Australian Formula One newcomer Daniel Ricciardo was thrilled to finish his first ever Grand Prix on Sunday.

On loan to Hispania Racing for the remainder of the season, he completed the race without incident. 

He started and finished last but said it was the experience which had been the most important thing for him.  

"Understanding the tyres, the pit stops and the strategy, it's really very complex and something I've never really done before so, in this respect, I think it was a step forward," he said.