Why Daniel Ricciardo is confident he can end poor Interlagos record

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DANIEL Ricciardo is hoping the carnival atmosphere off the tract in Brazil this weekend will be transferred onto the track as he looks to round off his Red Bull career in style at Interlagos.

The Australian only has two races left with the Milton Keynes outfit before heading to Renault and is looking to end his run of back-to-back DNFs – his seventh and eighth retirements of the season to date.

However, Ricciardo does not have a great record at Interlagos. In his eight appearances there, he has never finished higher than six, which was last year, and has incurred engine problems in two of the last four visits.

“It goes without saying that I’m looking for a strong finish to round off the season with the team and I will be pushing as hard as ever to achieve this,” Ricciardo said. “The atmosphere in Brazil is cool and I had a good race coming through the field there last year.

“It’s a track that isn’t always that easy to pass on, but last year proved that it can be done and I’m looking forward to going back. The lap is quite short and lacks high speed corners but it’s definitely grown on me over the years.

“The weather can also play a big part in this race, so let’s hope the on-track action can live up to the off-track atmosphere. The Drivers’ Parade there is cool with the noise from all the local fans and the air horns, it has a kind of carnival feel which gives you a boost of energy before you get in the car.

“We always have a big team dinner there which creates a great atmosphere for everyone.”