Big and ability to strike

I mostly look at this through Finnish glasses.... however in Jerez press room the non-Finnish media gang is more and more assured that Kimi Räikkönen could drive for very good positions in this year's serie.

I got the best enforcement when sitting at Red Bull's coffee table and hearing Adrian Newey himself praise the new Lotus as a cool and smooth-looking new car.

Last year ended with Heikki Kovalainen fighting for Lotus' positions with Vitali Petrov and Bruno Senna from Renault. Now Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean have that new car that changed from Renault into a Lotus. At least the Caterham that changed from Lotus is far behind.

When leaving home on Wednesday evening Räikkönen adviced me to forget about staring at the laptimes. They only matter in the first qualification in Melbourne. Before that everyone concentrates on their own things and comparing them to others is only a waste of time.

Still the pondering over laptimes offers it's own world. Usually a good car is fast right from the start - like this Lotus.

The Spanish reporters have followed the new Ferrari's stumbling with worries, since the car that was praised as a radical car seems to bee too radical for the whole team to understand. At least at this stage Ferrari is slower than Lotus - even with same amounts of fuel.

Still the Spanish media-brothers quickly remind that when the new Williams was in last year's tests in Jerez, even Alonso made a mistake by putting it up as the season's toughest competitors. The end result was a complete pancake - and it was the worst season in Williams' long history.

So that I wouldn't limit this blog to only my own thoughts, I asked once again from a few reporter colleagues about their opinion about Lotus.

Giorgio Piola who is respected as the media-world's most famous technical expert classified the Lotus as too big even before the tests began. Has his mind changed at all?

– Lotus is too big-lined in my eyes but it seems to be good on the track: easy to setup and efficient, Piola admits.

– Even during Renault's time they had their own philosophy. The cars Fernando Alonso won championships with were big, the sidepods differed from others by size alone. But they were all effectively competitive though.

– Still one also has to look at the other side of the coin. Although they did well with Renault in the first two races, the development curve ended there and the rest of the season was diving. Although this car probably is better they have to find potential to also develop it during the season. Otherwise the good basic work is sort of wasted.

Auto, Motor und Sport's Michael Schmidt keeps up a neverending Kimi-competition with me. But when discussing seriously he admits that Lotus offered a positive surprise.

– At this time of the year the estimations of the cars usually go wrong, but it's a fact that the times that this Lotus has made cannot come with a bad car - no matter what the fuel-level is. Lotus is one of the most pleasant surprisers. With that car Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean can race for even top 5.

F1 Racing's Tom Clarkson is known for his Finnish sympathies. The new Lotus also got sympathy:

– I have always rated James Allison highly. His cars always have their own label. At this stage we can't possibly know what the real competitiveness is and how good Red Bull is or how bad Ferrari is. But at least the new Lotus is reliable and also good in the tyre-department. Those are two important features.

– At this moment Lotus is in the top 3 but it's still uncertain what the situation is when the season begins. They stopped their development work for last year's car when seeing that they went the wrong way with their exhaust-systems and concentrated on designing this E20. I'm sure it was a good decision, Clarkson sums up.

Source: Heikki Kulta Blog
Courtesy: Nicole

Mandatory question

Turun Sanomat 28.10.2011 20:23:54

Column 28.10.

I have to say that the international F1-media is feverishly interested in hearing if Kimi Räikkönen comes back next year to F1.

FIA:'s press manager Matteo Bonciani came personally to make sure that I would definitely participate in Friday's team manager interview and he let me understand that he expects me to ask a question about the matter from Williams F1-team's CEO Adam Parr.

I fulfilled his wish although I would have gone there to ask my question in any case. I emphasized to Parr that five million Finns are eagerly waiting if Räikkönen is possibly driving for Williams next year.

Parr was sorry in the typical Williams low profile -style telling that nobody can answer a question like that, but if and when changes to the current driver-duo are made they will announce it in an appropriate way.

Parr praised Räikkönen in the tv-paddock telling he was one of the best drivers from the last years and someone who everyone surely would like to see come back, when replying to a similar question asked by MTV3.

Several colleagues still claim that Parr had talked nonsense when replying to my question because they know that the contract is already made. We even placed a small bet which I have to redeem if it is revealed that Räikkönen's possible contract with Williams would have been signed already before this GP-weekend.

The whole F1-people - with the exception of McLaren - is located in the surroundings of the new and splendid Buddh-track. Hence I had dinner with Sebastien Buemi and his trainer Antti Kontsas on Thursday evening.

Buemi is the latest F1-driver who has learned a few words in Finnish. For a smart guy like him it is easier. When we talked about the Finnish F1-history, Buemi praised the magnificent statistics when three out of seven drivers had won the WDC.

I added that out of these seven four are also GP-winners, to which Buemi added that actually there are five of them since Mika Salo had to give away his only victory in Germany 12 years ago.

Quite an information-bank this 23 year old protegé of Kontsas, don't you think?

Turun Sanomat, Greater Noida

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Alonso annoyed after media’s interest in new wing

"I do not think the readers are interested to get up in the morning and read about three or four points of downforce"

The interest in Ferrari’s 2012 front wing in Korea left Fernando Alonso annoyed.

"I think it’s to do with the team, not the journalists," La Gazzetta dello Sport quotes the Spaniard as saying in Korea, where his 150 Italia was fitted with the radical new wing.

Media reports analysed in detail the difference between the new and old wing and its performance in Korea relative to the regular specification driven by Alonso’s teammate Felipe Massa.

"As I’ve said before, in these last four races we need to learn a lot about 2012," Alonso said. "Gaining or losing a tenth is a very low priority at the end of this season compared to finding the direction for next year’s car.

"We are working with a specific goal that is not easy for you (reporters) to understand," he added.

"I do not think the readers are interested to get up in the morning and read about three or four points of downforce, certain diameters — I think they want to know who is fourth or fifth or whether you are working for the grand prix or the next year.

"The details seem very superficial to me."

On the radio towards the end of Sunday’s Korean grand prix, Alonso was heard to tell his team "I give up" — a call rarely heard from the double world champion.

Alonso insists his focus is on what will make the 2012 season better.

"I will come to work (in 2011) to gain experience for the things for next year," he is quoted by AS sports newspaper. "We can try some experimental parts and also (experiment with) how to deal with the weekends."

The 30-year-old is currently third in the drivers’ championship.

"If we can get one tenth (for the 2012 car) from the information and yet finish fifth in the championship, I would sign it now," insisted Alonso.

"No one expects us to come to India and have the pole and the win. Expect us to be fourth or fifth in qualifying and third, fourth or fifth in the race," he said.

Source: Nextgen

Media slams Vettel’s ’snooze control’ in Valencia

The media slammed the sagging spectacle of Sunday’s European grand prix.

After seven exciting races boosted by the new overtaking ’DRS’ system and heavily degrading Pirelli tyres, the formula did not conspire to spice up the usually-processional action on the streets of Valencia.

Making the situation worse was Sebastian Vettel’s further extension of his runaway championship lead, and then his exuberant celebration on the radio.

His upbeat message "Fantastic boys, I can’t tell you how good this feels" was met with "deafening silence in the multinational media centre", according to the Telegraph’s Tom Cary.

The Sunday Express’ Bob McKenzie agreed that the 23-year-old German shifted F1 into "snooze control" in the Spanish sun with the Valencia "yawnfest".

Agreed the Independent’s David Tremayne: "If all the races were run on tracks as infernally dull and uninvolving as the one here, the FIA might as well hand another world champion’s trophy to Sebastian Vettel right now.”

"For heaven’s sake, even kids with their Scalextric come up with better layouts," he added in a barb apparently pointed at F1 circuit designer Hermann Tilke.

Added the Daily Star’s James Murray: "Sebastian Vettel won one of the most boring races ever and there are fears the rest of the season will be the same."

And the Sun’s Michael Spearman said: "The street race around the Valencia Marina complex was about as thrilling as a four-hour Wagnerian epic."

Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport pointed out that there was not a single "retirement, safety car or crash" and the DRS proved "inefficient despite the two overtaking zones".

Bild am Sonntag newspaper said: "The best things about the Valencia race were the sea, the blue sky, the bobbing yachts and the bikini girls."

"It was the first horribly boring race of the season," agreed Austria’s Kleine Zeitung.

"Most viewers felt overwhelmed with boredom by the procession," added the Swiss daily Le Temps.

The Times’ Kevin Eason observed on Twitter that Vettel said the race was "maybe boring" for the spectators. "Too right chum," the journalist quipped.

But the Telegraph’s Cary said it is wrong to blame the smiling Red Bull driver.

"The index-finger waggling celebration is becoming irksome but only because he is jabbing it in our faces every fortnight," he said.

Meanwhile, European grand prix promoter Jorge Martinez Aspar insisted the event had been "excellent" and attended by a healthy 85,000.

But he told EFE news agency that there is "no rush" to sign a five-year option for more Valencia races post 2014.

"We are happy with the situation and want to make the project viable. Ecclestone is willing to help," said Aspar, "but we need to further involve the city."

Source: Nextgen

Where is Kimi Räikkönen?

We continue our series where we try to form opinion in those questions which divide millions of fans and where the ordinary sports media is helpless.

First we solved the Schumacher mystery then we analyzed the trinity (Senna, Schumacher and Alonso) but the best for last - the interpretation of the Räikkönen factor. Have fun!

Let’s face the fact that Kimi is not going back to Formula1. It seems that he’s found the place where he really feels good and he has no intension to test himself in the championship of lies and intrigue. Let’s say it: the Formula 1 was able to squander the most brilliant talent of the last decade and the only special individuality who was able to expose the human side of the sport in addition doing his job perfectly like a machine. Who is to blame?

It would be very simple to say that Ferrari. Many thought that Kimi was worthy successor of Schumacher in Maranello and with him the Scuderia could continue its success – with the latter definition I could completely identify myself but the first part of sentence raised doubt in me even in the beginning of 2007.

We have to admit that Kimi is not the type of racer who is getting his team behind him with his huge work ethic. He is doing his job, telling what he wants and when he gets it he drives his car fast, damn fast. Motivating his team, building emotional relationships are not of his strengths. Kimi is a really old school racer who doesn’t care a bit about marketing, doesn’t make friends, doesn’t do anything else but going into the factory telling what he wants and then performs. Why? Because the only thing Kimi knows is how to drive the car very fast. And today this is not enough to be a real great racer. We could speculate for a long time whether this new style is good or not but the facts are facts – nowadays it is not enough to drive the car fast, a driver must have a much more complex knowledge to achieve his dream.

Kimi wasn’t capable to measure up to the task which was only partially his fault. Coming from his style and habit he is not a very passionate person and his genius isolated him from his team. He had many arguments with Ron Dennis because the McLaren team couldn’t provide a championship contender technique and Ron (rightfully) demanded consequence and intelligence in Kimi’s racing.

There was something that he misjudged. Kimi’s way of competing is very simple – he wants to win no matter what, and he doesn’t think that in certain situation he should slow down. This kind of attitude brought him the love of ten and hundred thousands of fans but also is to blame for having only one world championship title in his cabinet.

Kimi made a mistake in his carrier when he signed Ferrari, In 2007 the great personalities of the post Schumacher era (Alonso and Kimi) made unbelievably wrong decisions. – practically they swapped teams. It was obvious at his very young age that Alonso belongs to Ferrari and it was hard to imagine Kimi in such a passionate environment. In his first season with the passionate support of Jean Todt pulled together the world title. (how and why I have a special theory) then after the Frenchman’s departure Kimi vanished. Trust is vital for Kimi.

He can not live without trust; he has to feel that that team is there for him, works for him and wants his success – even if he is not willing to do anything else but driving very fast. With Todt’s departure the trust disappeared. In Maranello the chiefs became less talented but Italians and they couldn’t find the way with the Finnish champion. In 2008 Kimi wasn’t losing to Massa because the team put him down but because he wasn’t in the mood to drive for Ferrari. It seemed from many of his expressions. He didn’t feel the confidence, he wasn’t the team’s mascot anymore, they didn’t observe his opinion and that was enough to lose his spirit for a lifetime.

And of course there is a very significant detail that in 2007 Kimi had fulfilled his dream and became a world champion. Everybody who ever won something knows that after the euphoria of winning emptiness comes very quickly. Kimi was fed up with the media hype, he didn’t have a minute without the press. Many questioned the equity of his title, they said that he only won because of the McLaren’s inner battle. Kimi simply lost his spirit – and it is Formula1’s fault: the environment, the rules, the sharks of the media.

Formula1 needs a great talent like Raikkonen in any circumstances – especially in current times. Vettel, Hamilton, Alonso all are exceptional talents but they are from the new era, raised for racing, treat the media and the fans like a machine, they never do anything risky. They are fast, talented but without personality, self-will, the freedom of individuality which could predestinate them to be remembered after 30-40 years as gritty racers.

So it can be seen that Kimi is the last person in Formula1 who loves life, who raced with real emotions, he didn’t like to be controlled, who had separate ideas about life and didn’t approached everything through F1. When he wanted to be drunk he got drunk and didn’t care about the opinion of the media. He never wanted to seem perfect because he never was.

Today, it seems he has found his place – sad for us that he he had to leave F1 for that. Rally is unarguable his environment, personally I feel that he’d changed carriers with Sebastian Loeb.

The precision of the French champion of records would predestinate him for very big results in F1. The coolness of Kimi can be a winner in rally. And yes, the Flying Finnish is very fast there. Only those trees beside the road …..

Courtesy: Kriss

Ferrari under fire as the dust settles

In the aftermath of Ferrari and Fernando Alonso's failure to land the drivers' championship, there is growing speculation, mainly in the Italian media, that widespread changes will result at Maranello.

"Some things will change and, sure, some heads will roll," said the authoritative Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport. While the newspaper did not name Chris Dyer - Ferrari's chief track engineer - some Spanish sources did, claiming it was the Australian's decision to "cover" Mark Webber's Abu Dhabi race strategy that stranded Alonso behind Vitaly Petrov.

A source close to Ferrari told the Guardian: "There will be changes at Ferrari for sure. What happened on Sunday was a big, heavy mistake. But they won't be changing the car, Alonso, the president or [Stefano] Domenicali. Instead there will be changes to the inefficient pit area. It may not even be a sacking. But next season some important people will no longer hold the positions they do today."

And never one to miss an opportunity for some free publicity, Roberto Calderoli of Italy's Northern League party called for Luca di Montezemolo's resignation, slamming the pit strategy in Abu Dhabi as a "demented strategy".

"We're sorry to see that there are some politicians on the outside who are ready to push for the guillotine when things go badly," di Montezemolo countered. "We don't understand anyone who revels in self-defeatism, who sinks into the culture of 'everything's gone wrong, we have to start all over again'. They are vices that are very Italian, that we must learn to shake off."

"The only thing we can do is try to take a breath, recharge the batteries and push people to do a better job next year," team boss Domenicali said. "What we should not do at the moment is let ourselves be swayed by false prophets or by those saying 'I told you so'. We have to work on areas that need improving, we need to develop and know exactly what we need to do next year.

"The good and the bad thing about Ferrari is that we are only allowed to win. Coming second is not an option, and in this context, we need to understand quite clearly where we need to invest and take the right steps to make sure we win next year.

"We had already started making some important changes this year in our organisation, introducing new methods and new people who will become effective from next year. Reliability is a good place to start and to carry on into next year."

Triple world champion Niki Lauda told the Austrian press: "There should be three days of mourning, then they all eat spaghetti again and forget the defeat."

Source: ESPNF1

Media, F1, goes to war on Alonso, Ferrari and team orders

F1's harsh spotlight of the international media is shining on Ferrari and Fernando Alonso, but also the regulation prohibiting team orders.

In a frosty post-race press conference at Hockenheim, some reporters warned Spaniard Alonso he now risks winning a "dirty"
championship, comparing his win at the hands of an illegal team order to his victory at Singapore in 2008.

"That's your opinion," the Ferrari driver told them.

Team orders, of course - dating back to the gentleman racer's days when number two drivers would pull into the pits to hand over their cars - are nothing new.

"This was just handled very badly," said Lotus' Mike Gascoyne.

And Ferrari's handling in Germany, with Felipe Massa ordered aside by way of a coded message from apologetic engineer Rob Smedley, fuelled the media's fire.

"I am glad that the media in the paddock are kind of like our police," remarked Alex Wurz.

But according to Spain's Marca sports daily, "the English press showed no mercy" for a driver who clashed so memorably with Lewis Hamilton back in 2007.

The Sunday Express called Alonso and Ferrari "dirty, thieving cheats", while even the milder Daily Telegraph admitted that the World Motor Sport Council could in theory disqualify the famous team from Formula One at an August meeting.

"A suspension for a number of races is another possibility," said the Daily Mail.

Triple world champion Niki Lauda scolded Alonso for blatantly denying he had won the race thanks to a team order. The Independent newspaper said "nobody was fooled" by Alonso's argument that he wasn't aware of the fix.

"I've never heard a driver talk such bullshit. He has no character," said Austrian great Lauda.
Dr Helmut Marko, under fire for some recent decisions at Red Bull, revelled in the change of fortune.

"It is unbelievable how awkwardly they demonstrated who is their number one. The FIA must react with a drastic punishment," he is quoted by Blick.

The Swiss newspaper's correspondent agreed: "There are different ways for Alonso to return to the throne. Lying and cheating should not be one of them."

Even the usually partisan AS newspaper remarked: "Alonso deserved to win the German Grand Prix, but not like this. Domenicali has confirmed his true ineptitude by giving Massa obvious team orders that are prohibited by the rules."

Said Brazil's Folha de S.Paulo: "It was an insult to the sport."

Rio de Janeiro's Lance added: "We regret writing it, but from Massa it was a lack of courage."

Rubens Barrichello, whose move for Michael Schumacher in 2002 motivated the team order ban, said: "I will speak to Felipe myself. Nothing has changed at Ferrari.

"I think you can read my opinion better from my face," he stormily told Brazilian radio Jovem Pan.

Said French newspaper Liberation: "Ferrari is a team unlike another; when not undermined by political intrigue, they shoot themselves in the foot."

La Libre wondered how the FIA is going to react at the World Motor Sport Council: "Would Jean Todt dare punish his old team for a practice he applied himself? We honestly doubt it."

Another side of the story is what Renault's customer engine boss Fabric Lom described on Europe 1 radio as the "hypocrisy" of the current regulations.

Agreed Italy's Corriere dello Sport: "It is fair to recognise that the problem is in the regulations."

Rome daily Il Tempo said Ferrari "did the right thing in the wrong way", and Spain's El Mundo said the team order ban is "a regulation that penalises team interests".

Italy's Autosprint marvelled that Ferrari was "fined for teamwork!"

Said Britain's Telegraph: "Ferrari were caught and they must pay. But the rule is unenforceable. To pretend otherwise is deluded."

Mercedes' Norbert Haug does not quite agree: "We need to think of the spectators. They want to see fights on the track, not these actions.

"The different teams have different attitudes about team orders."

To the Spanish press, Alonso argued: "The ones who pay us are the team, not the newspapers or anyone else, and now Ferrari is taking 43 points back to Italy.

"And that is what we have to do -- what is best for the team. On Friday I was faster, I was second in qualifying and faster than Felipe in the race. I don't think the slower driver won this race," he added.

Source: Motorsport.com

TOP 10 - Kimi's legendary quotes

The world's most followed Finn Kimi Räikkönen was one of the most controversy drivers in the F1-circus because of his short and often witty comments. Among them are many humouristic and sarcastic comments. MTV3.fi made a compilation of Kimi's best cracks in the form of a TOP10-list.

Räikkönen has said many times that F1 would be a paradise without the media. You can easily understand this when reading the comments below. Maybe there is going to be a minor change in the rally world but it's useless to expect him to go wild.

Kimi's sarcastic side didn't necessarily open up to the media in F1.

When reporters asked what advice he gives to rookies Nico Rosberg and Scott Speed, Kimi said the following:
- I hope they are good in giving way.

Sometimes Kimi was so fed up with the same repetitive questions that he had a way to get out of those situations.

”What do you think is going to happen in the race tomorrow?" Kimi was asked in the press conference.
- What do you think is going to happen? Kimi threw back.

A similar thing happened after Monza qualification in 2008.

”Kimi, are you satisfied with the result?”
Do you think I am?

Sometimes Kimi was simply fed up with the reporters and their questions.

After Hockenheim qualification he was asked: How did the tyres feel like?

- There they are rolling, Kimi replied.

Why add anything more to that?

Räikkönen has told the media many, many times that he isn't interested in other drivers' blunders or thoughts. He has said a few sentences about F1-legend Michael Schumacherista though.

- I'm not interested in what people think about me. I am not Michael Schumacher, Kimi said when reporters asked for his reply to the critic he got for things happening off-track.

About Schumacher's role in Ferrari he said the following

- Well he isn't going to come to tell anything to us drivers. And I for one don't need his advice.

The world's most known Finn knew what to expect after he won the WDC in 2007. The media hunted him more than ever before.

- They have thrown a lot of s*hit on me but I guess I'll get even more of it now, Kimi said.

I guess Kimi didn't realise back then how right he was.

When there was a sea of reporters at Sauber's presentation event Kimi was exposed to millions of questions. Even back then Kimi preferred to keep most of the noise in his own stomach.

"The helmet has a special meaning for most drivers. How important is the helmet to you?"

- It protects my head, Kimi nailed it.

"Do you have any special rituals like most have when it comes to the helmet? Do you for example wipe the visor at the last moment?" a German reporterd asked without giving up.

- I wipe it so that I can see better, Räikkönen continued dedicated to his own style. You get what you ask for.

Kimi didn't seem to mind much about the spy-saga in McLaren. At least that's the impression one gets from MTV3's interview.

"What do you think the atmosphere in McLaren is at this point" Saari asked.

- Fu*cking good I bet, Kimi said with a sparkle in his eye.

Kimi's and other drivers comments differ like night and day.Lewis Hamilton was happy for his first GP-victory and said it felt better than sex. This is how Kimi replied when a reporter asked for his opinion on the matter.

- Maybe he has never had sex, Kimi wondered.

Yay Kimi, it's best to put things in the right order.

One of his most legendary comments came when asked about our beloved country. To be specific he was asked how we relax in Finland?

- Well, in summer we fish and f*uck in Finland. In winter... fishing is difficult.

If that quote didn't increase the tourism in Finland then what?

Martin Brundle reminded Kimi that he missed Schumacher's ceremony where Pele himself gave the German a trophy. Räikkönen cracked in a live interview about his whereabouts when Brundle asked him where he was.:

”I was having a s*hit.”

Brundle tried his best to correct the situation but the damage was already done.

Source: MTV3

Courtesy: Nicole and Kriss Planet-F1