Daniel Ricciardo raced towards the chequered flag laughing like a schoolboy after he recorded the most unlikely of victories following a Formula One race for the ages.
Ricciardo started only 10th in Sunday's dramatic Azerbaijan Grand Prix before he dropped towards the back of the field after an unscheduled early pit stop.
But the Australian sensationally led the race with 18 laps remaining - after Lewis Hamilton pitted when his headrest came loose, and Sebastian Vettel served his 10-second penalty - before sealing both his and Red Bull's first victory of the year.
"Did I think that I would win the race today? Absolutely not," Ricciardo said. "I would have put all of my money on it that it was very unlikely.
"I'm speechless. On the slow-down lap I was kind of just giggling. Giggling like a little schoolboy."
Ricciardo's victory here at the Baku City Circuit marked the climax of a frenetic race which, for its pure entertainment value, is unlikely to be beaten anytime soon.
It started so smoothly for pole-sitter Hamilton after he retained his lead on the short run down to Turn One before Vettel was promoted to second when Valtteri Bottas and Kimi Raikkonen tangled at the second corner.
Toro Rosso's Daniil Kvyat then stopped on lap 11 after a mechanical issue, and with the marshals struggling to remove his car, the Safety Car was deployed. Cue the drama.
Five laps later, the race resumed only for the Safety Car to be issued once more when a piece of Ferrari bodywork flew off Raikkonen's car. Vettel then drove into the back of Hamilton before pulling alongside his championship rival, and deliberately banging wheels.
The title protagonists carried on and the race was soon back under way for a third time only for the Force India drivers of Esteban Ocon and Sergio Perez to trip over one another as Raikkonen suffered a rear puncture.
The 3.7-mile track was littered with debris. Out came the Safety Car for a third occasion. The race was then red-flagged.
Hamilton led the field into the pit lane as a Mercedes mechanic, armed with a screwdriver and pliers, patched up the bodywork on the rear of his car.
The race resumed 23 minutes later with Hamilton once more leading the pack away.
Following a Safety Car start, the Briton got the drop on Vettel and retained the lead. Ricciardo then made up three incredible positions in one corner as he roared past both Williams cars and Renault's Nico Hulkenberg at Turn One.
It was a move, given the later demise of both Hamilton and Vettel, which would enable Ricciardo to win his first race since last October's Malaysian Grand Prix.
"We knew the podium was a chance after the restart but then we heard the problems with Lewis and Seb," Ricciardo added. "It was just a crazy race."
Lance Stroll appeared on course to finish second only to be pipped on the line by Bottas. Nevertheless, the 18-year-old rookie landed the first podium of his short career.
After drinking champagne from Ricciardo's sweaty race boot, a jubilant Stroll said: "I'm just lost for words right now. I don't even know what to say. I can't quite realise what just happened.
"It was a hectic race with people crashing, but we just stayed out of trouble. I just kept my head cool and took it to the end."
Fernando Alonso helped to lift some of the dark clouds lingering above McLaren after he scored his, and the British team's first points of the year with ninth. Englishman Jolyon Palmer however, retired on lap seven following an engine issue.
Source: PA
