Daniel Ricciardo - Max Verstappen will let me win because of my Italian heritage

Daniel Ricciardo at Circuit Zandvoort — Photo: © LAT Images

Italian Grand Prix

Ricciardo - Verstappen will let me win because of my Italian heritage

Ricciardo will start the Italian Grand Prix second behind Verstappen

Sam Hall

Sunday 12 September 2021 13:20

Daniel Ricciardo has joked his former team-mate Max Verstappen has "won too many races this year" so will allow him to taste success at the Italian Grand Prix.

Ricciardo last claimed an F1 victory at the 2018 Monaco GP when driving alongside Verstappen at Red Bull.

After finishing third in Saturday's sprint, the Australian was promoted to the front row through Valtteri Bottas' grid penalties.

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But as Verstappen has seven victories to his name this year, the same number as Ricciardo's career total, the McLaren driver joked Verstappen would let him have this one.

Speaking to Sky Sports F1, Ricciardo said: "Max has won a few too many races this year so he said tomorrow, because of the Italian heritage as well, he said he is not going to fight too hard.

"He said 'Look, if you get the start, I will just defend the rest for you' because there is still good points for him in second, he can get the fastest lap'. "

On a more serious note, Ricciardo added: "The podium is the objective, that is the target.

"With the pit stop, I don't want to say careful, I want to say smart because that is where the faster cars, the Mercedes, would have a chance to undercut and overcut.

"That window will dictate a lot of our race."

Norris fears McLaren still some way off

Norris will start in third with Lewis Hamilton alongside him on the second row.

Asked if he felt there was a sniff of a race win, the Briton laughed: “That’s a good joke. Erm, no.

"I think obviously we will try if there is an opportunity but I think our pace is definitely too far off.

“I think in a way I had a bit of a slipstream off of Daniel because he was two-three-four seconds ahead so that was definitely helping me in my defence to Lewis.

“But I think over the longevity of a race, not the sprint race where you just push with all you’ve got for 18-laps, it’s going to be a bit more difficult to try and do that kind of thing.

“We’ll try. You never know in Monza. I wouldn’t say that’s our goal.”