F1-experts about Kimi's season: the biggest problem is money

Iltalehti made a quick gallup on Barcelona paddock about what Kimi's chances will be next season.

Jonathan Noble, Autosport (UK)

- The Lotus-car appears to be good but it's helplessly behind Red Bull and McLaren. I don't dare to bet that Kimi will win this season but of course that is possible under lucky stars. It will be interesting to see how he reacts if Lotus isn't in the top 6 in qualification.

Alberto Antonini, Autosprint (Italy)

- Kimi is extremely hungry after two years in rally and he seems to enjoy being in Lotus-team very much. In a way he has the ideal settings for the upcoming season but he has also a lot of difficulties. I believe that Kimi will win some day but not necessarily in 2012.

Patrick Camus, Auto Hebdo (France)

- The biggest problem is money. Can Lotus develop their machinery in the same pace with the top teams? A couple of years ago the first races in spring gave an opportunity to surprise but today all cars are really reliable so that chance has also narrowed down.

Heikki Kulta, Turun Sanomat

- A GP-victory doesn't seem to be realistically possible but if a chance for that opens up then Kimi's hands won't shake, that's for sure, instead he will take advantage of the situation. I believe that he will climb on the podium two or three times and be within the top 6 when the season ends. The beginning of the season is really important ; if it takes off really well then his motivation will rise even more.

KARI MELART

Courtesy: Nicole

Venezuelans will decide if Räikkönen comes back to F1

Kimi Räikkönen intends to come back to F1 in 2012 as Williams driver. Williams want Räikkönen, but it's still up to money if the contract comes through or not. Räikkönen's salary demand is about 10 million dollars and Williams is currently negotiating about funding his salary with the oil company PDVSA from Venezuela.

PDVSA has sponsored Williams this season, where Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado is driving. Maldonado will also drive in Williams next season with the support of PDVSA. PDVSA is willing to fund also Räikkönen's salary but in the end it's up to if the company will get visibility for their money in Williams' activity. This year PDVSA has sponsored Williams with about 24 million dollars but next season the amount of money would be a lot bigger if Räikkönen would come to the team.

Source: Plaza.fi
Courtesy: Nicole

USA's elite motorsport cherishes traditions and makes money

Turun Sanomat made a pioneer trip to Nascar-races during Charlotte All Star -weekend. There we also saw Kimi Räikkönen for the first time in Camping World Truck -class.

The reporter and photographer arrived early on Friday morning in order to avoid traffic. The castle-like Motor Speedway -complex is a mighty entity surrounded by camping-areas. Yet the traffic was almost non-existing in the morning and the audiences were all empty although the practice sessions were about to begin.

Where is the audience when you expect over 100.000 spectators for the weekend?

– It's Friday, people are still at work. The race is in the evening, that's when the local people's freetime begins and the audiences are filled. Don’t worry, ESPN -channel's longtime motorsport reporter Lewis Franck told the Finns.

Each oval is different

We got to experience what it's like to drive on this 1,5 mile oval first hand when we got a ride with the pace car. It really has nothing to do with an European track race. On top of that each oval is different although they look similar. Their lenghts wary from half a mile to 2,5 mile.

Charlotte track's inclinations are 24 degrees in the corners and 5 degrees on the straight.

– The track has only one ideal driving line which is faster than the others. Since everybody can't take it they have to take the 2nd fastest line and those behind again the next best driving line. It takes time to learn how to manage on an oval when several cars go flatout side by side, the pace car driver explained to us.

Then the practice begins. There are more people than usual in the media center and every interesting driver is interviewed by the media one by one. The atmosphere is very open all the time like when old buddies meet each other. Even Räikkönen who trembled in practice talks on and on and he is remarkably laidback.

After Jim Clark, Mario Andretti and Jacques Villeneuve, Räikkönen brings breath of fresh air from F1-champion -level. It is revealed that he isn't even the serie's first Iceman.

When Räikkönen started karting as a little boy, a driver called Terry Labonte who had an exceptionally cool attitude was driving on Nascar-tracks, he was the one and only Nascar-Iceman.

The evening comes. Drivers are presented to the audience one by one on an estrade built in front of the main stand. A male choir sings USA's anthem, which the locals listen to holding their right hand on their heart.

Easy to supervise easy rules

Nascar is a package that functions well. There has been no need to change rules every year like in F1.

– The more simple rules, the easier it is to supervise them. That's why the rules haven't much been changed since the beginning. And because the pits and cars are so out in the open everyone sees immediately if the neighbor is trying to cheat in some way, reporter colleague Franck emphasizes.

When a Finnish world champion competes somewhere around the world, you usually see automatically supporters waving Finland's flag.

In Nascar you had to search and search in order to find Finland's flag. There were two of them. The duo from Hyvinkää carried their flag on the track-area and the other one was in the stand.

Columbian reporter Diego Mejia reminds that you don't really see Columbia's flags either.

– When Juan Pablo Montoya drove in the Indy-serie hundreds of Columbian fans with flags travelled to the spot. When Juan drove in F1 you could see Columbia's flags all over the world. Then when he came to Nascar in 2006 you didn't see the flags anymore. They have started to come back slowly, Meija tells.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Where will Kimi Räikkönen race next?

Kyle Busch dispelled the notion that a lack of funding played a role in Kimi Räikkönen's brief stint with the NASCAR star's racing team, but Busch couldn't clarify the former Formula One champion's future in NASCAR or with Kyle Busch Motorsports.

Busch said Friday before practice at Kansas Speedway, site of Sunday's Sprint Cup race, that money wasn't an issue with the Finn, who signed a deal with Kyle Busch Motorsports in April to run three to five Trucks Series races.

Räikkönen ran one Trucks races, then decided to run the Nationwide event last week in Charlotte, finishing four laps down in 27th.

"They paid for the Truck races, but then he said, 'OK, let's do a Nationwide race.' So, we took those funds from the end of the year and put them to that Nationwide race. So, they are paid in full for the races they've run," Busch said.

Busch said he hasn't discussed future NASCAR plans with Räikkönen, though he's open to talking with him about running more Trucks or Nationwide races, mentioning venues such as Atlanta, Martinsville and Homestead.

"I like Kimi. I liked working with him and talking with him and developing a little bit of a relationship there," Busch said. "I feel like he had a good time while here and working with us."

Räikkönen spent nine years in Formula One, driving for Sauber, McLaren and Ferrari. He had 18 wins and won the 2007 championship, and his decision to give NASCAR a go created buzz around the circuit.

He is currently racing for the World Rally Car Championship with his own team, ICE 1 Racing, but is not scheduled to compete in that series again until later this month in Greece.

"He's got Rally and other stuff that he's worried about. We're not mad whatsoever. We knew things would change so that's why contracts are always kind of weirded out anyway," Busch said.

Source: ESPN - The Associated Press

TRUCKS: Räikkönen Has Paid In Full For Races He’s Run Says Ren

Kyle Busch Motorsports general manager Rick Ren insists Kimi Räikkönen doesn't owe the team money...

Kimi Räikkönen has paid for the races he has run for Kyle Busch Motorsports and does not owe the team money, KBM general manager Rick Ren said Saturday.

The question over whether Räikkönen had paid for his races was raised Thursday after team owner Kyle Busch said that the original plan of doing three to five Camping World Truck Series events with Raikkonen had changed because Raikkonen had not yet paid for future events.

"What's changed is the payment schedule,” Busch said Thursday. “The contract states that we're supposed to receive so much and we have not. We've only received enough for these two races.

“It's either up to Kimi or up to the financial people that run Kimi's business side of things and decide that they need to find the sponsorship funds in order to carry the experience for him further."

Those comments were interpreted that the former Formula One champion might still owe Busch money. Ren said prior to Räikkönen’s Nationwide Series debut Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway that that is not the case.

“Reports circulating that Kimi has not paid for the races he is running at KBM are untrue,” Ren said. “As Kyle Indicated Thursday, we have received payments from Kimi for both last week’s truck race and today’s Nationwide Series race.

“When Kyle stated that the payment schedule has changed, he was referring to plans for future truck races for Kimi at KBM.”

Ren reiterated there is no disagreement between KBM and Räikkönen’s management over payments.

“Since the original announcement, the plan changed and all parties agreed to take the funding for future truck races and put it towards running today’s Nationwide Series race,” Ren said. “After today’s race, if Kimi is interested in running more NASCAR events this year, we’ll be happy to discuss that with him.”

Source: Nascar.SpeedTV

Money now too important for F1 careers - Trulli

Jarno Trulli believes wealth is becoming too important as the remaining spaces on the F1 grid fill up for 2011.

For the coming season, the likes of Nico Hulkenberg and Nick Heidfeld are facing the prospect of sitting on the sidelines, as respected teams including Williams and Sauber opt instead for race drivers with significant financial backing.

Trulli, one of the oldest and most experienced drivers on the grid, thinks the situation could have knock-on effects for the next generation.

"Today it is so difficult for young drivers," the Italian told Auto Motor und Sport during an interview.

"Money is playing too big a role and the lower series like Formula 3 are too expensive. I couldn’t repeat my own career these days," added Trulli, who made his F1 debut in 1997 with Minardi.

The 36-year-old has also raced for major teams including Renault and Toyota, but in 2010 he returned to the back of the grid with Lotus.

"It was not a good season," said Trulli.

In an interview published in Italian by italiaracing, he was more strident.

"I think I deserved a medal for being the unluckiest driver of the year," said Trulli, whose car regularly broke down last season. "There’s no need to say it was the worse season in all my life."

To the German publication, he continued: "It was a bit frustrating but it’s part of the business. I have accepted it as a transitional season."

Worse still, Trulli insists that the green T127 was not a car to his liking.

"I didn’t have what I needed for my driving style," he explained, "so it made the task doubly difficult.

"I need a stiff car that gives me good feedback, but from the first test it was clear that I wouldn’t have that."

He knows Lotus is pushing hard to catch up, but can understand some of the criticism of the new teams from established names including Ferrari.

"In the end we are all in the same race and the incumbents should respect those who are just beginning. On the other hand it is true that four seconds behind is too much.

"Now we are a year further ahead and we need a big aero step and a lighter and stiffer car. There is an awful lot to do and if we can do it, then we can fight with the back of the midfield."

But even that is not his goal.

"I must still have the skills that make some people keep believing in me, but just being here is not what I want, which is winning races and the title."

Trulli said he knows first-hand how difficult is Team Lotus’ task.

"I raced for Toyota, with great resources and unlimited possibilities, but they never achieved what they wanted to," he noted.

Source: NextgenAuto

Million dollars and a bird sign

The Finnish flag is not waving as impressively at F1 venues as it used to but our small country has still not been completely forgotten in these circles

Bernie Ecclestone himself revealed to a British journalist friend of mine that he's talked to Kimi Räikkönen about a comeback to F1 circuits. Apparently it's not looking good. Kimi is expensive and Renault can't afford him.

Kimi has a lot of fans but he's not a cash magnet equivalent to Michael Schumacher so there's a limit to what amount of money teams will try to lure him away from rally with.

But at the paddock people are on their toes wondering whether the 2007 world champion will get excited about coming back. Every other person I know first says hello and then asks what a Finnish reporter thinks Räikkönen will do.

Operative director of Force India, Omar Szafnauer, asked me to inform Räikkönen that if a million dollars and a Kingfisher logo on his helmet will be enough, he'll have a seat at the Indian team.

The usually seemingly dead serious Helmut Marko denies having anything to do with rally but the ex-driver known as Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz's right-hand man has according to the German media hinted that the energy drink giant might withdraw from rally altogether. The reason for this would be the brand's disappointment with rally's low visibility around the world.

That would mean that also Räikkönen's oars would be pulled out of the Citroen boat.

In August I asked Ford's team boss Malcolm Wilson whether he'd be interested in Räikkönen if he wants to continue his rally career. Wilson told me then that absolutely but only if they would get a so called commercial deal made with him.

Since now there are rumors circulating that Räikkönen might drive next year with the new Ford Fiesta S2000 car with backing from the Monster energy drink, it's possible that Wilson has proceeded from words to deeds.

There's also discussion about Heikki Kovalainen's future plans in the F1 media. Since Heikki himself has only said that he knows where he'll drive in 2011, all kinds of conclusions have been drawn.

But Lotus is already Kovalainen's home that he's furnishing to his liking. And there probably won't be room for anyone else at the Renault which is waiting for Räikkönen either. I heard from very close to the team that Vitali Petrov will continue there – with 99,99% certainty.

Singapore/Heikki Kulta

Source: Turun Sanomat
Courtesy: Dracaena

Kimi Räikkönen: Rally vs. F1, which one is better for the Iceman?

Képes Sport is comparing Rally-Kimi to F1-Kimi

Here’s a competition, the winner, we know already. Despite this fact the competition is not over yet because we compare the past and the future. Though to choose between F1 and rally is not easy we still try to compare the 2 Kimis.

Excitement

Rally-Kimi: 1 point

There’s no secret in it, Kimi was bored in F1. After 9 years of racing he didn’t like it that much towards the end, like he used to dig it in the beginning. The rally though is completely different: the natural surrounding, the challenge on the more longer weekends, the diversity of the grounds and the absolutely new technical challenges are all there to cheer Kimi up, who, at the age of 30, would feel happy about working again. But, let’s not feel sorry for him for his past…

F1-Kimi: 0 point

Going flat out with a couple of hundred horse powered car doesn’t belong to the boring things. Overtaking at 280 km/h isn’t depressant, fight for hundreds of a second during qualifying on Saturday afternoons surely is not an unstressful relaxation. Despite of all these F1 is too sterile, too sacred compared to rally, everything is foreseeable and the laboratory circumstance is not so exciting for the pilots.

Money

Rally-Kimi: 1 point

Let’s admit, nobody would ever think even for a second that this valiant Finn multimillionaire has switched one sport for the other because of the money. First at McLaren later at Ferrari he had earned sidereal amount of money, he has been in the close elite group of the most richest sportsmen for years, he has been given 10 million euros for the early exit from the Italians so earning 3,5 million euros for rallying doesn’t lift his estimated 100 million euros possessions that much.

F1-Kimi: 1 point

You can earn royal amount of money in the pinnacle of motorsport, especially in the „dominant categories” that Kimi had been the part of from the very beginning of his career. Moreover, he had belonged to the part of the most privileged. In the group with Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso who could get what they wanted. But as we know it, at this level the money is not the most dominant factor.

Hype

Rally-Kimi: 1 point

Rally has giant fanbase. Let’s lay it down because people would think that it’s just a tolerated little brother compared to F1, at least in Hungary. But at a rally event there are a couple of 100.000 spectators and a former F1 world champion’s switch to rally surely can raise the interest. Just an example: the Finnish MTV3, that broadcasted Kimi’s first WRC event, could produce its history’s 3rd biggest attendence during the rally weekend, while the championship’s official homepage has reached a record-braking amount of 8 million viewers.

F1-Kimi: 2 points

Nice, nice but despite of all our good intentions we cannot say that the two sports are in the same level at least if we are talking about media interest. The „Flat-out circus” is worthy of its nickname because the participants surely can count on the constant and searching attention. So the point is here, though we would inaudibly like to mention that this is a positive thing in Kimi Räikkönen’s case.

Work

Rally-Kimi: 2 points

To specify, the plus work that comes with the driving. From that, the rally drivers have more than enough because while driving in the beautiful nature you can easily mess up a corner or after a bad flying you have to turn around the car on the road by hand or get it out of a hole. Besides the danger is constant, if you have a puncture there’s no external help, on the track the driver and the co-driver have to grab the lever or use the wheel nut key.

F1 Kimi: 2 points

At the beginning it must have been quite strange that if something went wrong on the track you just had to drive into the box and dosens of mechanics started to work on your car. In F1 pilots have nothing to do but driving the car (it’s not slim though), in rally the challenge is much more complex.

Chance

Rally-Kimi: 0% (2 points)

"As a sportsman this has to be my biggest challenge, I have to learn everything from the very beginning. I know that the 4 best pilots’ pace is unattainable, but no one would think that Sebastien Loeb could beat Sebastian Vettel right away in F1." Well, if the concerned himself is thinking about it this way then why should we argue with him? Knowing the fact that at his 2 WRC races so far (Sweden and Mexico) he couldn’t get any points.

F1-Kimi: 3 points

Had he stayed in F1 he could have had the chance to finish in the points at every race – and not just because of the reform of the point system. Kimi was doing his job at a half-mind throughout the season last year but without a doubt he belonged to the probable winners every time. During his 9 years' career in F1 18 wins, 579 points and one world championship in 2007 has not been achieved by accident so these facts could be a good starting point for the experts to count him among the probable winners in every year. If the „if” wouldn’t be there…

Supporters

Rally-Kimi: 3 points

One certain point at the previous chapter, one certain point here. It’s fair this way. And it’s rightful because competing with the rally fans is not easy. In snow (Finland or Sweden), in hot weather (Mexico), in the mountains (New Zealand) or in the dust (almost everywhere) – they are everywhere near the tracks. Even at the very hardly accesable points, with hours of tough walking, even in the mountains they are near the tracks, sometimes too near. Bravery, fanaticism, tenacity – they can get a point for this.

F1-Kimi: 3 points

The F1 supporters are spoilt „English Ladies” compared to the rally fans, if we may say so. Though they can be ready for a couple of hours walking through the fields in the hot weather (Hungaroring), soaking in the rain (Sepang) or brave the elements in Bahrein in the middle of a sandstorm but it is much more comfortable and safe to sit on grandstands and support the drivers from there throughout the race weekends.

Pleasure

Rally-Kimi: 4 points

We could tell at the beginning that drawing a conclusion won’t be easy. Mainly because this category is here to decide between rally and F1. Well, in our opinion and especially in this case the rallying could get more points: the new tracks, the new challenges, the new oponents are bigger challenges for Kimi than he had stayed in F1. And for a sportsman a bigger challenge is the pleasure itself.

F1-Kimi: 3 points

Well, the decision was not that obvious because competing with the world’s fastest pilots with the world’s fastest cars can’t be named as a boring activity. Going flat out at the first incisive corner after the starting line at 300 km/h, to endure the G forces during 1,5 hours of racing, to reckon where to brake or where to overtake, these are certainly can raise one’s adrenaline level. We still think that rallying gives Räikkönen much more pleasure than F1 so with a big finish the rallying is the winner.

Source: Képes Sport

Courtesy: Kinga Planet-F1