Not even Spa tempts Kimi

Turun Sanomat 23.8 2010

Rally Germany is over. The drivers are packing their stuff at the end of Sunday afternoon at Trier's service area and heading home.

There would be only about 100 km from Germany to Belgium GP. Obviously Räikkönen is almost as bugged about the lost 6th place in rally as he was when losing the victory in Belgium GP in 2008.

You claim that you don't miss F1-races. Don't you miss back at all at this moment when the next race is on your favourite track Spa?

– It would be cool to race there. Of course. The track is great and it's always a cool race. But generally speaking it doesn't fascinate me at all, Räikkönen replied to the question many fans have asked him through Turun Sanomat.

How closely does Räikkönen usually follow the F1-races?

– I didn't see at all a couple of races and I'm not interested in watching them afterwards. It never interested me at the time I was driving there either.

Are you deliberately taking distance from F1?

– Not deliberately at least. I just don't have the interest to stare at the tv and watch what they are doing there, Räikkönen claims.

Räikkönen won 4 times in Spa. The 5th possible victory didn't happen when the heavy rain significantly slowed down the Finn who already had a superior lead four laps before the finish line.

Räikkönen gave it his everything to beat Lewis Hamilton, but ended in the wall from the slippery track.

Maximization of masterpieces

Last year Räikkönen saved Ferrari's continuous row of victories by getting a bull's eye particularly in Spa.

Räikkönen got almost a quarter of all his 18 victories from Belgium. Why does Spa suit him better than any other track?

– It's not more difficult than any other track. As a matter of fact I know many more difficult tracks. Of course you have to have a good car and although last year's Ferrari wasn't any top car it still was fast enough for Spa, Räikkönen thought.

Steve Robertson revealed a little more about Kimi's recipe for victory.

– Spa is an extremely demanding track. Yet Kimi is able to maximize his car on that track better than anywhere else. Although the more downforce you have there, the more competitiveness, Kimi can still compensate the slight defeat by being fast all through the lap in every single corner, Robertson thinks.

Facts

Most GP-victories in Spa:

6 Michael Schumacher

5 Ayrton Senna

4 Jim Clark and Kimi Räikkönen

3 Juan Manuel Fangio and Damon Hill.

Turun Sanomat, Trier

HEIKKI KULTA

Source: Turun Sanomat
Courtesy: Nicole