Feb.9 (GMM) Jerome d'Ambrosio's F1 mechanics have given the Belgian rookie a flavoursome new nickname.

In the Virgin garage, the 25-year-old is now affectionately known as 'Custard', with the word pasted on his cockpit when he began testing for the 2011 season at Valencia last week.

Ambrosia is a well-known UK brand of custard and rice pudding.

"It just shows I fit in the team pretty well straight way, so I'm happy," d'Ambrosio is quoted as saying by The Sun.

He is the first Belgian to race in F1 since Bertrand Gachot in 1995, even though Gachot was actually born in Luxembourg and carried a French passport.

But d'Ambrosio is not so bold as to predict that his presence will now help to secure the future of the Belgian grand prix at famous Spa-Francorchamps.

"I won't have the arrogance to say that I will bring back Spa to the old days by myself," he insisted.

"But for sure it will be something positive and hopefully we will be able to build on that."

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