Daniel Ricciardo is preparing himself for one of the toughest races of the season where speeds can reach upwards of 360kph, but that’s not the only challenge the Italian Grand Prix presents.
“The biggest challenges at Monza nowadays are the braking zones,” explains the Australian. “The first chicane is the ultimate example: you’re coming down to that first chicane at the highest speed an F1 car will reach all year and you’re braking into one of the tightest corners you’ll take all year. Added to that you’re doing this with the least amount of downforce you’ll have all year – which means the car tends to slide around quite a bit as well as taking longer to stop.
“You can’t afford to lock a brake but equally you can’t lose time by being too eager on the pedal. It demands that you are really focused all of the time.
“I’m not really that keen on super-long straights; I find them a little dull compared to hammering through a series of demanding corners but Monza is the exception to that. There’s something about flashing through those trees in front of that massive crowd that definitely gets the pulse all the way up!”
The Red Bull driver, fresh from back-to-back wins in Hungary and Belgium, is eyeing a podium at a circuit that shouldn’t really suit the RB10 and its Renault engine.
“The crowd in Monza is wild. Obviously it’s full-on Ferrari but in the past they’ve always been very generous to me. I’d love to get the opportunity to stand on that brilliant podium and find out!”
