Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo scored his maiden Formula 1 victory at the 2014 Canadian Grand Prix, etching his name in the sport's folklore forever and now a year later he returns to the scene of his career defining triumph with great memories and a job to do.
For sure the venue of his first win, and this year Round 7 of the Formula 1 World Championship at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on the Ile Notre-Dame in Montreal, will forever be special but the big smiling Aussie reveals that it was love at first sight.
"Possibly winning has made me love it a little bit more but really I’ve loved it since my first lap, back when I was driving for Toro Rosso. I remember coming back into the pits and saying: what a circuit! I was amazed at how good it was – and I’d only done an install," recalled Ricciardo.
"It’s just a ridiculous amount of fun. You can jump across the kerbs and really get the car bouncing around. It’s like getting back to go-kart days, you really feel like you own it – and I love that. You can get aggressive with it, and aim to just brush the wall," he explained.
The exit of the final turn is officially part of the Quebec Chicane, but over the years has been nicknamed 'Wall of Champions' because it has been a magnet to just about every F1 champion who have raced on the man-made island in the St. Lawrence River."
"There’s a lot of risk but that brings a lot of adrenaline with it. It’d be wonderful if you were doing it in isolation but with 100,000 screaming fans urging you on, it’s just mega," said Ricciardo ahead of the weekend in Canada.
The temptation to go beyond the limit is always there, "It’s a clear choice: some guys will play it safe and sacrifice half a tenth to get through there cleanly; others who will take a risk and go flat out trying to find a little bit."
"The nearer you are, the faster you’ll go. Give the wall a kiss and you feel pretty good: Kiss it too hard and that’s it!" he warned.
Montreal is a popular destination for the F1 fraternity, "Great places to eat and drink – plus the fact Crescent Street is closed off for a big party is very, very cool. The whole city gets involved in the race and you get the impression that the grand prix is really embraced."
Recalling the celebrations of a year ago, Ricciardo said, "There was [a celebration party] but I was very restrained and in bed by 1.30am. There’s a point where the adrenaline wears off and suddenly you’re absolutely exhausted."
"I remember falling into bed, thinking: wow, crazy day! Out went the lights. Fortunately the crew are made of sterner stuff and kept the party going. They were not a pretty sight at breakfast the following day..." remembered Ricciardo, who will start his 76th grand prix on Sunday.
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