Mika Salo: Kimi will win

It's always fun to go to Montreal because the whole town lives for the GP-weekend. This year there were also protests, but even that didn't bring down the atmosphere because the police kept the protestors out of the sight quite well. You could see riot-polices and helicopters here and there and we got in the middle of the protest a couple of times. However I have quite many old friends there, old Canadiens-players, with whom I spent a lot of time.


Montreal GP was quite boring until the tyre-factor surfaced once again. Anything can happen in races because nobody has any clue about when a tyre works and when it doesn't. Red Bull and Ferrari took a deliberate risk with the tyres, but when the tyre fails, it fails. The same will continue in the future races also, because nobody can say with assurance that the next race would go well, because to be honest nobody really hasn't got any clue.

Räikkönen had a bit difficult weekend in Montreal. Of course it didn't help when the car was a bit broken in quali. I know from my own experience that it's completely impossible to drive with a car if the differential lock in the rear breaks down, because a huge part of the drivability and balance of the car depends upon how the differential is working. Hence it was a good performance from Kimi when he could drive a time like that although the car wasn't working.

Grosjean was now a bit on top of the Lotus-drivers, but this was just one good race from him. Due to his performance quite many forgot what happened in Monaco, where he couldn't get more than 100 meters before crashing. Grosjean still screws up quite a lot.

Kimi still has his natural talent to drive a car, but he hasn't probably yet got completely on terms with the team so they would understand what Kimi really wants. I see that Kimi will win a race this season. Some day it turns around so that Kimi gets the car properly under his control and can also take advantage of the qualification. The problem is that due to his driving style it took 4 laps in Montreal before he got a good time, because he didn't get enough heat in the tyres during the warming lap. The tyres' best grip should be in the first lap. Hamilton again got his tyres to work immediately in quali with his ripping driving style.

When it comes to what Jacques Villeneuve said about Lotus-drivers, he has hardly spoken one word with Kimi about what the problem really is. He is a complete outsider. Of course everyone is entitled to their opinions, however the truth is completely different than what Villeneuve said.

We will see a victory from Kimi once the weekend falls in place. So far Kimi hasn't got one single even weekend. When that weekend comes, then the tune in everybody's bells will change. You can see that Kimi's and the team's relationship is really good. Although they have nothing but problems they still have a good spirit there. Unlike how many medias claim that they would already have a rift, the situation is completely the opposite. Kimi earns full respect in the team and Kimi respects his team.

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Nicole

Mika Salo: "I hope Räikkönen driving one, but ..."

- I don't have any inside information but somehow I doubt the whole thing. He has something else going on there. I don't believe that Kimi would drive in F1. Of course I hope he would, but I don't have the strenght to believe that he would get excited over it when there is no good car at offer at this moment, Salo said to MTV3.

- I don't think that Kimi is interested in anything else than to drive with the best machinery. If there would be an opening at Red Bull, then it might be a different story. Williams' next year's car is under no circumstances a winning car because they are wrestling with money problems, just like they have done this year also, Salo says.

- Williams also have other projects going on, I think that the visit had something to do with those things. Maybe Räikkönen-Robertson-team is buying somekind of a part from Williams, but I have no information about the matter, Salo says.

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Nicole

Salo: I'll join Kimi in NASCAR

The former F1 driver Mika Salo will join his compatriot Kimi Räikkönen in the NASCAR series. Salo spoke to the Finnish news paper Turun Sanomat about his plans.

- This year it's finally going to happen. We had negotiations for who knows how long. We made progress little by little and now it seems by the end of July I'll take part in the truck series, Salo suggested.

By then Räikkönen will most likely have been promoted to a higher series, so chances are the two Finns won't compete against each other.

Salo has faith in Räikkönen

Mika Salo follows Räikkönen's NASCAR career that is about to take off with
great interest.

- Kimi will also move on in his NASCAR career just as fast [as in F1].

For Räikkönen's first race Salo has one piece of advice.

- The most important thing is to finish the race, Salo tips Räikkönen.

Mika Salo has several years of experience of driving in the US. He, among other things, participated in the American Le Mans series, where he took the title in the GT2 class in 2007.

Source: RacingNewsFlash
Courtesy:luieluv