammates, really?

One would probably be testing the patience of an Australian Formula One fan if we brought up the relationship of Webber and Vettel. For all you know, you might even learn a few infamous words from the Aussie vocabulary.

That both Webber and Vettel were never the best of teammates is pretty much out in the open. The heat that ignited at the 2010 Turkish GP burst up in flames at this year’s Malaysian GP, when Vettel made a pass on Webber despite team orders to stay put.

That was the final nail in the coffin for Webber, and the Aussie decided to call time on his Formula One career and explore other options. He simply had no choice but to quit. He would have wasted his time (and efforts) for a team, that was clearly biased to one driver.

Vettel is the preferred driver, who has taken away all the limelight from his teammate over the years. The young German, however, hit a jackpot by winning the Driver’s Championship three times in a row.

But it is not hard to see why they never got along; they are poles apart. Webber is serious, mature, no-nonsense hard-worker. Vettel on the contrary is boastful, spoilt and insensitive; so much so, many are still of the opinion that he is lucky to have ended up at Red Bull in the first place.

Red Bull should be grateful to Webber for helping them to the Constructor’s Championship over the last three years. And for all you know, he might have his hand in the fourth as well.

Teamwork?

The big question that remains is that if Ricciardo will be able to handle the pressure and put up a fight against Vettel?

With Vettel being the senior driver, he is sure to boss around. Ricciardo’s personality, however, is unlike his countryman’s and that could make things easier for German.

While Ricciardo might not be the best of friends with Webber, he could surely get a helping hand from the veteran. For example: key insights as to how things work with Vettel.

Vettel has openly praised the youngster from Perth as a fast learner, but that might be short-lived if Ricciardo manages a win or two in the first half of the 2014 season.

Ricciardo would surely like to make the most of his big chance. Let’s face it, which driver wouldn’t want to win races, and ultimately, the Drivers’ Championship. It’s every Formula One driver’s dream but only a few taste success.

The Australian has no dearth of talent, which he has proved while driving for Toro Rosso and the Young Driver’s Test. But he needs to be wary of his future teammate. After all, Vettel wouldn’t like to be in Webber’s shoes – where a younger teammate makes the headlines.