Daniel Ricciardo is starting a year that will define the rest of his life in Formula 1.

And it could be the most season important of his life, as the Australian seeks not only to fend off the growing challenge of Red Bull teammate Max Verstappen, but do so while making the first big career choice he has ever faced.

Ricciardo has been a member of the Red Bull driver programme since 2008 but he is out of contract at the end of 2018. It is the first time in a decade - and the first ever since he made it to F1 - that he has been free to make up his own mind about where his destiny lies. Does he stick or does he twist? And on what factors will that decision depend?