Este es un video tributo al finlandés Kimi Raikkonen, en el que se muestra su lado más humano.
Tiene fama de borracho, y de pasota en su trabajo; últimamente no atraviesa un buen momento en su trabajo, pero quizás algún día vuelva a ser ICEMAN (Seguro que en cualquier bar de Helsinki lo consigue).
Current world champion Kimi Raikkonen has admitted that "it will take a miracle" for him to hold on to his title. The Ferrari driver is some 21 points before table leader Lewis Hamilton, and there are just four races left in the season.There are a total of forty points to be gained in the season and Finland's Raikkonen said: "It's not over yet but now it will take a miracle, like the one that make
Kimi Raikkonen, atual campeão mundial, não deu chances aos adversários e venceu o GP da Espanha, disputado neste domingo em Barcelona. O finlandês da Ferrari liderou a corrida desde o início e só perdeu a ponta durante as paradas para troca de pneus e reabastecimento. Felipe Massa, seu companheiro de equipe, foi o segundo colocado, após resistir à pressão de Lewis Hamilton, da McLaren, nas últimas voltas da prova. EFE Kimi Raikkonen e Felipe Massa fizeram a segunda dobradinha consecutiva da Ferrari nesta temporada na Espanha Mas a corrida também teve um grande susto. Na 22ª volta, Heikki Kovalainen sofreu um estouro de pneu, passou reto na curva 9 e entrou embaixo da barreira de pneus. O acidente causou uma longa entrada do safet
This clip is a few years old but its still one of the greatest. Watch Kimi off the line as he gets past both the Toyotas and Hondas. Great start to the race
Kimi Raikkonen is convinced Ferrari and McLaren will not have it all their own way this season.The Ferrari driver and reigning world champion thinks there are three teams and six drivers in the running for the two championships. "It's much too early to make any kind of conclusion as to who is who," said Raikkonen. "We will have to wait a few more races to get the picture as to who are the main contenders for the title, but its going to be as tight as it was last year." Lewis Hamilton and Raikkonen have shared the spoils in the first two races this season but the 29-year-old is aware that BMW Sauber are hot on their heels. BMW driver Nick Heidfeld was runner-up at Melbourne while Robert Kubica finished second in Malaysia. "It's a battle between three teams instead of two because whilst Ferr
AFTER a woeful performance in Melbourne last week, Ferrari showed their true potential when both cars made the front row of the Petronas F1 Malaysian Grand Prix at the Sepang F1 Circuit yesterday. Brazilian Felipe Massa took pole ahead of his Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen, the 10th in his F1 career and also the second consecutive year he will start from front row at Sepang. First up: Ferrari’s Felipe Massa powers his car during the final qualifying round at the Sepang F1 Circuit yesterday. – GLENN GUAN / The Star And the Italian outfit look set to secure victory in the 56-lap race today after arch-rivals McLaren’s drivers, Lewis Hamilton and Heikki Kovalainen, were penalised five places on the starting grid. This followed a complaint from BMW Sauber driver Nick Heidfeld,
Kimi Raikkonen's hopes of winning the season-opening Australian Grand Prix dimmed on Saturday when the world champion was eliminated from qualifying after the first session. The Finn, winner of the Melbourne race from pole last year, will start from 16th position after losing all power in his Ferrari's engine due to a fuel pressure problem. Raikkonen was barred from taking any further part in qualifying for having received assistance to get the pits. The world champion says he is still targeting a points finish, which he reckons could be important in the end. "Clearly I am disappointed," he said. "A few corners from the end of my in-lap, I had a problem with the electronic fuel pump which forced me to stop near the pitlane and so it was impossible for me to get back to the garage to try an
El finlandés Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) ha marcado el primer tiempo en la primera sesión de entrenamientos libres del Gran Premio de Australia, en la que Fernando Alonso (Renault) ha sido sexto. En esta primera sesión se ha confirmado el dominio de los Ferrari y McLaren-Mercedes que ha copado los cuatro mejores tiempos, seguidos por el [...]
6 days left to win!
There is only 6 days left to get your pick in and win. All you have to do before March 12 is pick the 3rd place finisher in the 2008 Australian Grand Prix. I have 2, yes 2 1/18 scale diecast 2007 Kimi Raikkonen winning Ferrari.
Just send me your [...]
Kimi Raikkonen won the Brazilian Grand Prix and captured the Formula One title.
“This is a great feeling,” Raikkonen said. “We had some hard times, some reliability problems and lost some points. A lot of people didn’t believe in us, but we showed that they were wrong and we were able to come back. It was a great season.”
Here is a short re-cap of how Kimi Raikkonen’s season went from Australia to Brazil, race by race.
AUSTRALIAN GP - 1st
Standings:
Raikkonen 10 (+2)
Alonso 8
Hamilton 6
MALAYSIAN GP - 3rd
Standings:
Alonso 18
Raikkonen 16 (-2)
Hamilton 14
(more…)
In next few days or weeks I will make some of my photos from 2007 season available for download in high resolution. I begin with photos of the 2007 F1 champion, Kimi Raikkonen. All the photos are free but for personal use only. Right click on the links below and save.
Kimi Raikkonen 1 Kimi Raikkonen 2 Kimi Raikkonen 3
Kimi Raikkonen 4 Kimi Raikkonen 5 Kimi Raikkonen 6
Kimi Raikkonen 7 Kimi Raikkonen 8 Kimi Raikkonen 9
Kimi Raikkonen 10 Kimi Raikkonen 11 Kimi Raikkonen 12
Photos of most of the other 2007 F1 drivers will follow. If you do not want miss out on the new stuff, you may want to subscribe to F1Wolf. To subscribe to F1Wolf, click here.
Also check Kimi Raikkonen Screensaver
Foi merecido o título do Kimi, piloto da Ferrari. O Hamilton não tava pronto(como disse nosso comentarias Galvão), e "Ao menos Alonso não ganhou" .Ahhh! que saudade do Senna...
Contra todas as espectativas, o finlandês Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) conquistou, sensacionalmente a edição 2007 do “Mundial” de Fórmula 1, ao vencer o Grande Prémio do Brasil e beneficiar da desastrosa prestação do "rookie" Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes). Com poucas possibilidades à partida para a última prova da época (seguia em 3.º, a sete pontos do líder), o piloto nórdico acabou o campeonato um ponto à frente de Hamilton, que pagou os erros cometidos com um decepcionante 7.º posto, e do outro piloto da McLaren, o espanhol Fernando Alonso, no terceiro lugar.Raikkonen contou com a preciosa ajuda do seu companheiro de equipa, o brasileiro Felipe Massa, que foi segundo, roubando 2 pontos a Alonso, vencedor dos dois últimos mundiais, e um ao jovem inglês, grande derrotado do dia. Se Fernando Alonso fez o que podia, já que não teve carro para acompanhar o ritmo dos dois Ferrari, Lewis Hamilton teve uma primeira volta para esquecer, repetindo o falhanço da última
Increible, apasionante, épica definición del campeonato del mundo de Fórmula 1!
Delirio total para todos los tifosi en el mundo viendo a Kimi Raikkonen conseguir lo que parecía imposible , simplemente un hazaña.
Declaraciones de KIMI RAIKKONEN
No estabamos en la mejor posición en algun puntode la temporada pero sabíamos que nos podíamos recuperar, siempre creimos que podíamos hacer un mejor trabajo que los demás. Aun en los momentos duros nos mantuvimos unidos y nunca nos dimos por vencidos. Tengo que que agradecer al equipo, que hicieron un trabajo genial, no solo hoy sino todo el año. Siempre trabajamos duro y mejoramos la situación. Tuve una buena largada, estabamos lado a lado con Felipe, pude pasar a Hamilton y luego se fue afuera y ahí supe que tenía una chance. Ha sido un final de temporada grandioso y excelente trabajo de todos. Estoy muy contento: Fue un día asombroso.
Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) won the 2007 FIA Formula One World Drivers Chamionship fighting out the defending champion Fernando Alonso of McLaren and Current Leader Louis Hamilton of McLaren.1 Kimi - 110 points2 Louis Hamilton - 109 points3 Alonso - 109 point.Though Hamilton and Alonso were in the same points, as Hamilton had more 2nd places(both were tied in no of 1st places as well) than Alonso so he was awarded second in the championship.[updates will follow soon] Brazilian Race resultKimi finisht First 1Mass 2ndAlonso 3rdLouis Hamilton 7th Kimi Raikkonen came from seven points back, jumping over both two-time World Champion Fernando Alonso and points leader Lewis Hamilton to win the 2007 Formula One drivers championship. He did it by capturing Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix at the Autodromo Carlos Pace. The No.6 Ferrari driver crossed the finish line 1.493 seconds ahead of teammate Felipe Massa.The victory for Raikkonen, the man who replaced the legendary Michael Schumacher, was his
Kimi Raikkonen: “Las vacaciones se han acabado y han sido tal y como esperaba: he disfrutado del verano finlandés con mi familia y mis amigos. Hemos ido a la playa, hemos hecho motocross, jugado al tenis y, lo más importante, he descansado. Ahora estoy listo para regresar a la pista. Tenemos que afrontar esta última parte de la temporada en la que se decidirá todo.
Ahora tenemos tres carreras en cuatro semanas, además de un test, así que va a ser un periodo muy intenso. Pero vamos a visitar algunos de mis circuitos favoritos, como lo son Estambul, Monza y Spa Francorchamps. Y creo que son unos trazados en los que Ferrari debería ser muy competitivo. Todo el equipo está trabajando muy unido para intentar recuperar la desventaja que tenemos en el Campeonato: en Maranello se ha trabajado sin descanso durante los últimos días. He hablado con los técnicos y me han explicado que contaremos con un par de nuevos desarrollos en el coche. (more…)
RAIKKONEN EXCLUSIVE Kimi Raikkonen's winning streak came to an end at the Nurburgring with another technical failure where we think he should have won quite easily after looking at the fuel loads and the pace at which he was catching alonso mid-stint before the hydraulic problem started to slow him down.But as Ferrari's flying Finn told ITV Sport's Ted Kravitz, he expects to put that all behind him this weekend...Ted Kravitz: The championship is still on, you dropped a load of points at the Nurburgring but you could have won that race couldn't you?Kimi Raikkonen: I am not that pleased, but we didn't lose any more points. It's one race less and we didn't get the points that we wanted but anyhow we a
Ferrari's successful start in this season of Formula 1 World Championship was followed by a series of failures. As a Scuderia Ferrari's passionate fan, I was extremely disappointed by this. But Kimi Raikkonen's success at Magny-Cours last week, followed by today's magnificent victory made me happy :) Ferrari showed that it's way too early to consider this season's fate decided. Both last week and this week, Ferrari showed that their cars were equally fast, if not faster than those of the rival McLaren-Mercedes.It was extremely unfortunate that Kimi's teammate Felipe Massa had to start from the last position because of his Ferrari stalling on the grid in the original start. But Massa did a little miracle and finished the 5th. Had he not had to start from the pit lane, Hamilton's podium would have been under a question. All in all, the British driver continues his record by "renting" a place on the podium.While the gap between McLaren and Ferrari is considerable (25 points), the
Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa and Ferrari routed McLaren in Magny-Cours in Sunday’s French Grand Prix, finishing more than half a minute ahead of Lewis Hamilton’s McLaren.The red cars opted for a two-stop strategy, Hamilton for three, but once the Englishman lagged off the dirty side of the grid at the start it was all over. Massa out-dragged him to the first corner, and so did Raikkonen.The Brazilian then led until his second stop, but a heavier fuel load allowed his Finnish team mate to run crucially longer and he emerged from his own stop three laps later with a lead he preserved to the end. It was his second victory of the season.Further back Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld grabbed another nine points for BMW Sauber with fourth and fifth places, the latter having some gripping duels with McLaren’s Fernando Alonso. The world champion, who started tenth after his qualifying woes, was out of luck, finishing seventh (after a long second stop) behind Giancarlo Fisichella’s hard-d
El finlandés Kimi Raikkonen logró su segunda victoria de la temporada hoy en el GP de Francia. Kimi sorprendió y calló a todos los críticos. Ferrari consiguió el primer 1-2 del campeonato y recupera los mismos puntos perdidos en el GP de Estados Unidos.
Kimi que largaba desde la 3era posición superó en la primer curva a Lewis Hamlton, de ahí en más se mantuvo segundo siguiendo el ritmo de Felipe Massa hasta que en el segunda detención Raikkonen se quedó en la pista un par de vueltas mas que Massa quien en ese momentó tras su segundo reabastecimiento se encontró con los rezagados perdiendo la ventaja que le llevaba al finés. El brasilero en la conferencia de prensa hizo hincapié en ese hecho. De todas formas, Ferrari tuvo un excelente ritmo a lo largo de toda la carrera con ambos pilotos sin cometer errores.
Para seguir con la racha impresionante de podios, Lewis Hamilton llegó en 3er lugar en una carrera tranquila regulando el motor para el GP de Inglaterra la próxi
Sir Jackie Stewart thinks Kimi Raikkonen is unlikely to achieve as much in his formula one career as McLaren's 2007 rookie Lewis Hamilton. The former triple world champion acknowledged Finn Raikkonen's natural talent but questioned his focus. "The way he lives his life is contrary to the complete package; the kind that allowed Schumacher to win multiple championships, (as well as) Senna and Prost, Jim Clark or even me," Stewart is quoted as saying by British newspaper The Telegraph. In the Daily Express, Stewart reportedly added: "It is an attitude, a mentality, a way of doing business. Our lifestyle, mind, make-up was different from a Raikkonen -- or for that matter a Jenson Button." "There are other things in Raikkonen's life he still wishes to carry on doing," Stewart went on. "He doesn't seem prepared to make the sacrifice of reducing the lifestyle he has chosen because he enjoys it. He is not prepared to compromise." "That is why Hamilton has the opportunity to be
Following his dominant debut win for Ferrari in Australia, Kimi Raikkonen slipped from the headlines in Malaysia and Bahrain. But he still shares the championship lead with the McLaren duo, and on the opening day of this week's Barcelona test, the Finn reasserted himself with a dominant fastest time. After Raikkonen's running was cut short by a minor brush with the Turn 3 barriers during today's wet session, autosport.com sat down with the Finn to hear his thoughts on progress so far. Q: How has the test gone for you? Kimi Raikkonen: Unfortunately the weather today was difficult but yesterday was a good day. For me we did what we were supposed to do and we found something which we like much more than before, so I am pretty happy with what we did yesterday. We learnt a lot. You never know what others are doing but for the race we are more confident. The car feels very good here. Wait and see what happens. Q: What do you think of the improved package that Ferrari have introduced at th
According to reports Kimi Raikkonen is not to be punished following an "incident" that occurred during Friday's second free practice session.On a fast lap, the Ferrari driver experienced difficulty in passing the Toro Rosso of Scott Speed, who appeared to be either deliberately blocking the Finn or simply hadn't seen him in his mirrors.Either way, when Speed finally pulled over, Raikkonen drew alongside and....Readers of a sensitive disposition should look away now!... gesticulated at the American, pointing to the sky with his middle finger.The incident, which was caught on camera, raised eyebrows in some quarters, resulting in the FIA checking the TV footage.According to some sections of the media, an FIA spokesman subsequently confirmed that no action would be taken against the Finn.And if it had, any remaining credibility that the sport has would be blown away, much like the grains of sand that drift across the Sakhir tarmac.We're absolutely positive that in his twenty-four years
Kimi Raikkonen’s quiet confidence on track and party-friendly reputation away from the paddock makes for an interesting combination. We caught up with the Finn to find out a little more… Q: What's in your garage at home?A: I have all kinds of things with motors like bikes and cars... basically anything that is quick.Q: Tell us something we don't know about you?A: I've got two dogs, Ajax and Pepe.Q: Your favourite song for karaoke?A: I'm not the best singer in the world, but I do like a couple of Finnish singers and bands.Q: What's the most unusual request you've had from a fan?A: There have been so many weird requests that it would be better if we don't print them.Q: Funniest thing you've read about yourself in the press?A: There have been many. Especially things where they say I was somewhere, doing something when in reality I was at the other side of the world.Q: When you're at home, what do you listen to when driving?A: Mainly today's hits and F
Team boss Jean Todt has spoken up early to ensure that Ferrari drivers do not feature in the looming and inevitable 'silly season'.Even though the 2007 season has barely begun, rumblings within BMW and Toyota are already being heard, presumably leading Todt to state clearly that stability is the buzzword for Ferrari's new driver lineup."I have no reason to think about other drivers," Todt told the newspaper Suddeutschen Zeitung. He admitted that Felipe Massa does not get along with Kimi Raikkonen as well as he did with the departed Michael Schumacher, but added: "They do however have a very good relationship and a lot of respect for each other."I have a great relationship with Felipe. With Kimi I do not know him so well, but I only need to look into his eyes to see that he is happy."And we are (happy) too."Todt, 61, said that by having top drivers who are only in their mid-twenties, Ferrari can afford to not think seriously about the driver question for "perhaps ten years".He is, ho
Championship leader Kimi Raikkonen has avoided a ten-position grid penalty for Sunday's Malaysian grand prix. Despite the fact that the Finn's two-event power plant ran hot in the closing stages of the Australian grand prix, Ferrari has decided to also use it at Sepang throughout qualifying and the race. We have learned that Ferrari fitted a separate V8 engine in Raikkonen's car in Friday practice, which had deliberately been run in an earlier test for several laps without a full compliment of cooling water. It completed 53 practice laps on Friday - three short of a full grand prix distance - without problemwww.followkimi.blogspot.com
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen has admitted there are still fears over whether the engine he used in Australia will make it through the forthcoming Malaysian Grand Prix weekend. Raikkonen cruised to victory in the Melbourne season-opener, but not before a late water leak had caused the engine temperature on his F2007 to rise, prompting unease over its potential durability in the searing heat at Sepang."There is some concern,” Raikkonen told the official Ferrari website. “We had a slight leakage of water during the last part of the race and the team told me to slow down, writing 'Cool' on the sign next to the pit lane, as the radio didn't work because of a problem with a plug.”The engine has since undergone checks and simulations tests back at the Ferrari factory. Armed with the resulting data, the team’s engineers will have to make a late call following Friday practice in Malaysia as to whether they risk using the engine, or swallow a ten-place grid penalty and substitute a fres
When Ferrari signed Kimi Raikkonen to replace Michael Schumacher, most experts warned that one of the biggest challenges that the Italian team faced was not the inconsistency, blind speed or risk taking (some times suicidal) instinct of the Finn but adjusting to the person that he is.A sample of that was evident at the recent Australian Grand Prix. It was the round one of the 2007 Formula One season and Kimi, driving for Ferrari for the first time, won quite comfortably. Ferrari clearly established that they had a car that was superior to other teams and it was also Kimi’s first race win in more than 12 months. Under the circumstances, one would have expected some sort of celebration on the podium — to say the least. Kimi, possibly bored by his lonely stay inside the cockpit for the entire duration of the race (his radio failed completely), raised his hands and managed a smile. He made a feeble attempt to spray the champagne and finally, gave the bottle to Jean Todt to pass it to t
A question mark has arisen over the health of championship leader Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari engine for the upcoming Malaysian GP. It has emerged that the Finn's Australia-spec V8, which powered him to dominant victory in Melbourne, ran too hot in the final laps of the 2007 season opener. The cooling system aboard Raikkonen's F2007 Ferrari was apparently leaking water at Albert Park; information confirmed by engine boss Gilles Simon, according to the authoritative Finnish journalist Juha Paataloo. Simon reportedly admitted that the engine, which must also be used in Malaysia next weekend to avoid a ten-position grid penalty, was overheating late in the race, but was not damaged.www.followkimi.blogspot.com
Three days after the victory in Melbourne, Kimi Raikkonen spoke to Ferrari World about his impressions: "I've never hidden my joy, since the first day I came to Maranello," said Kimi. "Now, after the success in the first race with the team, I am - in case this is possible - even more joyful. When I signed my contract with Ferrari I thought that it would be nice to win as soon as possible, but in Melbourne it came even faster than expected, when I managed to win in my first race with the Prancing Horse. I have never in my whole career won the opening race of the season and that was something that gave me a whole lot of satisfaction. When you start to race for a new team, you try to be successful as soon as possible and to manage to do that on the day of the debut means that you couldn't' be any better. In a certain sense last winter's dream came true. Ferrari and I really started with the best foot forward: victory, pole position and fastest lap in the race. From the outside it mig
A new row about the legality of formula one cars could be about to break out in the pit lane of 2007.The website of American broadcaster Speed TV reports that the under-body of Ferrari's dominant F2007 machine came under quiet scrutiny by rivals and the FIA in Australia.It is suggested that the car's floor might have been designed to give a performance advantage by moving, which - as in the 'flexing wings' sagas of last year - is illegal.Predictably, the leading antagonist of the new saga appears to be McLaren, who reportedly suspect that Ferrari's floor lowers at speed to give Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa an unfair speed boost in a straight line."We will see how things are in two or three races," McLaren principal Ron Dennis said, explaining that rival teams often seek clarification about rule interpretations early in the season.He added: "So it takes a race or two to know what is or isn't permitted."A Ferrari spokesman commented: "It's part of the game any time Ferrari is q
KIMI RAIKKONEN barely moves a muscle when he speaks. The fast Finn is so cool and colourless in public appearances he is Arctic, an iceberg in a red Ferrari suit. He reserves his speed for the racetrack. Inside the cockpit of his Formula One machine Raikkonen is at home, so comfortable he can drive at 295km/h and still take time to look around and check out the scenery on a perfect Melbourne autumn day. From the first rev of yesterday's race Raikkonen was dominant, increasing his lead on the McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso by as much as a second a lap as he sped around Albert Park 58 times. Raikkonen's most telling comment after the race, and the one that will have his rivals most worried, was that he did not feel challenged. "We were quite quick. I didn't need to push. The car was perfect all day," Raikkonen said.His only lapse was a minor mishap near the end of the race when his wheels locked. But Raikkonen calmly corrected and continued on to his first grand p
Kimi Raikkonen managed to top the timing sheets in the Sat practice session in Australia.Kimi Raikkonen stamped his authority on the final practice session in Melbourne this morning, lapping his Ferrari in 1m 20.064s. But in his wake there was a pitch battle for the runner-up slot between Renault’s Giancarlo Fisichella, McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton, Super Aguri’s Anthony Davidson and Ferrari's Felipe Massa, who were mere tenths apart.Albert Park was dry and sunny this morning, but literally as the final practice session got underway at 11am there was a moment of consternation in the pit lane as the skies opened up again. Fortunately it was the briefest of showers, and the track remained dry.As Raikkonen consistently set the pace, Fisichella pushed his Renault into second place with 1m 26.454s, which Hamilton just failed to match with 1m 26.467s. Davidson was right behind the McLaren, lapping his Super Aguri in 1m 26.491s to pip Massa, the Brazilian posting 1m 26.547s. Other fast run
KIMI Raikkonen, the frosty Finn, yawned his way through a media conference yesterday - and afterwards snubbed 64 wide awake Ferrari fans.They had been waiting patiently in the heat outside a Carlton tent to meet and greet their new hero.But instead the man dubbed the Ice Man on the F1 racing circuit, gave them a brief wave from the top of some steps before speeding off in a grey Maserati.He was making his first public appearance in Australia as Michael Schumacher's replacement.A nine-time Grand Prix winner, Kimi Raikkonen is driving for Ferrari this year, alongside Brazilian Felipe Massa. But while Massa was almost as animated as a samba dancer yesterday, it was a case of the Ice Man yawneth when Raikkonen gave his monosyllabic answers during the 19-minute conference they held.Time is money on the F1 circuit -- and I was then granted an exclusive interview with Raikkonen afterwards -- limited to exactly seven minutes.As he is reputed to be now earning $65 million a year, that worked
Kimi Raikkonen has played down suggestions that his Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa has emerged as the favourite to win Sunday's Australian grand prix.The highly rated and paid Finn has joined the Maranello based team in 2007 to replace Michael Schumacher, but Brazilian Massa appeared stronger in the pre-season winter tests.Kimi stated: "The main thing is that we know ourselves exactly what went on (in testing)." "I'm certain the competition is going to be tough, but I don't believe there will be any great problems," Raikkonen, 27, told the Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat in Melbourne on Wednesday.Before departing for the first race, Raikkonen - under the pseudonym James Hunt, a nod to F1's flamboyant world champion of 1976 - won a 24km snowmobile race in his native Finland.Some observers have pointed out that Kimi is never a main feature of the test sessions because he saves his ultimate speed for the races.But world champion Fernando Alonso has clearly been impressed with Massa
Kimi Raikkonen has risked Ferrari's wrath by entering a snowmobile event in his native Finland just one week before the start of the new F1 season. Displaying his famed racer's instinct, if not the discipline of a future of World Champion, Raikkonen won Sunday's 24k Enduro Sprint at the Kopparberg King in his 58 Lunx MaMo. For reasons which are not immediately clear, Raikkonen entered the race under the name of 'James Hunt', although the use of the pseudonym is bound to reinforce the impression that Raikkonen is intent on mimicking Hunt's notorious hard-drinking, hard-partying lifestyle. For the record, Kimi won the event with a time of 19 minutes and 38.25 seconds, finishing approximately twenty seconds ahead of runner-up Pasi Hietalo. www.followkimi.blogspot.com
F1's new tyre regulations are likely to put drivers to the ultimate test on the streets of Monte Carlo later this season.That is the claim of Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen, who was asked by the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat what effect on the racing the rule requiring drivers to run both available Bridgestone specifications at each grand prix might have. "Monaco could be terrible," said the 27-year-old, "because most likely the harder compound won't have grip there at all."Finn Raikkonen, however, explained that he won't be losing sleep over the new rule, which has been introduced to spice up the interest in the wake of Michelin's departure from the grid.He said: "It's the same for everyone. At some tracks it will be more difficult with the other compound than at others, but there is nothing you can do about it.""It doesn't put any more pressure on me, I just drive."www.followkimi.blogspot.com
Kimi Raikkonen might have switched to Ferrari but he has not given up his partying ways, new reports in the Finnish press suggest. The tabloid newspaper 'Iltalethi' reports that a drunk Raikkonen, 27, was spotted at the weekend in a Helsinki bar singing karaoke after returning from the final pre-season formula one tests in Bahrain.Iltalethi claims that the Finn, behaving raucously, had spent the evening drinking beer, and before leaving he autographed a bottle of Koskenkorva Viina, a clear Finnish spirit.www.followkimi.blogspot.com
It will only be during February's test in Bahrain that the F1 teams will truly be able to measure their cars against each others, according to Kimi Raikkonen. Although eight of the F1 teams are pitting their 2007 cars head-to-head at Jerez this week, they are doing so in cold and rainy conditions - nothing like what they have face when they get to Melbourne for the first race of the season. Raikkonen - looking forward to Bahrain. And it's because of those contrasting weather conditions that Raikkonen believes the teams have yet to truly see what their cars are capable of doing, Ferrari's new F2007 included."It is getting there but we have to wait and see in Bahrain, then we can see more," the Finn told Autosport.Asked if he was at all concerned by Ferrari's pace, he said: "It's difficult to say, we will see in the race."And that's also when Raikkonen believes we will see if McLaren really have the pace and reliability that they've demonstrated in recent test sessions.Called to
Alain Prost may have been known as "the professor" during his Formula 1 racing days, but even the four times world champion has said he's unable to predict what will happen in the 2007 season.Citing major changes — like the departure of Michael Schumacher as well as the transfer of Kimi Raikkonen to Ferrari and Fernando Alonso to McLaren — he claimed the year would be wide open."This will be the first year of a completely new cycle," the Frenchman said to Autosprint magazine."At the moment no one can say who will win, simply because everything has changed."Not only Schumacher isn't around anymore, but all the top drivers have changed teams."But Prost believes current world champion Alonso will fight hard for a third successive title."I see Alonso doing well at McLaren, especially for psychological reasons," he said. "Ron Dennis's team was his childhood dream, and to be able to go there with two titles on his belt will be of great motivation for him. Fernando is young, quick, an
Ferrari test driver Marc Gene is confident the Scuderia will fight for this year's Championship titles even without Michael Schumacher. Schumacher retired from F1 at the end of the 2006 season after finishing runner-up to Fernando Alonso in the Drivers' Championship title.However, the Spaniard shouldn't expect an easy run to this year's trophy just because Schumacher's out of the way.In fact, Gene believes new Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen has a chance of beating Alonso to the 2007 World title."Schumacher won so much with Ferrari that some doubt if, with Schumacher gone, Ferrari can continue in the same form," Gene told Diario As."As I see it, though, Ferrari is still Ferrari and Raikkonen is a great driver."As for concerns about the pace of the new F2007 in recent testing, Gene claims that the Scuderia's preparations for the upcoming season are more advanced than they were at this same time last year."At this time last year we were not in as strong a position as we are right now
Kimi Raikkonen's pre-season woe persisted on Wednesday when the Finn spent much of his test day in the red shod garage. La Gazzetta dello Sport reports that at Jerez the 27-year-old's new 'F2007' Ferrari broke down on the circuit with a failed engine at 1.30pm, as his teammate Felipe Massa returned from a bout of 'flu and topped the times.Mark Webber's Red Bull also ground to a halt, as did the MP4-22 occupied by world champion Fernando Alonso after a loss of oil pressure, and the red flags also waved for Ralf Schumacher's broken gearbox.It was a mostly sunny day in the south of Spain but a few drops of rain fell late in the afternoon. After Thursday's final day, the circus heads to Barcelona to run from Monday.At an icy Silverstone track on Wednesday, meanwhile, Adrian Sutil concluded Spyker's 'F8-VII' shakedown with a crash into the Copse wall after touching the grass.The German rookie escaped unhurt but the 2007 car was slightly damaged. www.followkimi.blogspot.com
They were laying out place mats for dinner in the Ferrari motorhome when Kimi Raikkonen finally entered. The Barcelona sky, clear blue all day, was now ebony black.Where had he been? In a detailed technical debrief. Two and a half hours after completing 154 laps of Circuit de Catalunya — more than two grands prix in a single day — this hard-partying cavalier was still locked in discussions. Are we to take the Finn's painstaking approach as a sign that he will replicate the model of Teutonic dedication and attention to detail laid down by his legendary predecessor, Michael Schumacher?The word from within Ferrari is that Raikkonen is giving 100 per cent, but in his own way. It's only to be expected. As a new signing, he hasn't had the opportunity to develop the same brotherly rapport with the team that Schumacher did so successfully over 11 seasons.Comparisons with the seven-time world champion are inevitable, but Raikkonen has no time for them. He will do what he sees as necessar
A truer picture of each team's competitiveness will be drawn at the upcoming Bahrain tests, according to Kimi Raikkonen.Some observers think the Finn's new Ferrari moved closer - and perhaps even clear of - the dominant McLarens at the Barcelona test this week. BMW, Renault and even Red Bull have also appeared to be in good shape around the Circuit de Catalunya, which is traditionally a significant winter test.But Raikkonen, 27, observed on Wednesday: "We will see how it really looks at the next test, where everyone will have new things for their cars."Ferrari, for example, ran several new pieces at Barcelona but are expected to fit an updated suspension specification at the inaugural Bahrain test.Raikkonen's teammate Felipe Massa said in Barcelona: "Our new front and rear wings have moved us forwards quite a lot."Bahrain, staging six days of running starting late next week, is the last pre-season stop before the Australian grand prix."It will be a crucial test," Raikkonen emphasise
Ferrari have dismissed speculation Michael Schumacher is being groomed to take over as team boss. Head start: Schumacher back with Ferrari Reports in Germany suggested the seven-time world champion, who is involved in Ferrari's preparations for the 2007 season, had opened talks with the Italian team. But Ferrari's communications manager Luca Colajanni said: "Michael is clearly involved with the team, but this report is nonsense."The 38-year-old drove for Ferrari for 11 years before retiring at the end of the 2006 season. He won five world titles in a row from 2000.Schumacher has had all test data and times communicated to him at home, and has been charged with helping his successor, Kimi Raikkonen, settle into his new team.www.followkimi.blogspot.com
Former World Champion Jacques Villeneuve has launched a scathing attack on the attitude of Kimi Raikkonen and the ability of Giancarlo Fisichella. Famed for his outspokenness, Villeneuve is in particularly feisty mood for his appraisal of the 2007 grid in the latest edition of F1 Racing Magazine. However, it's Villeneuve's denouncement of Raikkonen, Michael Schumacher's replacement at Ferrari, as "overrated as a driver package" that will capture the most attention.According to the French/Canadian, Raikkonen isn't on a par with World Champion Fernando Alonso because of his slovenly work ethic. "Apart from jumping in a car and going fast, he really doesn't care about the rest," declares Jacques. "A complete driver will spend time with the engineers, setting up the team and pushing the team. He doesn't give a s**t, so he isn't up there with Alonso."The deficiency is so damaging, claims Villeneuve, that both Jenson Button and Felipe Massa will offer Alonso a tougher fight for the Wo
Kimi Raikkonen has given pause to the concept that a new close collaboration with Michael Schumacher may charge Ferrari towards victory in 2007.The retired seven time world champion has stayed at the Italian squad as a sort of advisor this year, but Finn Raikkonen played down the relationship they are likely to share. "We never really spoke to each other in the past, because we were rivals," Raikkonen, 27, told the French sports newspaper L'Equipe.He added: "And now? I am not exactly sure what Michael does. If we have something to discuss with each other, we will discuss it, but I don't know. We'll see."Mark Webber said recently that he would not personally condone Schumacher's presence in his own driving garage, but Raikkonen denied that it bothers him."When you are in formula one, everyone is watching you, so whether Michael is there or not is not going to distract me."After Schumacher visited the Ferrari garage at Barcelona this week, Raikkonen added: "It was nice that he was
Quadruple former world champion Alain Prost thinks McLaren might have its nose in front ahead of the battle for the 2007 title.The 51-year-old Frenchman drove for all three top teams during his illustrious career but has tipped the Woking based squad to triumph this year over likely rivals Ferrari and Renault."Making predictions before the season has even started is never easy," Prost told reporters at a press conference in Lisbon, "but I can imagine the championship being fought between Ferrari and McLaren."He observed that McLaren and Fernando Alonso seem "very strong" on the winter test tracks and wondered whether Finn Kimi Raikkonen would have "some difficulty" integrating himself at Ferrari."The beginning of the season could be crucial for him. If he finds himself behind (Felipe) Massa then he could find himself in a difficult situation," said Prost.Alain Prost also observed that Renault appear to be "a step" behind the aforementioned pair.www.followkimi.blogspot.com
YOU only have to wander around the sprawling, surprisingly unglamorous Ferrari factory in Maranello, just west of Bologna, to realise the daunting task facing Kimi Raikkonen as he seeks to fill the physical and emotional space vacated by Michael Schumacher. The German legend may have retired from the track, but his image, influence and personality are evident everywhere.The plant where Ferrari's race and road cars are assembled is a home-away-from-home for Schumacher.When in residence, he still takes an afternoon nap in rooms above founder Enzo Ferrari's lovingly preserved office and he still eats in the Ristorante Montana, where he enjoys a mother-and-son relationship with owner Rossella Giannini.This fine establishment is privately owned, but has been turned into a Ferrari and Schumacher shrine. Like many in Maranello, Giannini adores Schumacher, the seven-times world champion who became an honorary citizen of the town.To say that replacing him is a big task would be a huge underst
Kimi Raikkonen is a completely different person than Michael Schumacher says his new Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa. Despite the differences Massa says he gets along perfectly well with the Finnish driver. Kimi Raikkonen is a completely different person than Michael Schumacher says his new Ferrari team mate Felipe Massa. Despite the differences Massa says he gets along perfectly well with the Finnish driver. This is what Felipe had to say about Raikkonen:"Kimi has a different character and personality to Michael. He does not talk very much and keeps himself to himself. He appears to be very fair and he does not seem to be the type of guy who plays the political game.He is good to work with and I am sure I won't have any problem with him. The important thing is that he works for the team so that we both have the best car possible."www.followkimi.blogspot.com
McLaren has run out of excuses for why the Woking based team has not won a championship since 1999.That is the claim of Juan Pablo Montoya, who won three races in a silver single seater until he switched to the NASCAR scene last year. McLaren is under a lot of pressure now," the Colombian told the Spanish magazine Grand Prix, "because the drivers are new, the image is new; they have to get results."Referring to Fernando Alonso, Montoya continued: "With a world champion who has beaten Schumacher (in the team), they have run out of excuses."The 31-year-old fell out famously with McLaren's boss, but Montoya thinks Spaniard Alonso "will get on well" with Ron Dennis."The million dollar question is how the car and the engine will go," Montoya said.Despite McLaren's fine form on the winter tracks, he thinks the Mercedes-powered team will be beaten by Ferrari and his old teammate Kimi Raikkonen.But he said: "(Felipe) Massa might have a very good start (to 2007)."www.followkimi.blogspot.com
Ferrari did not pursue Fernando Alonso because Jean Todt said he thought Kimi Raikkonen was a better fit for the team.It is rumoured that Ferrari never again negotiated with F1's reigning back to back world champion after the Spaniard's management turned down an offer of a test drive up to seven years ago. 25-year-old Alonso was then guided into formula one by Flavio Briatore."Ferrari never spoke with Alonso," Jean Todt was quoted as saying in an interview on Wednesday with the German motoring magazine Auto Motor und Sport."He and Kimi are as drivers on the same level, but I thought that Kimi fit better with Ferrari and with me."Raikkonen has had a mixed first winter in his new Ferrari, and Todt agreed that he has not yet formed with the Finn the sort of relationship forged with his predecessor Michael Schumacher."I like Kimi, I find him modest and not at all arrogant, but I do not yet know him really well," Todt continued.The Ferrari boss also suggested that Felipe Massa has similar
“I need a good result after the two races with no points”
Maranello, 17th June 2008 - I don’t remember when I had such a great lust
for winning! The Team had prepared a car, which was able to be strong on all
the tracks, but it didn’t go well during the last races. We especially had
different problems [...]
Raikkonen: “Victory is the only objective”
Singapore - The most important thing is to win again. The situation in
the Championship is what it is and it doesn’t depend anymore only on my
results, but of my competitors’ results. In theory it’s not over yet,
but I don’t have it under control anymore. Last year, in the second part
of [...]
