Maldonado: It's an unbelievable day

Sir Frank Williams may be just "quietly delighted" with his team's victory in Barcelona, but race winner Pastor Maldonado has hailed it as a "wonderful" and "unbelievable day"

After their horror show in 2011 when they picked up just five points and finished ninth in the Constructors' Championship, it has been a complete turnaround in the team's fortunes so far this year.

Maldonado completed the fairytale comeback at the Spanish GP as he started on pole position following Lewis Hamilton's exclusion from qualifying and then held off Fernando Alonso during the latter stages of the race to secure his maiden victory.

"I think it's a wonderful day, unbelievable for me and all the team," the Venezuelan said. "We have been pushing so hard since last year to improve race by race and here we are.

"It was a tough race because of the strategy as well, it was hard especially because of rear tyres, after a couple of laps we were struggling with them, but I need to say I am pretty happy because car was so competitive since the first lap."

Maldonado made his final pit stop four laps before Alonso, but he managed to look after his tyres much better than the Spaniard and eventually finished 3.1s ahead of the Ferrari driver.

"It was so close. We were looking to manage the tyre degradation so I couldn't push that hard, just to keep the tyres alive for the end of the race and Fernando got very close," the 2010 GP2 winner said.

"There were some moments where he was so close especially at end of the straight, but I was managing the gap and controlling everything.

"Our pace today was very strong, the car was fantastic, so was the team. We did a small mistake at the last pitstop but it did not affect our performance."

Source: Planet-F1

Spanish GP: Maldonado Storms To Maiden Win

Pastor Maldonado pulled off the shock of the season when he claimed an assured victory at the Spanish GP on Sunday

The Venezuelen started from pole position after Lewis Hamilton was excluded from qualifying and had a solid start, slotting into second place behind Ferrari's Fernando Alonso. The Williams and the Ferrari were involved in a race-long duel at the front shadowed by the Lotus of Kimi Raikkonen and further back by Romain Grosjean who hit two cars on his way to P4. He was followed home by Kamui Kobayashi in P5 and Sebastian Vettel in P6.

Both Mclarens and Red Bulls had mediocre races, but nothing to compare with that of Michael Schumacher who misjudged his braking and slammed into the back of Bruno Senna's Williams eliminating both cars on Lap 13.

Result

01 Pastor Maldonado Williams 1:29.735
02 Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1:29.598 3.100
03 Kimi Raikkonen Lotus 1:27.943 3.800
04 Romain Grosjean Lotus 1:27.852 14.700
05 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber 1:30.126 64.600
06 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull 1:28.468 67.500
07 Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1:32.740 77.900
08 Lewis Hamilton McLaren 1:32.438 78.100
09 Jenson Button McLaren 1:32.052 85.200
10 Nico Hulkenberg Force India 1:31.606 1 lap
11 Mark Webber Red Bull 1:31.322 1 lap
12 Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso 1:32.114 1 lap
13 Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso 1:30.172 1 lap
14 Paul di Resta Force India 1:31.291 1 lap
15 Felipe Massa Ferrari 1:31.233 1 lap
16 Heikki Kovalainen Caterham 1:31.352 1 lap
17 Vitaly Petrov Caterham 1:31.618 1 lap
18 Timo Glock Marussia 1:31.070 2 lap
19 Pedro de la Rosa HRT 1:31.887 3 lap
R Sergio Perez Sauber RETIRED 29 laps 3
R Charles Pic Marussia RETIRED 31 lap
R Narain Karthikeyan HRT RETIRED 44 laps
R Bruno Senna Williams RETIRED 54 laps
R Michael Schumacher Mercedes RETIRED 54 laps

Source: Planet-F1

Williams FW34 to be launched at Jerez

Williams announced today that they will be unveiling their 2012 Formula 1 challenger, the Williams-Renault FW34, on the morning of the first day of official pre-season testing at Jerez de la Frontera.

The team announced in a brief statement: “The Williams F1 Team will present its 2012 Williams-Renault FW34 on Tuesday 7 February at the Jerez de la Frontera circuit in Spain. The car will be rolled out of the garage for a photocall with drivers Pastor Maldonado and Bruno Senna between 0830 and 0840.”

The team will be embarking on their 34th year in Formula 1, having competed in 558 races during this time and in the process notched up 113 race victories, nine constructors’ titles, and seven drivers’ championships.

Last year was their worst season to date, finishing ninth in the title championship standings, with a mere five points to their credit.

Apart from Toro Rosso, the Grive based team will be fielding the least experienced (combined) driver line-up on the grid with Maldonado and Senna.

Source: YallaF1

Kimi's Camp Firmly Denies the Equity Rumours

Respected German magazine Auto, Motor und Sport reported about rumours that Kimi Raikkonen had supposedly bought a stake in the Lotus F1 team with a couple of his millionaire friends.

Raikkonen's assistant Riku Kuvaja told on tuesday that Kimi is just an employee of the team when the two year long contract was announced.

Has there been a change in the situation?

- "No there has not. I do not know where they come up with these rumours. This is such a time that you hear rumours all the time", Kuvaja says.

If the rumours about Raikkonen's Williams negotiations were true, the man is interested in having a stake in a F1 team. Kuvaja however says that there is no current interest for something like that.

- "It's hard to say anything about the future. Let's do this now first and see what happens next", Kuvaja says.

Source: Iltalehti
Courtesy: Nicole

The countdown continues

It boils in the Finnish driver market because Kimi Räikkönen's sensational comeback just keeps on going on and on. They don't whisper a thing in Williams whereas they tell straightly from Renault again that they are negotiating. Neither formula necessarily promises anything.

In principle one doesn't have to leave it up to Räikkönen when it comes to filling driver seats. Williams has at the least as their Plan B to put Valtteri Bottas racing, now that they have in addition to sponsor money also the assurance of his performance in Abu Dhabi's rookie test.

At this moment it looks most obvious that Bottas is more likely on the F1-grid with Williams next year than Räikkönen is.

My Polish reporter buddy just sent me greetings that he believes Finland has three drivers in next year's F1-serie: Bottas in Williams, Räikkönen in Lotus and Kovalainen in Caterham.

It's good to live in hope...

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen could replace Kubica

Eric Boullier made it known already during Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that Kimi Räikkönen's manager had inquired about prospects for a team seat

Those who heard about it drew immediately the conclusions that it wasn't as sure that Räikkönen would be hired to Williams as the F1-media had believed.

As far as I know, no final decisions concerning Räikkönen has been made in Williams or in Renault for that matter. Both teams are believed to announce their drivers in the beginning of December.

In principle there's no rush since the test work for next season starts only on February 7th in Jerez.

Bouillier assured during Brazil GP that he has collected a long list of driver candidates. Among them Räikkönen is one of the options, but undoubtly the most famous one.

– It all depends upon the strategy we will take in the board of directors, but the decisions will be taken in the next couple weeks, Boullier informed.

Kubica's situation rubs relationships

Bouillier has got into an argument with manager Daniele Morelli over the way he has treated Robert Kubica. Renault published an announcement saying that Kubica won't rehabilitate in time for next season's start but Morelli denied it.

Boullier wants to ensure Kubica's plans and avoid the situation where he gives him a chance for testing so that he won't use it as a stepping stone to show his performance to another team - like for example Ferrari.

The only one who has a contract for next year in Lotus is Vitali Petrov.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen says F1 future an open question

Kimi Räikkönen’s chances of returning to Formula 1 next year with Williams seem to have receded according to latest reports.

Autosprint reports that the 2007 world champion’s prospective sponsors may have withdrawn their interest, leaving fellow Finn and rookie Valtteri Bottas at the top of the candidates list now.

German commentator and former F1 driver Christian Danner would not mind if Raikkonen’s comeback attempt fails.

“Quite simply, he was already past his best when he stopped,” he told German broadcaster RTL, referring to Raikkonen’s departure from Ferrari in 2009.

Swiss commentator Marc Surer agrees: “Whenever I think about Kimi I always worry about his motivation.

“His rallying did not bring him the desired result so he tries formula one again?

“I think he would fit well with Williams, who have the motto that the driver drives and the team worries about the technology.

“But he would be only in the midfield,” he told Germany’s T-Online. “I would rather see a hungry, young driver there.”

A current competitor of Räikkönen’s, Mikko Hirvonen, hopes the 32-year-old stays in the world rally championship.

“Two years is not enough to get the experience you need,” he is quoted by World Rally Radio. “The last rally of the season was not so good but (if Räikkönen stays in 2012) it would be good for the world of rallying.”

Typically, Räikkönen himself is giving nothing away.

“What happens in the future is still an open question,” said the winner of 18 grands prix.

Source: YallaF1

Williams and Räikkönen

The rumours about Kimi Räikkönen and Williams continue and the presence of his management team David and Steve Robertson in the Williams team hospitality unit in Abu Dhabi only added to the story-mongering. The fact is that the pair are based in Dubai, where they run a trading company, dealing in steel, wood and consumer goods, so it is a logical place for them to appear each year. However, there is no question that they are talking to Williams about Räikkönen but is is not as simple as most team-driver negotiations as I hear that Räikkönen is looking to acquire some equity in the team. Sir Frank Williams is famous for not parting with shares. The team lost Adrian Newey back in the mid 1990s because it would not make him a shareholder and the recent flotation was simply a device to raise money to allow both Williams and his longtime partner Patrick Head to extract some of the value from the team, without losing control of the business. Williams continues to hold the majority share of slightly more than 50 percent, while Austrian wheeler-dealer Toto Wolff has around 16 percent, Head has reduced his stake to just 5.8 percent and Cyrte Investments, a Dutch investment company, largely controlled by Dutch media magnate John de Mol bought up 5 percent. The rest is traded on the XETRA exchange in Frankfurt.

There are 10 million Williams shares and trading thus far has produced no sale larger than 18,715 shares, which is a tiny percentage, so there is no sign of anyone building up a stake. On paper the team is worth €170 million, but it should be remembered that when the shares were floated the value was €246 million, so anyone other than the original shareholders will make a substantial loss if they sell now.

Räikkönen and the Robertsons have already been team owners in Formula 3. They established Räikkönen Robertson Racing at the end of 2004, when Kimi was still racing for McLaren. The team, based in Woking, was managed by Boyo Hieatt and enjoyed some success in the British F3 Championship, winning the title in 2006 with Mike Conway. The team was never really in contention after that and at the end of 2010 the company was sold to Hieatt.

It is probably a good time to try to buy shares in the team, as it is at a low point in its history and the chances are that with new engines and a different design team, the team will make some progress next year. If not the share price will suffer and so shares might become easier to acquire. The team admits it is interested in signing Raikkonen and says that a negotiation is going on at the moment.

Source: joesawardwordpress.com
Courtesy: Claudie

Parr amused by Kimi 'tittle-tattle'

Williams chairman Adam Parr remains coy over the team's 2012 driver line-up, but admits some of the reports regarding the Kimi Räikkönen deal are "absolute drivel"

Williams shareholder Toto Wolff admitted last week that they are in negotiations with the 2007 World Champion and the latest paddock rumours claim the team are awaiting upon investment from Qatar to help fund the deal.

Parr, though, remains tight-lipped about talks with Räikkönen and says some of the rumours have brought a smile to his face.

"I read stuff and I just want to laugh because people construct these conspiracy theories from tittle-tattle and nonsense, and it's absolute drivel on all fronts," he said.

"I understand everything people are saying, but unfortunately it doesn't mean you can draw conclusions from it."

Parr appears in no hurry to confirm next year's line-up, stating it will be done "as soon as we can".

He added: "We have not made a decision yet about the future. When we have we will discuss it with the people concerned and then we'll announce it."

Source: Planet-F1

Räikkönen's managers in Williams premises

Kimi Räikkönen's managers David and Steve Robertson made a quick visit to Yas Marina Grand Prix -paddock on Sunday. What do you know, the Robertsons followed the beginning of the F1-race in Williams premises.

Frank Williams assured on Friday night to MTV3 that he is very interested in getting Räikkönen to his team.

Robertsons were completely silent about the matter.

– The times are completely different from those times for example in 2001 when Kimi started in Sauber, because these days even being a top talent isn't enough to assure a team seat, Robertson told Turun Sanomat.

Co-founder of Williams-team, Patrick Head, admitted before the race when asked once again, that they have thought about getting Räikkönen earlier too.

– We were interested in Kimi when he drove for Sauber. We proposed to make a deal to our partner at the time, BMW, but they thought it would be too expensive, Head cleared.

So far only Pastor Maldonado's continuance in Williams next year is sure.

Turun Sanomat, Abu Dhabi

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Close your eyes, Kimi!

My reporter buddy Alan Baldwin wrote after Abu Dhabi qualification on his twitter: "Don't look here, Kimi".

Why not? Well because this is the first time in the history when Williams-cars have to start from the back to a GP. Baldwin came up with a joking slogan about how the result better not be shown to the driver who they want in the team.

Williams bottom rock this season is a harsh fact. When I asked the team's other founder Patrick Head if he remembers the cars ever being in the back row, he shook his head and assured it has never happened before.

And if it has, then a painful information like that has at least been wiped out of his memory.

In a way this grid result comes at a bad time. The future big sponsors from Qatar are at the paddock as the team's guests. With these kind of positions they won't at least speed up those negotiations which already are about to be finished.

Williams has had an awkwardly bad season. Head was asked what the main reason for the catastrophy is, but according to him it's the sum of many factors. When the reliability has plagued the whole team this season Williams hasn't got any kind of compensation for their positions behind the top 10.

By changing Rubens Barrichello into Räikkönen it would in some way at least shake up the team to shape up. I heard from the inside circle that the mechanics in Williams already have a tough competition over who gets in the team operating around Kimi's car. The spirit is that it will definitely be fun in Kimi's team.

Frank Williams is still the master in his team. They were a bit astonished over the way he replied on Friday evening to two questions presented by Finnish reporters.

When I asked in FIA:s official press conference if he is interested in taking Räikkönen as his driver, he replied that he won't comment on the rumours.

When MTV3 asked the same from him in their own exclusive interview, filmed by two cameramen, he said that it's not a secret that they are very interested in getting Räikkönen.

This or that. I guess that Räikkönen's rallying career at least ended to his retirement in Wales on Saturday.

Turun Sanomat, Abu Dhabi

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

F1 blog | Inside the Abu Dhabi GP | Kimi Shelter

With the Abu Dhabi grand prix around the corner and the global economic crisis in the back of everybody's minds, one question was on the press' lips... When will the iceman cometh back to F1?

Sitting in Yas Marina looking at the mega-yachts bobbing up and down in front of the five-star Yas Viceroy hotel, lit up as usual in all its pomp, it’s fair to say that the global economic downturn isn’t exactly in evidence. Then again, who knows? Maybe the people on the boats are ranging against the dying of the light and its all going to be repossessed in the morning? Even the fantasy-land that is the F1 paddock isn’t immune to the travails of the global economy and at today’s press conference team principals accustomed to answering questions about grumpy drivers and broken gearboxes were asked to step out onto the rather more unfamiliar territory of airing their views on the state of the Euro and other such matters economic. Admittedly, the questions were couched in fairly comfortable terms, mostly along the lines of ‘If Europe sinks into a catastrophe not seen since the Mongol horde was at the gate of Vienna and fire, famine, plague and pestilence rain down, will it affect your development budget for next year?’ Reassuringly most of them said ‘No'.

Rather more in keeping was the inevitability that Frank Williams would receive a question or two about Kimi Räikkönen. The Iceman is currently sliding around the forests of Wales in a borrowed Citroën, but his presence is very much in evidence on Yas Island as the saga of whether or not the 2007 F1 World Champion is coming back for another tilt edges nearer to an answer. Whenever one of the Williams board is put in front of the microphone these days, that’s usually the first question, and always if the man doing the asking is Finnish.

“Frank, 10 years ago you were interested in getting Kimi to your team. Now, 10 years later are you still interested to get him now you can do so?’

Newspaper men know that local talent is what sells their papers, so when Red Bull Racing disappear into the distance and record another one-two finish, the headlines in Italy are going to be ‘Ferrari disaster’, while the British will probably go for ‘HAMILTON SNATCHES THIRD as Vettel wins again.’ As the F1 media’s professional Finn, Heikki Kulta of the Turku daily Turun Sanomat has a rather more narrow window of opportunity. Heikki Kovalainen is the amiable bread and butter story, but the possibility of a returning Räikkönen is an ice-cream sundae with a cherry on top. A cherry that’s probably been dipped in vodka and taken a ride on a jetski dressed as a gorilla, but definitely a cherry. So when Frank’s on the panel, and Heikki snaffles the microphone, everybody in the room smiles, including Frank. Credit to Heikki he asks the same question he’s asked every race but for variety changes the phrasing. This week it was “Frank, 10 years ago you were interested in getting Kimi to your team. Now, 10 years later are you still interested to get him now you can do so?’

Frank pauses for dramatic effect, eyes twinkling before saying “A lot of supposition, and I cannot make any comment about supposition, sorry to be so unhelpful.” It’s the ‘no comment’ everybody knew was coming, but delivered with sufficient grace to create a respectable quote to file. Even with the world falling about their ears, you can still depend on the old school.

Source: Red Bull

Vettel offered comeback-advice to Räikkönen

It is still only a rumour that Kimi Räikkönen willjump back to the F1-circus from rally as a Williams-driver.

But it's not a rumour that at least WDC Sebastian Vettel is very interested in knowing if Räikkönen comes back.

Vettel asked Turun Sanomat how close Räikkönen's comeback is. My counter question to him was what kind of advice he sends Räikkönen about how much F1 has changed during these two years.

Is the only change to Räikkönen's last F1-year 2009 that Vettel is now a WDC?

– First of all we all know that Kimi doesn't want to take advice from anyone. Kimi is not any rookie. He knows how to drive these cars fast.

– But I can say this much that these cars change a lot every year. First there's the new car and then there are the update packages that come during the season. When you drive them yourself all the time you also learn quickly the differences to the previous one. If you are away for a long time then the amount of changes is quite big.

– You don't understand it in any other way except by driving it yourself. It would be best to ask Michael Schumacher how different it was to drive a car when he was away for three years, Vettel advices.

Räikkönen will most likely drive his last WRC-rally this weekend. If the rumours about a possible move to Williams come true, then it's certain that he starts to get used to driving a F1-car again.

Turun Sanomat, Abu Dhabi

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Sign Kimi, McLaren boss advises Williams

Williams should sign Kimi Räikkönen for next season, McLaren team boss Martin Whitmarsh said Friday in a ringing endorsement of his former driver

"Try and sign him," he told a post-practice news conference at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix when asked what advice he would offer team founder Frank Williams about the 2007 world champion.

"We all know he's quick," he added. "I think people underestimate how intelligent he can be.

"I hope that he's hungry, I'm sure that he hasn't lost the capability to thrill us in Formula One. I think it would be fantastic for Formula One."

Räikkönen, who won his title with Ferrari, quit Formula One for rallying at the end of 2009 but remains hugely popular with the fans.

He has confirmed talks with Williams about a comeback while that team's shareholder Christian 'Toto' Wolff has said the Finn is one of several options as a possible replacement for Brazilian Rubens Barrichello.

Frank Williams, attending the same news conference, said it was "not clear exactly" who would be in his cars next year.

"I'm sure (Venezuelan) Pastor (Maldonado) will be in one car, Rubens maybe. We haven't really made up our minds what we want to do before we talk to Rubens," he added.

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali agreed with Whitmarsh, while recognising that Williams needed no advice.

"I know Kimi very well, he's very talented and very strong and if he wants to come back then for sure he has something he wants to show to everyone about him and the fact that he was the last world champion with us," he said.

SCHUMACHER POSITIVE

Racetrack rivals agreed a Raikkonen comeback would also liven up the social scene.

"If Kimi decides to come back, I think the main difference for me will be that the parties after the races will be a little bit better," said Team Lotus's Finnish driver Heikki Kovalainen.

Räikkönen, so often monosyllabic in his F1 news conferences, had an off-track reputation as a party animal.

Among other exploits, he once entered a powerboat race in a gorilla suit as 'James Hunt' and was photographed asleep on a bench with an inflatable dolphin outside a Spanish nightclub.

"I had a few drinks and danced. Why not?" Räikkönen was quoted as saying afterwards.

Michael Schumacher, the seven-times world champion whose place at Ferrari was taken by the Finn at the end of 2006, enjoyed some memorable post-season parties with Räikkönen.

The German, who made his own comeback last year after three years out, was reluctant to offer any advice but could see potential for entertainment.

"I would be very happy to see him back. We have had some very good times and I look forward for some on track and off track occasions -- it will be good," he said.

Getting back into the groove after a couple of years away might not be too difficult either.

"In the end, you think how much can you recall your potential. How much can you drive the car to its limit. That is the main concern that was answered right away at the first test," said the 42-year-old Schumacher of his own case.

"It took me probably 15 laps to sort of get back and drive the car, not at its full limit but close and from then on it is just a matter of time. I am pretty sure with Kimi he is capable of doing so."

Source: Reuters Sports

Villeneuve would not take Räikkönen

Jacques Villeneuve dictates in his Raw Neuve -column in F1 Racing -magazine, that if he would be a team manager he wouldn't hire Kimi Räikkönen.

- I have heard more talks about Kimi possibly returning to F1 as a Williams-driver. However they have made some weird driver-choices during the last ten years so I wouldn't be surprised if the same would happen again.

– I myself am sticking to my old opinion that if I would be a team manager and Kimi would turn to me, I would not hire him. Of course it would be a splendid thing for F1 if Kimi comes back but I don't believe that he can stop the down-going spiral in Williams, Villeneuve says.

Turun Sanomat, Abu Dhabi

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen: We have had negotiations

Kimi Räikkönen says that he doesn't have a contract to F1 for next season, although he has negotiated over it.

- We have talked with them (Williams) but I don't have any contract one way or another. Nothing has changed, Räikkönen said.

Räikkönen's shakedown in Wales could be his last if his job continues in F1. If this happens, then Räikkönen leaves WRC in a good mood.

- It has been fun and we have improved when comparing to where we started from, Räikkönen estimated.

- I didn't expect anything from it although I always tried to drive as well as I could. Sometimes the results were better, sometimes worse, Räikkönen says about his WRC-rallies.

If Räikkönen's Citroen changes next season into Williams F1-car, then the change is smaller in Räikkönen's eyes than it was when he came to rally.

- It's a thing that I've been doing for the most part of my life. It's much more challenging to try something else, Räikkönen said about F1.

Räikkönen isn't swayed by the flexible rear wings and the couple new tracks in F1.

- From what you see in the television they haven't changed much. The biggest differences are in the tyres, Räikkönen estimated F1.

One heck of a talent

Kaj Lindström would like to see Räikkönen in WRC also in the future.

- He makes his own decisions but it would be interesting to see how far Räikkönen can go in rally, Lindström says.

- He can't develop his skills other than by driving. Kimi is one heck of a talent when it comes to steering the car. It just comes out of somewhere all by itself, Lindström says.

- I said already in the beginning that this is a four-year project if he wants to go to the top. The first developing steps are long but after that the steps are smaller.

Source: Iltalehti
Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen confirms negotiations with Williams

Kimi Räikkönen admits that he has negotiated with Williams.

Räikkönen says that they have had negotiations but that they don't have any kind of contract.

Räikkönen is calm over a possible F1-comeback. When asked if he would feel nervous to come back, Räikkönen replied that he has been racing for the most part of his life and hence is not nervous.

But he felt more nervous when going to rally. Räikkönen reminds that in the F1-circus everything is basically the same and familiar, just like it was when he was there.

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Nicole

Fresh rumour: Räikkönen's contract announced in Abu Dhabi

The latest rumour tells that the contract between Kimi Räikkönen and Williams will be announced in the Abu Dhabi GP.

They expect Williams to announce a substantial sponsor-deal which would make it possible to hire Räikkönen. Williams is known to have had negotiations with at least Qatar National Bank.

They have earlier told from Williams, that they will announce next year's drivers before the last race of the season which is Brazil in the end of November.

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Nicole

Smog and Kimi in the air

If singer Jukka Kuoppamäki would have born and grown up near the India GP -track, then his hit Blue and White would probably never had born. Here you can't look at the blue sky and the white clouds.

The floating smog cloud from the massive New Delhi metropol is over the area like an umbrella. Since there's no wind or rain the air doesn't clear up.

Nevermind. When I told a reporter buddy who has been to almost 500 GP-races about what I'm writing in my column, he said that there hasn't been a clear sky in Sao Paulo either except during one GP-weekend.

Everyone understands that this is not the air one wants to breathe. Those suffering from a sniffle or a sore throat knows why.

Somewhere someone is burning something since even the air smells like smoke. When I asked McLaren's doctor Aki Hintsa if there is carbon monoxide in this smog, he turned the question to the current driver rumours.

– There's no Häkä (smog) in the air - only Kimi, Hintsa joked.

At least you see Mika ’Häkä’ Häkkinen a bit on television where they show F1-races from year 2000. But the possible comeback of Kimi Räikkönen is still just a rumour.

Although Italian RAI-tv told as their own information that the contract with Williams would already had been signed and that it would be announced in the next race in Abu Dhabi due to the Arab-links.

Most team managers doubt stronger and stronger that Williams money isn't enough to get Räikkönen. According to inside information Frank Williams is somewhere where money is moving.

For an European the hygien is important in India. We can't let the water from the shower inside our mouth and we have to wash our teeth with bottled water.

The F1-people have survived reasonably well the local food- and drinking challenges. A list of forbidden things is not even made since a short list of what is allowed is enough.

McLaren has isolated three from their team after they went and ate somewhere outside the team- and hotel premises. Almost every team has some small inconveniences.

I myself had the courage to try a shrimp salad after seeing Sebastien Buemi eat it two nights in a row and then driving 9th in the practice.

Still going well - thanks to lactic acid pills.

Turun Sanomat, Greater Noida

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Parr doesn't deny the interest in Räikkönen

Turun Sanomat presented Williams F1-team's CEO Adam Parr a question.

– Five million Finns are eagerly waiting for the information if Kimi Räikkönen races next year in Williams?

Parr replied:

– I'm afraid that nobody can reply to this. Our racing drivers at the moment are Rubens Barrichello and Pastor Maldonado. We will make an official announcement if and when changes are made.

MTV3 asked him about Räikkönen in their own tv-paddock.

– Kimi has been one of the most talented drivers during the last years and I'm sure everybody would want to see him back in F1, Parr replied.

Turun Sanomat, Greater Noida

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole