Ricciardo was a popular winner in a crash-packed Canadian GP in Montreal and cashed in when the dominant Mercedes cars of Niko Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton faltered.
He took the lead in the second-last lap and was piggy-backed home by the safety car after another crash in the final go around the circuit.
Jones himself took three seasons to record a first win and believes Ricciardo’s victory which places him comfortably third in the driver’s championship will be a great mental boost.
“It’s good to have that first one under your belt because he now realises you can do it. He has done it. His sights will be set a lot higher now because his confidence will be a lot better, not that he was lacking in any of those. It just psychologically helps you,” Jones is quoted telling the SMH.
It was Ricciardo’s third podium of the year, with his third in Melbourne only struck from the record due to a team error.
After his teammate Sebastian Vettel won the past four world championships, Ricciardo could almost now be considered Red Bull’s No 1 driver since replacing fellow Aussie Mark Webber at the start of this year.
Jones said he expected Ricciardo to win more Grand Prix and when pressed on whether he can win the world title in three to five years, he replied: “Absolutely, no question”.
Jones was Australia’s last world champ in 1980.
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