[F1] Kimi Räikkönen

Iltalehti 27.1.2012 (paper edition)By Janne Palomäki a écrit:

Wild and free

Kimi Räikkönen won't ask for permission to drink alcohol

1. Kimi, what's on your mind?

- Nothing. Ask something for God's sake since you have come all the way here.

2. What do you expect from the next tests?

- Difficult to say. We'll see then what the new car is like. I don't think that it's terribly different. I don't know about the tyres. They say that they have changed a bit.

3. What kind of season would you yourself be satisfied with?

- I haven't really thought anything concrete. I see in the tests what the car is like and how good it is. That decides. How it feels, that's a thing you notice right from the first test. At least I have noticed it immediately earlier.

4. You are used to really big teams during your F1-career. Does it show in the operation of Lotus that it's slightly smaller than McLaren and Ferrari?

- No, it's just the same. We have all the same equipment here and hence we also have a chance to make a good car. The same gang who earlier won championships is still here. And physically the team is located in the same place. Maybe it's smaller in the sense that Lotus doesn't have a car factory behind them like Mercedes or Ferrari had.

5. During the last months a few motorbikers have passed away due to an accident. Does a professional driver think more about the sport's dangers and risks when hearing these kinds of news?

- Those are never nice news no matter if you know them or not or if they even are from your own genre's circle. Those just happen. Sadly it's part of many other sports too. Of course anything can happen and happens. Sad things but part of life.

6. You have already won your WDC in Ferrari. From where do you get motivation to continue?

- I have never had any problems with motivation, although everybody always colors things. I have always liked to race. Back in the time there were quite many factors why I started to rally. Now I got a reasonably good chance to drive in F1. I get to race against others again. I guess that's the biggest reason.

7. You have always been an excellent track-racer, but your attitude towards the media has been a bit questionable. On the scale from 1 to 10, how much do you hate these kinds of media-days?

- I don't hate them but they always ask the same questions. They won't change to anything else. If I could decide I wouldn't come here. It's definitely not the first thing that comes to my mind when waking up or something that I would be excited over. But I think it's the same for everyone else too. They probably would rather drive than do other things. If someone claims that they like these things, then I guess he is lying. Of course driving is always the number one thing. I don't have anything against these. Maybe they have made the matter a bit too big.

8. Has Jenni already healed from her riding accident?

- She is better now. She is still in pain but that's normal. It wasn't any serious matter.

9. You have probably without any cause been in the publicity because of alcohol. What is your relation to alcohol now?

- It's just the same as it was before. If I want to go out and have fun, I go. I don't have any problem with it. Nobody forbids me and I don't have to ask anyone for permission.

10. Do you think that you have changed during the years?

- I'm sure every person changes, but I don't think anything bigger has happened in me.

11. In public there is also the understanding that this Lotus-deal would only be a step to Red Bull in either 2013 or 2014. Is it correct?

- I don't have any plans. Lets see how this goes. In F1 everything can change reasonably fast. I hope that we can have fun with the team. At least I have had fun so far.

12. Do you have a two-year deal?

- Yeah, in principle.

The world champions's championship,
Tough Kimi is back
After two years of absence the Finn returns with a Lotus F1, the last to win the World Championship with Ferrari. But without nostalgia. "The Reds? I don't feel anything... Do not end well." I'm back because I was tired of racing against the clock: I wanted to race in front of real oponents.
ZURICH - To think that someone has baptized him the Iceman and to see him thrown on a sofa while drinking latte in front of a tennis match makes you laugh. Certainly the Husky stare and the almost albino colors look promote misunderstanding, however, only takes a few seconds of conversation with Kimi Raikkonen to understand that the image of the boy coldly and without emotion is the result only of superficial considerations. Of emotions, passions and things to say, Kimi has in abundance. It's only the way to express it what's different, but in the end there is more truth in his answers than there are in the "strategic lies," Alonso has said in a hundred press conferences. The truth about Ferrari, for example, with which he opens in his first interview since returning to the wheel of a Lotus Formula 1 car: "It will not make an impression to see the Ferraris from another seat, I feel nothing. It was a beautiful page of my career, but it's over. And not so good. "

Were you expecting something different?
"Well, yes. But those things happen in life, things do not go as you wish. It happened to me on that occasion."
And so no thrill when you see - or in front of your mirror - the profile of the machines of Alonso and Massa?
"No, nothing. Besides, I already saw the success of McLaren" from outside "."

But in recent days how you felt when - after two years of absence "due to the rally" - you climbed aboard a F1?
"It was like coming home."

What you missed in F1?
"The competition against a true, visible and present opponent. In Rally you race against the clock, you do not see any other throughout the race. Only the road. And the difference is huge."

When did you decide to return?
"Last year. In the pauses of the rally season. I was able to do some 'of experience in NASCAR. And there you have forty rivals per race ... it was the first time that I found someone on the track since I left F1. As soon as the race started I felt within me the old appeal of the competition. I called my manager to ask around to see if there was something. We talked a lot with Williams but nothing was done in the end. When we got in touch with Lotus we had no doubt about it and we reached an agreement very quickly.

How did the first few laps of "readaptation" in the Lotus went? two years ago, when Schumacher did it in 2009 to prepare for the injured Massa was a tragedy ...
"Well, it hurts my neck. But not any more than it hurts when, a few years ago, started to drive after the winter break. I thought it will be worst."

And from a technical standpoint?
"Even there I thought it will be worse. Of course I drove on exibition tires and its performance is not of those of next season tyres, but from that point of view, the new Pirelli will be a first for everyone."

What goals have you given yourself for this season?
"Pushing as much as possible."

You will have as team mate Romain Grosjean, previously you have "crossed" Heidfeld, Coulthard, Montoya and Massa. If you were to put them in order of skill?
"I have no reason to do so. They're all good boys and good pilots. And so is Grosjean."

Massa, who was your last team-mate at Ferrari, it's having a tough time, and seems to suffer from Alonso's arrival and it's at his final year on the Reds (except for a miracle). They would have done better to keep you and let go of the Brazilian instead?
"Massa is a very fast driver. Bad periods happen to everyone."

The next year, the grid will be full of world champions, besides you there will be Schumacher, Alonso, Hamilton, Button and Vettel. In your opinion who is the strongest?
"My opinion that fact is completely irrelevant. It will be good for F1. But in the end we will not change anything, we all start from scratch. Perhaps those who have a global bulletin board should handle a little 'more pressure, a little' more expectation from the fans, but for those used to drive an F1 car is nothing. In the end, I think that whoever has the fastest car, wins. "

What do you think of "Vettel phenomenon"?
"It is very fast. But there are also three seasons that he has the best car."

Have you ever thought to stop driving?
"Well, in those days, after the end of Ferrari I did. To completely change my life, perhaps to do motocross, or something else. But it did not last long. The time to hop on a car again."

- Do you think that with more time you could reach Loeb’s level?
“I think that anyone hasn’t reached him yet… Rally is still one of the most difficult sport, it’s impressive how much fast some people go. But if you put them on a F1 car it’s the same story… I would have needed of two more years and maybe to make tests and to have an official team”.

- Did you follow the GPs during this time?
“Not at all in 2010, I started to watch some races last year, because I knew that I could probably come back. It doesn’t seem to me too much different. There are more overtakes but just because they often use the mobile wing. Are real overtakes these? Sure, there is more show, with the tyres and all, there are more different speeds on track. But it has always been in F1, to overtake someone you have to be more more faster.

- Did you return to win again?
“Well, winning is always good and the championship is always your main goal. But if doesn’t happen, it doesn’t change my life.” Here the old Kimi comes back… “It’s not my obsession. I think that people expect it to me, but I’m happy with my driving and if it’s not enough, it’s not enough. That’s all.”

- They said you left F1 because of the lack of motivation…
“Those who write it, don’t know me. Always these bulls*it around. What’s motivation got to do with it, when you know that your car is a sh*t and even doing the best you can, you can’t reach the result? It’s not always your fault. I never had a problem of motivation, I’m not interested in what they say.

- Is there nothing that you regret of your last period in Ferrari? Have you ever said to you “If I did so..”
“No, I have no regrets. I drove the best I have ever driven, it was the car that was not enough. If I came back, I wouldn’t change anything. Sure, you make mistakes: but they are used to learn.”

- Have you ever had the feeling that they wanted to shoot you because they were interested in taking Alonso?
“I’m not interested, really. I have no resentment. And then it was three years ago.”

- During Valencia test with the 2010 car you tried the Pirelli tyres (demo). Did you find some differences?
“I wouldn’t say. After a while the rear tyres go down, but I don’t find them so different. Even if they say me that those of this year will be different again.”

- You raced when there were fuel pit stops. Now they aren’t anymore…
“Ok, at the beginning you have 150 kg fuel. But it’s not a difference like day and night. We tried with full tank and it’s the same car, just heavier.

- You have to accustom yourself again with the buttons on the wheel. Those of R30 were not so “complete”…
“Yes, Kers was missing, but I used it in 2009 and it’s just one button. There wasn’t the DRS also, the mobile wing.. But in the end I don’t believe it will be so scary. Just more stuff to push after a bit it will be automatic.”

- You will have Grosjean as teammate: would you prefer a more expert teammate?
“No. I met him before Christmas at the factory. We don’t know us so well yet but he seems to me a good guy.”

-Have you already changed your physical training?
“Yes, above all for the neck. In rallies also we have strong lateral accelerations, and the steering is even more hard. And then it’s more tiring. All the week you wake up at 5 in the morning, when in F1 you spend just a session of 1 hour half.

- About the Peugeot 908?
“Beautiful, fun. It seems big but you can drive it like a F1 car. Funny, it’s so quiet…”

- How long do you think to stay in F1?
“I had no plans before, I haven’t any now for the future. Ten years? No, I really can’t see myself in F1 so long…”

- Among the drivers now in F1, is there someone who impressed you?
“I can’t see big differences. Vettel was strong also two years ago. With the regulations, some teams can change position, but the stronger are always the same.”

- When you raced with Massa he sometimes was ahead of you. Are you surprised he had so many difficulties last year?
“Even in 2009 we had a difficult year. I don’t know if it was because of the tyres, for him or something else but sometimes it happens, even if you think to be as fast as before. For me Felipe is the same as he was years ago, there was just something that didn’t suit him well.

- In the end, were you bored at home?
“I had more time for myself, but rallying also took much time. And then I like staying at home in the freetime. But sometimes I missed travels, I had to go somewhere. It was nice to take a break, but now I think it will be all like before.”

Odji a écrit:si vous voulez j'ai trouvé une interview d'un magazine finlandais qui se résume à 77 questions du style "tu bois quoi en soirée ?" "douche chaude ou froide ?" "il se dis que tu a plus de 100 millions, comment les as tu investi ?" etc...

Spoiler:

Odji a écrit:C'est de l'anglais kimi, pas trop dur à déchiffrer, ça ira ?

Spoiler:

Paragon a écrit:Ce qui serait vraiment trop bon c'est que Raikkonen finisse devant les 2 Ferraris à Melbourne.

Ca leur ferait la bite