So I’m now hours away from my flight to Milan for my first ever Italian Grand Prix. I’ve done plenty of British GPs, the Monaco GP, the Singapore GP, the Australian GP and Le Mans but now it’s time for something new.

And this one is a bit special.

I blogged about my plans for this trip earlier in the year but now it’s a reality and it’s happening so here’s what’s getting me pumped for Monza 2014.

6. Getting my Duolingo on

I’ve been dabbling with Duolingo to learn French and Portuguese on and off for about 18 months now and I love it. This trip has given me a great excuse to try out Italian, too! So now I can impress some hot Italian donnas with my terrible pronunciation of arrivederci.

5. Returning to Italy

I visited Italy in 2006 on a school trip and fell in love with the country. Some ten countries later, it still ranks in my all-time top five countries. I did Rome, Capri and the Amalfi Coast but I’m so excited to see Milan and the beautiful north.

4. Exploring Milan

Il Duomo and the famous city centre are alluring to thousands of tourists every year and for good reason. I’ve booked a tour of the San Siro so can’t wait to see another awesome sporting venue up close.

3. New era, new cars, new noise

This year’s F1 cars are drastically different from the machines I watched pound around Albert Park in Melbourne and Marina Bay in Singapore last year. A major talking point all season has been the vastly different sound the new cars make and I’m relishing the chance to hear them up close and finally judge for myself.

2. Getting to make a new video!

Below you’ll see the last Grand Prix video I made 12 months back when I was blown away by Singapore.

1. History, Tifosi, Raw Passion

Like I said, I’m itching at the chance to make another awesome video, and my inspiration is this one the BBC made a few years back which gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. It sums up the unique nostalgia and history of Monza, as well as the unrivalled dedication of the Italian tifosi. They say there’s no atmosphere like it in sport and boy am I ready to experience it for myself!