02/09/2011
NEWS STORY
HRT F1 Team is preparing for the 82nd Italian Grand Prix and the 61st World Championship race since 1980 at the 5.793 km Autodromo di Monza in Italy. It is the final European leg of the 2011 Formula 1 Championship, before the remaining Asian and South American events of the season. Monza is the fastest circuit on the calendar and top speed is the order of the day for the legendary Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, so the two HRT F1 cars have to have a very low downforce setting to be able to maximize their top speeds. The brakes are in high demand and it is important to look after them.
Vitantonio Liuzzi: "To race at the home Grand Prix for a driver always gives mixed emotions. I will take the wheel of an F1 car in Monza for the fifth time in my career and I really want to perform well. I am always looking forward to racing here because it's my home crowd and I want to do well and I want to pull it all together. And if it's at Monza, it's true that it will be even more satisfying. I want this Grand Prix to become a special event for my fans and I have prepared a special surprise for them.
In terms of racing, Monza could be a tricky weekend as one of the key factors is having good mechanical grip for braking stability into the chicanes, and good traction on the exit. Drivers have to be careful at the first chicane after the start finish line, as it can lead to contact with a competitor or a trip over the kerbs. At the same time we need to achieve the highest speed possible at the exit of the corners to make up positions".
Daniel Ricciardo: "It won't be the first time in my career racing at Monza, but as a rookie in Formula 1, I will be at the wheel of a completely different car than any I have previously experienced. I am counting on my Italian roots to push me to a good performance in Italy. Monza is a special track that will require a very different approach to the other tracks that I have driven. It is a low downforce, high speed track with heavy braking required into the chicanes, so it's going to be another experience to put in the book. I want to put behind my first F1 non-finish at the last race in Spa. The word of the weekend is speed and it will be possible with team-work".
Colin Kolles, Team Principal: "The Autodromo di Monza is a power circuit and we must find the speed that we lacked at the Belgian Grand Prix. We have to find a very low downforce set-up for the car to achieve the maximum speed potential. The cars are difficult to control and the drivers have to be attentive and concentrated. We want to show a good level of performance and be able to finish the last race of the European 2011 season with both cars for the eighth time this season".
To experience Monza in more detail click here