30/12/2011
NEWS STORY
Mat Coch writes:
After securing a drive with Toro Rosso for 2012, Daniel Ricciardo has promised to be more aggressive in what will be his first full season in Formula One.
The Australian made his Grand Prix debut at the British Grand Prix, replacing Narain Karthikeyan at Hispania Racing. A Red Bull junior, Ricciardo regularly impressed by outpacing his more experienced teammate Vitantonio Liuzzi and had his efforts rewarded when Toro Rosso dumped both its 2011 drivers in favour of him and Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne.
However a change in team will mean a change in approach, the Australian admitting that he will need to become more aggressive in 2012 if he's to make an impact in the fiercely competitive midfield.
"I probably need to have a little bit more aggression which I guess will come with experience at this level," Ricciardo told the Australian Associated Press. "I know I've got it but it's probably not consistent enough and in Formula One now it has to be as good as it can be.
"I think my starts are okay, the initial reaction off the line is fine," he continued. "But a few times this year I got a good start and jumped the car off the line but maybe didn't go hard enough into the first corner or went for the safer inside line."
Lining up alongside Ricciardo in 2012 will be debutant Jean-Eric Vergne. The Frenchman comes highly rated with speed to match the Australian and with a more aggressive on-track persona. "We drive quite similar but he has probably what I don't have in the aggressive side," Ricciardo concedes. "Maybe I can learn from him, at least in the junior categories that's been his style."
Prior to being confirmed at Toro Rosso, Ricciardo had been linked with a move to Caterham in place of Jarno Trulli. The Australian will visit the Toro Rosso factory early in the New Year for an initial seat fitting before the first pre-season test in February.