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Good races with a poorer car is a big thing for the driver, although the big audience usually don't notice those kinds of performances
The media scolded Kimi Räikkönen three years ago, claiming he had lost his motivation because that year's Ferrari had no chances to succeed.
Räikkönen himself is of a completely different opinion.
– You know yourself when you have drove well. If you don't have a car you can make it with, then you can be for example 10th in each race although you would have drove better than when winning races. It doesn't mean that your motivation would crumble if you don't get good results with a poor car, Räikkönen says in TS-interview.
– I drove really well that season. If I would quickly compare then I don't think that I would have drove better before that.
Räikkönen probably drove his career's best race when he won the Belgian GP with the Ferrari in 2009.
– Back then we really didn't have a good car. Giancarlo Fisichella should probably had won the race because I couldn't get anywhere with that car. So much depended upon me getting the car to work for myself in that race.
Praisal from Stella
Räikkönen's race engineer from that time, Andrea Stella, works now with Fernando Alonso. He admits that both drivers are spectacular when they get everything out of every car.
– Three years ago Kimi did completely wonders with that car at some point of the season and snatched points in the same pace the leading drivers did. When Fisichella came to Ferrari and got the same car he couldn't even get within a second of Kimi.
– Kimi drove a few completely magical races already in 2007. China was a race like that when his mid-term tires were worn out but still he continued bombing the same lap times.
Good driving in autumn's races
Räikkönen won after three years in Abu Dhabi where he kept Alonso's attacking in check.
– I think that I have drove as good in the last races as I did in 2009. It went well especially in Abu Dhabi. I don't think that anything would be missing from my driving. Of course when you don't have the best cars it's more difficult to get everything in place. You get bigger differences with this car if your setups are in place or not, Räikkönen clears.
– I got the car to work the way I wanted in Abu Dhabi, that's why the qualification and race went so well, Kimi said.
Räikkönen's race engineer in Lotus is Mark Slade.
– The best races are those who are the most difficult to win. While driving they are least enjoyable but afterwards you can then sigh and say WOW, we did a really good job. We remember those victories.
– I put Abu Dhabi in the same class as Suzuka 2005 when Kimi won from the 17th grid. This was a new similar performance, Slade said.
The radio message became a classic
They remember the radio communication with Lotus as well as Räikkönen's victory.
Slade knows Räikkönen and he adviced his colleague Simon Rennie to keep quiet. However he did what he was supposed to do when the tire temperatures were put to test behind the SC.
– The gang pressed him to tell this and that to Kimi. I said to Simon 'don't tell'. I adviced that it's not worth the trouble.
– There's nothing strange about that. It's completely okay that sometimes you have to inform the driver. Of course Kimi is very concentrated at that point. The comment in the radio is just his way of answering. He didn't meant it the way he said. He just expressed that he is concentrating fully and knows exactly what he is doing. That's what Kimi is like when he really is at his best, Slade emphasized.
Now the hunt for podiums continues in America.
– I myself have always had fun in America. The feeling there is different than anywhere else. It's the "America", Räikkönen smiles.
Turun Sanomat
HEIKKI KULTA
Courtesy: Nicole
Sebastian Vettel says he can handle the pressure of performing in front of his home fans as he bids to claim another win at this weekend's German GP
Vettel, who leads this year's Drivers Championship with 204 points ahead of nearest rival, and Red Bull team-mate, Mark Webber on 124, has never won a grand prix on home soil.
Two years ago, he was led home at the Nurburgring by Webber and last year, at Hockenheim, he was left among the supporting cast as Ferrari dominated and delivered a one-two triumph.
Speaking on the eve of opening practice for Sunday's race at the Nurburgring, the Red Bull driver said: "Many times people talk about pressure and things that can slow you down, but it is more positive than anything else.
"People everywhere support you and try to push you forward maybe to find this extra tenth or two.
"For me, it's great to have this opportunity to race in front of my home country and we have six drivers now - I am looking forward to it."
The 24-year-old defending World Champion also said he was not at all concerned by the team orders furore that followed the British Grand Prix two weeks ago.
Asked about the controversy at Silverstone, where he was challenged by Webber for second place, Vettel said he was not greatly concerned by the issue and added that each situation had to be looked at individually.
"It depends always on the situation in the race," said Vettel.
"Last race, there was nothing for us to gain as a team. Mark said he wanted to race, wanted to improve the position, but I didn't want to let him by and tried to defend.
"On one hand, you want to race for yourself and on the other hand you try your best as a team.. But that stage is quite far away though - I would rather start tomorrow with FP1!"
Vettel added that Red Bull remained confident about their form and prospects despite seeing two-time Champion Fernando Alonso of Spain win for Ferrari at Silverstone and 2009 champion Jenson Button win for McLaren in Canada.
"At this stage everything looks fine and we are as confident as we can be," he said.
"Last weekend unfortunately we were talking more about rules and rule changes rather than the race, but it should be clear right from the start this time.
"We focus on racing again - I am looking forward to it. I think we have seen the true performance throughout the season already. I think we have a good chance." Source: Planet-F1
Stereotypical cloudy and cool English summer weather was the backdrop for Fernando Alonso’s first press meeting of the British Grand Prix weekend, in the relocated and brand new Silverstone paddock complex. The first question thrown at the Spaniard was a very simple one: how can Sebastian Vettel be beaten this season. “We need to wait and see if either Ferrari or McLaren has made a big improvement which would allow us to fight with Red Bull this weekend,” began the Scuderia Ferrari driver. “At the moment, their car has been too dominant and, if it had not been for his mistakes in Canada and China, we would be talking about eight Sebastian wins in eight races. We have not seen this sort of dominance since maybe Michael’s (Schumacher) time in 2004. Hopefully, here in Silverstone we can see a turn around in this situation. There is always hope and there is the motivation to win every race, but we need to make a step forward in terms of performance. All we can do is concentrate on our own job, do the best we can, try and win every race, but in terms of the championship, we need some help from those ahead of us in terms of them making mistakes.”
This is the first race where cars cannot use the exhaust to add downforce to the car when braking and Fernando is keen to see what this will mean in practical terms. “I think it will affect everybody more or less the same,” said the Spaniard. “We have done our simulation programmes to look at the effect and clearly it will cost us some downforce under braking, which means it will also cost us in terms of lap times. We probably won’t have a real picture until Saturday and Sunday, as I do not expect the situation to be so clear in Friday practice.”
The Silverstone circuit is popular with drivers, who generally prefer high speed circuits as confirmed by Fernando. “Normally, the whole circuit is quite fun to drive, with high speed corners everywhere and I think all drivers enjoy driving here. The only thing that is not fun is possibly when it rains, because even if it is beautiful in the dry and it’s nice to experience all the G-force, in the rain, you miss the grip and speed into the corners and, because it rains often here, you are always hunting for that nice dry lap!” The moving of the pits to a completely different part of the track will have an influence on how the racing evolves, particularly on the opening lap and the Ferrari man reckons it’s a change for the better: “The first corner is quite flat and I don’t think we will see much overtaking into Turn 1 after the start. There will be more at the third corner, the first one with big braking. I am sure there will be more action which I am happy about as I think the new position for the start-finish line will make for more exciting racing.” Source: Ferrari.com
