Räikkönen's risky strategy hit him on the fingers

Kimi Räikkönen year model 2012 can surprise in a new way. Not even the complete downfall in China GP got the Finn upset

The crushing drop from 2nd postion to far away from point-positions didn't get Räikkönen irritated, nor did he start to curse swear words after he got out of the car.

The driver seemed to be completely okay with the situation. The goal was to get the best result of the season, he was offered a place on the podium even after poorly timed pit stops, but now the calculated risk hit on his own nails.

– The strategy had only two options. We tried with more risk, thought it would pay off because it was in theory the fastest for this race. It just didn't work now since the tyres didn't last in the final games. They were completely gone, Räikkönen said.

Räikkönen did his everything to keep the pace reasonable during the 28 laps, but 10 laps before the finish the reaper came - or rather 12 reapers came.

When Räikkönen's Lotus was overtaken by Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull the car went off the driving line and was after that like on a black ice. Completely worn out medium tyres didn't work anymore and Räikkönen was a helpless prey for the chasers just like a bird who can't fly is for hunters.

– Everything went okay until those last laps. We had a good pace and the possibility to a good result. Then the tyres just failed and it was impossible to keep up the same rhythm.

– Once Vettel went past the downhill took off. I was on pieces of rubber and couldn't control the car at all. I just tried to stay on the track. I guess I lost about 10 positions during one lap when I couldn't do anything to stop it, Räikkönen sighed.

Räikkönen got a good start from 4th position and the E20 -car proved out to be faster than it had been all weekend. However two pitstops went slightly wrong and Räikkönen lost his position during both of them.

– Then I got stuck behind Felipe Massa. I was much faster than he was but I just couldn't get past, because Ferrari was stronger in exactly that place where I needed to get close enough to overtake him.

– All and all it doesn't matter if I would have got past earlier or not, because the tyres wore out and the result would have been the same. But at least I would have been more ahead of the other bunch behind me, than I was now when everybody caught up with me, Räikkönen said.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi is still Sauber's biggest risky choice

Turun Sanomat 6.10 2010

Peter Sauber praises that Kamui Kobayashi earned his team seat with his own performances.

– Kamui is the first Japanese driver who is in a F1-team without the support of sponsors. He is in F1 because of his talent, Sauber tells.

Sauber still remembers how big the risk he took was when he hired Kimi Räikkönen straight from Formula Renault 2000 -serie to F1-level.

– Kobayashi is the only young driver I wanted to my team without hesitating for a moment, Sauber emphasizes.

Of course Räikkönen was the one who made the biggest impact on Sauber.

– It wasn't just the laptimes that influenced me, it was Kimi's attitude to the team which was something completely special. Kimi doesn't talk unless he has to. All he has is his body language but his attitude speak for itself.

– When the team told him to drive 5 laps in his first test in Mugello he came in after 4 laps and said that he cannot put more strain on his neck. Kimi immediately showed that he is able to lead different operations.

– In the end of the second testing day the engineers sent him out with a small amount of fuel and new tyres without telling him about it. Of course Kimi noticed it and drove exactly the laptimes the engineers had calculated he would be able to drive. Kimi could immediately utilize every possibilities like he would have been a top driver for years.

Sauber reminded that he chose Räikkönen even though Red Bull's Helmut Marko put pressure on him to choose Enrique Bernoldi.

– I didn't change my mind and now very much later I can say that Red Bull seems to have found only one young driver (Sebastian Vettel) who also first drove for us in BMW Sauber.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole