Formula One ace Daniel Ricciardo opens up about girlfriend Jemma Boskovich

AUSSIE Formula One ace Daniel Ricciardo has opened up about the girl that drives him towards greatness.

Daniel Ricciardo and girlfriend Jemma Boskovich.

AUSSIE Formula One ace Daniel Ricciardo has opened up about the girl that drives him towards greatness.

Rich, famous and funny, Ricciardo admits plenty of women have sought him out after his meteoric rise in a sport known as much for its glitz and glamour as break neck speed and excitement.

But the West Australian, who lives in Monaco, only has eyes for one — his high school sweetheart Jemma Boskovich.

And he said the best thing about having her on the road with him or at home on the French Riviera was simple:

“An Aussie accent is nice.’’

Ricciardo, 25, and his jewellery designer partner were year 12 ball partners at their Perth high school and are long-term friends from big families of Italian descent.

As he last year enjoyed an incredible breakthrough year that saw him win three Grands Prix and eight podium finishes for Red Bull racing, Ricciardo had Boskovich by his side most of the time.

He remains fiercely protective of his private life and tries to shield his family, friends and Boskovich from the limelight.

But in an exclusive interview with the Sunday Herald Sun on the eve of the new F1 season, he revealed their close relationship was a major reasons he remained grounded.

“She doesn’t need to say much, I don’t get out of line,’’ Ricciardo said.

“But it is nice to have someone there, having company.

“I’ve known her for a fair few years now so it’s nice having someone from home who is there.

“I think that it is important.’’

Ricciardo sent the internet into meltdown last year when, asked what he wanted for his 25th birthday, his tongue-in-cheek reply was: ``true love’’.

In a TV interview soon after he set the record straight.

“There are some hot girls around — don’t worry about that, we do travel the world and there are some gorgeous females,” he told Channel Seven’s Sunday Night.

“I have only got eyes on one, sorry ladies, I know I have just broken a lot of hearts.”

Speaking in Barcelona as he finetuned his RB11 ahead of the opening race of the season in Melbourne next weekend, Ricciardo told the Sunday Herald Sun having his girlfriend close helped cure homesickness.

“Most of the year she is there and we have a pretty good base in Monaco,’’ he said.

He said they had a good network of friends including other F1 drivers and athletes.

“It’s a fun place — really good for training, normally the weather is pretty good, a bit like Australia,’’ he said.

Ricciardo said the couple preferred up-market Monaco to the cold weather of England where he moved as a teenager chasing his F1 dream.

Asked if wedding bells called in the near future he kept his cars close to his chest.

“Nothing yet,’’ he said.

“I will do something very secretive anyway.

“Otherwise half of Australia will probably rock up.’’

Twitter: @rolfep