Bild am Sonntag: Kimi Räikkönen Interview

Kimi Räikkönen is notorious. He is considered a daredevil on the track, an unrestrained party beast and a talented man of few words. After two years as a rally driver, the world champion from 2007 is once again mixing up formula 1

Bild am Sonntag met the Finn for an interview. He greets us with his now obligatory sunglasses. Excuse me, Mr. Räikkönen, can you take them off maybe? Shruging, answer: "No." Well, then ...

Bild am Sonntag: After 952 days of rest last Sunday, you are finally back on the podium. And then there was instead of champagne only rose water at the awards ceremony. Still disappointed?

Kimi Räikkönen (32): Whatever that was, what we had to drink there for sure it would have tasted better from the top! Hopefully there is real champagne soon for me - and then not again for a second place.

You were two years completely out of Formula 1 and now with Lotus placed 7, 5, 14 and 2. Do you think your comeback is successful?

It's not gone bad. I like what I'm doing, that's enough. I do not care if someone says I do it well or not. However, it is disappointing when you still only get second. After the race in 14th place in China has not gone the way we wanted, we first have to be happy with the result in Bahrain.

Will the second place soon be a first? Do you believe you can be at the top with Lotus?

That's the goal. I do not like second places. This also could have happend in the first three races. The basis is good, and who knows what will happen in the next races.

You are known for excessive partying. What happens when you're first time at the top of the podium?

No plans. I always look on the next day and try to make the most of it. Life can change so quickly ...
You have returned to Formula 1 because you missed the fights. On Sunday you found Sebastian Vettel a hard nut to crack

He was faster. I hope that I will once again come so close to him. Then it's his turn.

Sebastian is also a friend of yours ...

He's a nice guy. With him you can make good jokes. But on the track he is my enemy.

Did you miss anything during your time off other than the battles on the track?

No. I'm only here for racing. The other bullshit I can do without. If you would take away the cars of Formula 1, I would not be here. All the trappings, that fame and stuff, I'm not interested.

You are supposed that you often can’t sleep the night after a race because you are still upset

Believe me, I can sleep anywhere, wherever I want. And whenever I want! This is a job for me, and when I go home I am not taking work with me there. Formula 1 plays no role in my personal life. I have a real life! I think for many people Formula 1 is their live. For me it's not.

Formula 1 is your job, not your passion?

If I did not like it a bit, I probably would not be here. You certainly too, right?

Have you earned enough money in your career, to quit work tomorrow?

It always depends from which perspective you look at it. The work at the moment is fun, so the question does not arise for me.

Why don’t you take your wife Jenni Dahlman with you like many other drivers?

Because it would be boring for her to sit around here all day. The time she can certainly use better.

Source: Bild am Sonntag
Courtesy: miezicat

Heikki's Kulta Column: The heat is on

Whereas home in Finland people are sweating in the heat, in Germany again one has to keep the heat on both in Nürburgring's media center during the working day as well as in the hotel room during the night.

It was more chilly in the WRC-battle too. Sebastian Vettel's crushing lead is of a class that he can't practically lose it other than if he gets badly injured.

It's hard to think who would be the biggest threat to the champion. They are putting Fernando Alonso in the role although Mark Webber is ahead of him. As cars both Red Bull and Ferrari seem to be very close at the moment.

In a Finnish matter of speaking Bild-magazine brought at least some kind of warmth to the F1-circle after awakening the talks about Kimi Räikkönen's possible comeback to F1 as Red Bull's driver.

The team objected immediately to the speculations and Christian Horner has said more than once that Räikkönen hasn't even given any signs of his possible will to come back.

Knowing Räikkönen he hasn't earlier either given any signs of which direction he is going to. He has gone according to what he has been offered and what has interested him.

My good friend, reporter Michael Schmidt from the German Auto, Motor und Sport -magazine, has never greeted me normally when we meet, instead he always asks "Where is Kimi?". He has done this for the last one and a half year.

We chatted about Räikkönen on Friday. Schmidt assured that he isn't 'greeting' just in a joking way.

– Kimi's comeback would be a huge thing for this sport. We have now seen how Michael Schumacher's comeback has gone. Kimi is much younger. It would be exciting to see how he would pull it off, Schmidt reminded.

Turun Sanomat, Nürburgring

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Vettel’s boss: Serious reproaches against Webber

World champion Sebastian Vettel (24) has a 80 points lead in the World Championship classification. In the Constructor’s Championship, the lead goes up to 110 points

Nevertheless, there is quarrel at Red Bull! Team boss, Christian Horner (37), severely reproaches Vettel’s team-mate Mark Webber (34/Australia) in interview with BILD.

BILD: Mr. Horner, Sebastian Vettel, after nine out of 18 races, is almost world champion again ...

Horner: "Stop. Stop. There are still ten races and 250 points to be awarded. If Sebastian DNF three times, everything would be quite different. Things can change quickly. "

BILD: when your second driver, Mark Webber, simply ignores your orders, as in Silverstone?

Horner: "For example. We have sorted Mark out. He has risked Sebastian’s second place, his 3rd place and 33 points for the team. "

BILD: Because he attacked Vettel contrary your team-orders at the end (of the race)?

Horner: "He is a racer, I understand it. But I've seen in the monitor at the wall what many viewers, for sure, weren’t aware of: Mark took Sebastian to the utmost limit and brought them both, in two different places, absolutely unnecessarily in crash risk. That can’t happen. If all our 500 people would think only of themselves, we would never be able to achieve our goals. "

BILD: Has it reduced Webber’s chances at Red Bull for 2012?

Horner: "We will take a decision together at the end of august."

BILD: Do you already have in your head Vettel’s new team-mate?

Horner: "No. He must be able to drive at the front and bring harmony to the team. How harmonious a driver is, is often difficult to assess in his current environment. "

BILD: Like someone who doesn’t drive Formula 1 at the moment but is in the Red Bull's payroll?

Horner: "Kimi Räikkönen?"

BILD: Yes, exactly.

Horner: "But he is driving trucks in America and rallies. I think, his head is somewhere else than Formula 1 at the moment. It is hard to come back. "

BILD: But even: there’s supposed to be a plan to let Räikkönen drive alongside Vettel for a year.

Horner: "I've not seen so far any signs in Kimi of a return. As I said, we are not in a hurry in the driver’s question. Everyone in the pit lane has already knocked at our door. We have time. "

Source: Bild.de
Courtesy: Mar

Räikkönen a candidate to replace Webber

Europe's biggest magazine Bild Zeitung published in their Tuesday issue news that at this point shocked the F1-world, by telling that Red Bull might be interested in hiring Kimi Räikkönen with a one year contract for next season to drive alongside Sebastian Vettel.

The story doesn't claim that Räikkönen would be coming back. The story doesn't claim either that Räikkönen would be the strongest candidate for Red Bull's second seat.

The team is looking for a short-term driver who can win races, since the WCC is highly prestigious to Red Bull.

According to Bild's editorial F1-staff, the interest to hire Räikkönen came from a very reliable source close to the team. They schedule Räikkönen to be Vettel's team mate only for year 2012, after which the team's own young drivers would have enough experience to switch to the main team.

A week before Silverstone GP Christian Horner said in Swiss Servus-tv that Räikkönen is not one of the options from which they are choosing Vettel's partner.

When viewers got to vote for their favorite driver candidate Räikkönen got almost as much support as Mark Webber, who's contract has been seen as practically certain. Webber got 26,2 and Räikkönen 26,1 % of the votes.

When it was certain in October 2009 that Räikkönen would leave Ferrari at the end of 2009, Helmut Marko who decides about Red Bull's F1-driver matters went immediately on Suzuka's paddock to inquire if the Finnish driver would be interested to switch to their team after Webber's contract would expire.

However that meeting didn't lead to closer negotiations over a F1-seat.

Räikkönen has said more than once that he will make his decisions for next year only after this year's races are over.

All the time his condition for a possible comeback has been that there would be a seat in a winning team and at the same time freedom to race for the victory. At the moment every driver starting from Lewis Hamilton would want especially to Red Bull.

In May Räikkönen assured in a press conference before the Nascar-race that he has never said his F1-career would definitely be over.

– There were many reasons why I quit. But I haven't said that it's final. At the moment I don't miss F1. I have wanted to do different things and have got great opportunities to try rally and now also Nascar. I have never said that I wouldn't go back to F1-level. There are no plans about what I will do next year, Räikkönen said at that time.

Turun Sanomat, Silverstone

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Ecclestone: I can’t do my job when I’m dead

Bernie Ecclestone reverted to his typical sardonic humour and image of invincibility when asked in Turkey if he fears Formula 1 slipping from his grasp.

Asked by Bild am Sonntag if he is worried he may soon have to relinquish his role as the most powerful figure in the Formula 1 paddock, he answered simply, “Yes.”

Asked why, the 80-year-old Briton told the German Sunday newspaper, “Because I can’t do my job when I’m dead.”

He suggested to Bloomberg in another interview that he cannot understand the interest of News Corp and Ferrari linked Exor when the sport’s current owners CVC are not interested in selling.

And he revealed, “There’s been other interest for quite some time”, adding that CVC might only be swayed with a “bloody enormous” offer.

FIA president Jean Todt confirmed on Sunday that the governing body has the right to veto a sale.

Curiously, another spanner in the works could be Todt’s predecessor Max Mosley, who called the FIA veto the ‘Don King clause’ because the flamboyant boxing promoter would not be an appropriate owner for the sport.

It’s about “having a suitable, proper person” owning Formula 1, Mosley told Bloomberg. “From a personal point of view, I don’t think they’d be the right person,” he said, referring to News Corp.

Mosley’s main gripe with Rupert Murdoch is his UK tabloid News of the World, responsible not only for the infamous ‘Nazi hookers’ story but also for hacking the phones of celebrities.

“There has been clear illegality,” said Mosley.

A News Corp spokeswoman declined to comment on Ecclestone or Mosley’s comments.

Source: YallaF1

Schumacher still 'serious competitor' for 2010 title - Alonso

Fernando Alonso on Wednesday said he expects Michael Schumacher to be back up to full speed before long.

With the seven time world champion outpaced so far by his Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg and 26 points behind the 24-year-old, some have written off Schumacher's ability to impress on his return to the sport.

But Alonso, who now drives for Ferrari, having beaten the 41-year-old to the last two championships of his original career in 2005 and 2006, is sure the German is still as competitive as before.

"He is still the Michael Schumacher that we know," the Spaniard told Germany's Sport Bild magazine, published on Wednesday.

"I respect him in the same way I did three years ago and am sure that he will show his true qualities when the car is better," Alonso, 28, added.

"I really believe Michael will be a serious competitor for the title this year," he insisted.

But Alonso also thinks Schumacher's records, including 91 wins and seven titles, are safe.

"Because the rules are now so tight, there will be no one who is far superior to the others, as Ferrari was in the past," he said.

"If you ask me, Michael's records are safe."

Alonso also said he feels more comfortable at Ferrari than ever before in Formula One, predicting that the Maranello based team will be his last.

"It is the atmosphere in the team," said Alonso, who since 2001 has also driven for Minardi and Renault. "(At Ferrari it's) like you're among friends.

"When they say 'goodbye', it will be time to finish my Formula One career," said Alonso.

Source: Motorsport

RIKU KUVAJA DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THE GERMAN CLAIMS: NOW WE CONCENTRATE ON RALLY

The German Bild am Sonntag -magazine is busy pushing Kimi Räikkönen back into the F1-circus.

Bild am Sonntag manages to push in fresh F1-rumours in a convenient time. Räikkönen's rally career has started in a coughing way and Webber managed to make a classic blunder in Australia GP.

Riku Kuvaja doesn't listen to the claim.

- Rumours. This is a genre where there has always been and will always be a lot of rumours, Kuvaja said to Iltalehti.

- We are focusing on rally with all we got. When something new appears we will inform.

According to Kuvaja Räikkönen doesn't have the interest to follow all the rumours about him.

- He doesn't read them. Kimi has lived in the same rumour mill for ten years already.

Source: Iltalehti.fi
Courtesy: Nicole

Mildh: Red Bull is Räikkönen's only option

According to Yle Sports expert Jukka Mildh, Kimi Räikkönen's return to Formula 1 in Red Bull-team would be a natural choice for Räikkönen. If Räikkönen even returns to F1. German Bild-magazine told earlier on Sunday that Räikkönen would be transferring to Red Bull for next season.

Mildh paid a visit to Urheiluruutu [a sports news broadcast] and emphasized that Red Bull would be the only rational team for Räikkönen. And that is only if the Finn even returns to F1.

Mildh highlighted that Red Bull has a competitive car. In addition the team's other driver Mark Webber's contract ends after this season. In the other top teams the contracts continue.

- Red Bull has the fastest car and only a winning car suffices to Räikkönen. Red Bull is like that, Mildh continues.

Red Bull's other driver is German Sebastien Vettel, who has a long-term contract in the team.

Räikkönen drives in WRC with Citroen at the moment but practically the majority of his earnings comes from Red Bull.

- If he has the desire, the negotiations relating to the issue can be arranged in an instant, Mildh says.

At the moment the comeback-rumour is strenghtened by Webber's driving-error on Sunday's Australian GP.

- When the contract is on a pause after this season, Webber didn't do a favor for himself when crashing with Lewis Hamilton, Mildh notes.

Mildh reminds though, that at the moment Räikkönen is serious about rallying. He has no compelling need to return to F1.

- Kimi gets some appropriate distance to the F1-world so he can follow the development of the situation in peace also from his part, Mildh evaluates.

The German Bild-magazine has been right before about the happenings in F1-world. The magazine was the first to report about ia Michael Schumacher's comeback to F1.

Source: YLE.fi
Courtesy: Leijona

Raikkonen to partner Vettel at Red Bull in 2011 - report

Kimi Raikkonen is set to replace Red Bull's Mark Webber ahead of the 2011 season.

A report in Germany's Bild am Sonntag said the return of the Finn to Formula One, to become his friend Sebastian Vettel's teammate, is already being arranged.

Raikkonen, 30, is already under contract to the energy drinks company, having switched from Ferrari to world rallying for 2010 with the Red Bull-funded Citroen Junior Team.

RBR team boss Christian Horner recently admitted that hiring Raikkonen for 2011 is an "interesting idea", and speculation about Webber's expiring contract was re-fired this weekend when Lewis Hamilton tipped the Australian to retire.

Horner said on Saturday: "We are very happy with our drivers. Mark is driving very well, and he is not old, as Michael has demonstrated.

"The average age (of F1 drivers) has dropped, but as long as Mark is motivated, competitive and quick, I don't think that he has any thoughts of stopping just yet."

Vettel told Bild am Sonntag: "Kimi and I are good friends, but in the end I don't care who sits in the other car because I still have to beat him."

He would not confirm that the Raikkonen deal is close to being finalised.

"I don't know what the team is planning. And in the end, it is of course Kimi's decision. He needs to see how he feels."

Source: Motorsport