New Lotus almost as good as Alonso's Renault at his best days

The new Lotus car, E20 built for Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean, is so good that it is even dared to compare to Renault R25 car in which Fernando Alonso got his first world championship in 2005 - against Räikkönen in McLaren.

Technical Director James Allison and track operations manager Alan Permane were Alonso's trusted men in Renault at the time.

Prior to testing the new car both of them named R25 the best car which they have worked with.

- It looked cool and aggressive from all point of view. I really liked the color, all the appendages, additional wings, exhaust pipes in the chassis, and about all that current rules, unfortunately, no longer permits, Allison praised.

- R25 was a fantastic car. Very easy to setup, predictable and fast. Drivers loved it, Permane pointed out.

- While last year we went wrong, we now know we have done a good car for this season. Not only aerodynamically, but also mechanically E20 is highly functional package.

Räikkönen and Grosjean have one after each other praised the good feeling the car has given from the beginning.

Grosjean took the new car immediately to third position on the grid, and Räikkönen proved it's competitive strength by raising from 17th in the grid to 7th at the finish.

- When tyres of other cars started to slip at the end, our just improved all the time. If there had been more laps, I would have been able to improve the place even more than I had time to do at the final lap, Räikkönen calculates.

Lotus ready to prize fight

Perman assured the team have enjoyed co-operation with Räikkönen when the Finn immediately took over the situation in his first visit to the factory at the end of November.

- I don't see that Kimi was anyway rusty after his break from F1, but if so, the last of it was shaken off in Australia. After the break, it's always good to get one race done. Kimi can continue to be better prepared for Malaysia, Permane said.

What can we wait from Lotus at the weekend then?

- That we get both of our drivers clearly to top ten in qualifying and then to fight for podium finishes. Our cars will certainly work very well in Sepang. Both of drivers are similarly fast and belongs to the top, Permane acknowledged.

Räikkönen was annoyed when changing the helmet together with driving little wide caused the setback of losing the possibility for pursuing the podium finish in the opening race.

- The result would certainly have been better than seventh place, if the qualification had been normal. We had no problems with speed, and it should have been easy to go up to Q3.

Räikkönen has won in Malaysia in McLaren (2003) and in Ferrari (2008). In addition, during his 2007 championship season, he became third.

- Australia is not among the best from the point of view of racing. I hope the car works just as well as in Malaysia, because there we can drive more real track race. At least so far, it seems to be going well in every way, Räikkönen considered.

Turun Sanomat, Kuala Lumpur

HEIKKI KULTA
Courtesy: reppo

Kimi Räikkönen Wetten Dass Show 2005

The show is from the 15.5.2005, it was a simulcast and the theater is located in Turkey. The Moderator is Thomas Gottschalk. The other guests are Viktoria and Heiner Lauterbach (Actors), Peter Maffay (a German singer), Erkan and Stefan (Comedians) and Paris Hilton. The show is in German language, so I made a translation from the main part with Kimi: Before Kimi comes in, Thomas Gottschalk says:

In the Formula 1 cars he is one of the biggest stars of our time, during interviews he is a little bit uncommunicative, let´s see if we hear something from him today, otherwise we just have a look at him. To have a little bit pep, we gave him a warm-up lap and he should be on the way already. So when he will see him in a moment, the formula 1 fans immediately know that he isn´t indeed here with his official car, but we put his silver-arrow directly in front of our arena, and here he comes and now we can also see the wonderful theater here in Aspendos. We all have been very happy when we watched the last race on Sunday, because he stayed espically for us, from the beginning to the end on Position 1, of course all Formula One fans know about whom we talk, here he is, the new pride of Mercedes, winner of the last week in Barcelona, here he is, welcome Kimi Räikkönen!



Question 1: Yea, Iceman is his Nickname, but today he said he will defrost, but I know it´s not easy for you, so what is the bigger challenge for you, rushing with 300 km/h on the asphalt or sitting in an entertainment show with thousands of people?

-Kimi: I think so for me the second one is the most difficult because to drive fast on the circuit is just something like normal for me, I do it almost every time, so it´s not the absolutely perfect place for me, but I am happy to be here, that I am present this evening.

Question 2: You see, the Germans embed you in their hearts, maybe it´s a little bit because of the car you drive and of course we all have waited for the last Sunday and we are glad to have sitting here a Champion, so do you have the feeling that the knot, which some people have seen, is cracked finally?

-Kimi: Yea, definitely I have this feeling and it´s looking like it´s going in the right way and the knot is cracked, and we also have won this race very convincingly, we have had a great week and I think, that it will be going on like this, we are fighting for the World-Championship now and hopefully we will win.

Question 3: Do you speak English or Finnish? I don´t hear it. Of course you can perfectly speak Finnish, but our translator understands English much better. It´s very interesting with the Finns, there are many, for example the colleague Häkkinen, he is a big "dancer", and the Finn himself is normally a quieter companion, although on the F1-track you are like a flamenco-dancer!

-Kimi: I think so, we are in fact very fast, we are indeed a small country, but we have some really good race-drivers, but not only in F1, also in other sports, Rally for example, there we are actually very good. I don´t know why this is like that, perhaps something special in us ,in our character. Of course it´s good for our country.

Question 4: The whole F1 is thankful to you now, excepting Michael Schumacher. Do you still give him a chance?

-Kimi: Hopefully not! I have to say that very selfish.

Question 5: Oh oh, he has to think so, every different his racing team don´t want to hear from him. But now a neutrally question, there will be a F1-track in Turkey, does it make for you as a driver any difference where you are driving or has every Track it´s own character?

-Kimi: Well, every track is different and has it´s own character, but in which country we drive is no preference. Of course it´s nice to drive there you have already been, but a new track is always interesting. It´s nice to see new tracks and visit new countries and I am looking forward to come here and drive races. For me this is the first time in Turkey and it seems to be very nice here.

Question 6: Your brother is also a talented race-driver, obviously like in the Schumi-Family. Could it be that this racing talent is in the genes?

-Kimi: Maybe yes. It´s going well for him, but he is more a family-person and doesn´t drive so many races in the moment Maybe there is something special in the family, but of course we are not comparable to the Schumacher brothers.

Question 7: What dip to you when you are thinking on the 31th of July, your wedding-day or the race? It´s on the same day.

-Kimi: Ah, this year is both, I hope I will have a good day on the circuit and a beautiful day after it, too.

Gottschalk: So he is going to drive a little bit faster, that he is soon back and have time for his wife!

Now Kimi had to decide if the lorry-driver is able to hold his bet, Kimi said "Yes, he can do that" but (un)fortunately the lorry driver lost his bet and Kimi had to blow up water-wings for the children.

Courtesy: Essi