Daniel Ricciardo is hoping his Italian heritage, coupled with driving for an Italian team, will mean the Tifosi will get behind him at Monza this weekend.
Toro Rosso driver has Italian heritage
Daniel Ricciardo is hoping his Italian heritage, coupled with driving for an Italian team, will mean the Tifosi will get behind him at Monza this weekend.
For the first time in 42 years, the crowd will not have a home driver to cheer on at the Italian Grand Prix after Jarno Trulli was dropped by Caterham at the start of the year.
Whilst Ferrari's Fernando Alonso will no doubt have the backing of most fans, Australian Ricciardo, who has an Italian father, is hopeful of added support.
"It's would be amazing," he told
Sky Sports News.
"To have so many Italian Tifosi on your side it wouldn't be a bad thing. It is definately one I am looking forward to, not only the circuit but to maybe have some of the fans behind me would be nice and obviously it is an Italian team as well."
Despite only being 23, the Toro Rosso driver says Monza, which is one of only four of the original circuits left on the F1 calendar, leaves him in awe.
"It goes a long way before I was born," he added.
"But I remember when I went there for the first time and saw the old Monza with the banking and I couldn't believe they used to race round there.
"We race on a bit of a modified circuit now but you still get that feeling of racing through the park and there are the classic corners like Ascari and Parabolica."
