Daniel Ricciardo expects to be handed an engine penalty at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix and therefore start at the back of the grid.
Under the current rules, drivers are allowed to use just four of each power unit component before incurring a penalty and the Red Bull driver is already on his fourth international combustion engine and turbocharger.
The Aussie says he will “most likely” face a grid drop for using the fifth of both elements, but is confident he can come through the field.
“I don’t know if it has been made official,” he said. “Starting from the back is pretty fun, especially around here at least you can pass.
“I don’t think I am the only one to start from the back, I think I will be in company, so it will be a race to see who can get through the field quickest. This is one of those circuits that is a bit of an exception. You have long straights and it is pretty wide in areas so you can find big braking zones.”
Ricciardo has already come through the field once this season, having started at the back at Silverstone to finish fifth and doubted a suggestion that the 2017 cars could make it harder to do the same at Monza.
“If Sunday turns out to be a stale race then that is probably a bigger issue because normally this track has been pretty easy to overtake,” he said.
“Sure braking zones will be shorter this year, we have more downforce and probably will be arriving slower, so that all gets trimmed down but I will like to think you can overtake here. I will be overtaking, I will just cut chicanes if I have to!”
This year’s race winner in Baku revealed the main reason for the new engine parts is Red Bull have one eye at the next race in Singapore, where they have historically excelled, and the team were eager to avoid a penalty or failure which would scupper perhaps their best chance of beating Mercedes and Ferrari.
“Singapore is a circuit we are strong on, so I don’t want to take any risks in Singapore and have to risk a race with an old engine,” he explained. “If we have to be strategic about it then we will. We are not in a comfortable position now to be taking many risks with the reliability, so we will play it safe.”
Ricciardo’s teammate Max Verstappen was also understood to be facing a potential grid drop following his engine problem that forced him to retire at Spa last weekend.
