Daniel Ricciardo has revealed an injury picked up before his 2010 Formula Renault 3.5 season could have cost him his Red Bull chance.

The Australian told the story when talking about the company's outspoken advisor Helmut Marko, initially explaining how he made sure every talent in the young driver program knew their place.

"He was always very passionate. He cared and because he cared so much he was also very hard and firm," he said on Nico Rosberg's Beyond Victory podcast.

"Every time I finished a conversation with him on the phone, I knew where I stood and what he expected so it certainly made me grow up quick. I respect him a lot for that.

"It wasn't always nice seeing his name pop up. 'Do I really want to answer it?' But you're like if I don't answer it now I'm just going to have to do it later. Sometimes you just have to listen and nod and suck it up."

It was then Ricciardo spoke about his most worrying run-in with Marko during his rise to Formula 1 in 2010.

"About two weeks before the [Formula Renault 3.5] test – and we only had two tests, so it was limited – basically I had a crash on my mountain bike and fractured my wrist," he said.

"I knew I couldn't do the first test. I could hardly move my hand, but I flew to Jerez in Spain to try and show that I was going to at least try.

"I did the out-lap and came straight back to the pits. I just said 'sorry guys, I can't'. Then my phone rings.

"Helmut: 'What happened?' and I was like 'I really tried, I couldn't, I'm so sorry but I'll let it heal and don't worry I'll be ready for the first race'."

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Rosberg then responded asking the obvious question, did Ricciardo feel that moment could see his Red Bull future in doubt?

"I knew it was going to be tough because the next words were, a lot of silence, then 'you're an idiot' and hung up," he replied.

"I did the next test at Magny-Cours, it was probably about 10 days later and I remember all the hairpins, I couldn't get enough rotation with my wrist so I was just like one-handed.

"I got pole in the first race so that was alright," Ricciardo concluded.