Ricciardo is a world champion in waiting - Coulthard

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo is a Formula One champion-in-waiting, according to former McLaren driver David Coulthard.??

Ricciardo, 26, won three races??and finished on the podium on five other occasions??in his debut season with Red Bull in 2014 but endured a tough campaign last year.??

The Australian driver managed to claim just two??podium finishes in 2015 -??a second place in Singapore and??third in Hungary -??but Coulthard says Ricciardo has what it takes to be a future world champion.??

"He's the real deal," Coulthard said.??"Unfortunately he doesn't quite have the car right now.??

"Chassis-wise, aerodynamically, Red Bull have a great package. But they just don't have the power plant right now."

Coulthard, who won??13 F1 races in a career spanning 15 years, said Ricciardo just had to be patient for the right opportunity.??

"He's a world champion in waiting. It's just a question of when that opportunity comes along. He has to be a bit patient right now," the 44-year-old added.

"He is on the hit-list of all the top teams, there is no question.

"And [Red Bull??owner]??Dietrich Mateschitz has always maintained that if a driver doesn't want to stay, then he would never hold them back."