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Post by Anna on Dec 1, 2011 16:12:53 GMT
I'm sure Martin will interview him next year and we poor idiots who don't get to see it live will find it on YouTube sometime. He has so many good moments its a little bit of a shame you have to wade through 100 "for sures" to get to them .
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Pete
F1 Fanatic
Petonyo
Posts: 215
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Post by Pete on Dec 1, 2011 20:40:11 GMT
I am happy Kimi is back, never really got the complaints about him even though I'll admit that he did look uninterested a lot of the time. Its funny the thing people hate about Alonso/Hamilton/Webber is that they moan a lot (though I think that shows how passionate they are) yet people hated Kimi for just not giving a damn about anything other than driving.
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Post by Anna on Dec 2, 2011 23:12:14 GMT
@jakehumphreyf1 Jake Humphrey Just hosted Renault GP Xmas party. Kimi Raikonnen's first question to me..? "which 10 races do you guys have live" Priceless!! #heistuningin 1 minute ago
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kelli52
Baby F1 Fan
Sebastian Vettel....2010 & 2011 F1 World Champion :)
Posts: 131
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Post by kelli52 on Dec 21, 2011 16:42:25 GMT
Kimi Raikkonen is adamant he will be as fast as he was before leaving Formula 1 when he returns to grand prix racing with Lotus next year.
The Finn has secured a two-year deal with the team and will make his comeback in 2012 after a two-season absence from Formula 1.
Raikkonen, the world champion in 2007, says his motivation is higher than ever before and is confident he will be as quick as he was before he went rallying.
"I am more motivated than ever and I don't think I've lost any speed," said Raikkonen on Lotus Renault's website. "Getting on top of the tyres will be the hardest thing, of course, but I'm not really worried.
"Although the technical regulations don't seem to change much, they apply to a lot of areas and quite a few elements will have to be re-designed. As a result, the cars will be significantly different next year. The order could be shaken up, which will make things very interesting."
The Finn says his visits to the team's factory have left him upbeat about his prospects for the year ahead.
He added: "My two visits to Enstone have been great. The first one, at the team's Christmas party, made me realise how much support I have there. The second one, last week, allowed me to understand that this team has not been world champion by coincidence.
"I also saw all the investments they have made recently: new simulator building, CFD upgrade, 60 per cent wind tunnel... It gives me a lot of confidence for the season ahead.
"I have been surprised at how big the reaction has been so I guess people must have missed me!"
He said returning to Formula 1 is like coming back home after two years in the WRC.
"Let's put it this way: before my two years of rallying I had nine seasons, 157 races and 18 wins in Formula 1. I know the sport well. When I went to rallying and when I tried NASCAR, there were many new things to learn, but with Formula 1 I feel like I'm coming home. I can't wait to get behind the wheel."
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kelli52
Baby F1 Fan
Sebastian Vettel....2010 & 2011 F1 World Champion :)
Posts: 131
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Post by kelli52 on Jan 9, 2012 21:15:14 GMT
Former champion Kimi Raikkonen will have his first taste of a Formula 1 car in over two years later this month.
The 32-year-old Finn, who is returning to F1 after two years in rallying, will drive a 2010 Renault car at Valencia's Ricardo Tormo track on 23-24 January.
Raikkonen, who won the 2007 world title with Ferrari, will be driving for Lotus, who raced as Renault in 2011.
His first taste of the team's 2012 car will come at the first pre-season test on 7 February in Jerez, in south Spain. Continue reading the main story Kimi Raikkonen
Getting on top of the tyres will be the hardest thing, of course, but I'm not really worried
Testing in F1 is banned, apart from three official pre-season tests and one during the season in May, but teams are allowed to run cars that are at least two years old outside that schedule.
Raikkonen is the second former champion to return to F1 in the last two years, following Michael Schumacher's comeback for the start of the 2010 season with Mercedes.
The German legend, who turned 43 earlier this month, struggled in his first season and even after two years is yet to recapture his former greatness.
Raikkonen, who never managed to get onto the pace in his two-year sojourn in the World Rally Championship, will encounter a new type of tyre than he was used to - Pirelli replaced Bridgestone as F1's sole supplier at the start of 2011.
But he has said that he is confident he will not face the same problems as Schumacher.
"I don't think I've lost any speed," he told the Lotus website.
"Getting on top of the tyres will be the hardest thing, of course, but I'm not really worried."
His comeback has been criticised in some quarters, but Raikkonen said at a seat fitting at the Lotus factory last week that he was not concerned about whether outsiders felt his return was a good idea.
"It has no effect on me," he said. "Sometimes you hear some nonsense and sometimes you hear nice things.
"The main thing is that coming back is what I wanted and I have a good opportunity with the team, so I'm happy.
"I have never really looked at what people say or think. I do my own thing and, as long as I'm happy with it, then that's the main thing for me."
He last drove an F1 car at the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2009, and his last of 18 wins was in the Belgian Grand Prix, at the end of August that ye
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Post by Anna on Jan 10, 2012 17:04:25 GMT
I am very much looking forward to seeing him in any kind of F1 car again how I've missed our Kimi!
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Post by Anna on Jan 25, 2012 9:48:46 GMT
Return to full speed will take ’a while’ - Raikkonen
"The biggest difference will be the tyres"
Tuesday 24 January 2012 - 07h20, by GMM There was much excitement in the F1 world on Monday when Kimi Raikkonen returned to a circuit at the wheel of a grand prix car.
813 days after he stepped out of his 2009 Ferrari for the last time, the former world champion began a two-day re-acclimatisation test at Valencia’s Ricardo Tormo circuit.
Returning to the sport with Lotus in 2012, the 32-year-old Finn on Monday did about 300 kilometres at the wheel of the team’s 2010 Renault car equipped with demonstration Pirelli tyres, enjoying a loophole in F1’s now tightly-limited test regulations.
"There is a lot to get used to," a media statement quoted him as saying. "I’m happy because I was pretty quick to get back in the groove."
And Raikkonen is quoted by Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport: "Of course it will take a little while (longer)."
Added Lotus’ trackside operations engineer Alan Permane: "Kimi was on the pace we expected straight away."
18-time race winner Raikkonen, the 2007 title winner and twice the championship runner-up (2003 and 2005), spent the last two years in the world rally series after Ferrari replaced him with Fernando Alonso.
"We had several options for this year," the Finn revealed.
"I did a bit of Nascar in the past year and since I had a lot of fun racing other people again I decided to go back.
"And if you want to go racing then formula one is the highest level and so that’s where I wanted to go the most," added Raikkonen.
He said he is not worried about coming back to motor sport’s premier category after two whole seasons away.
"If you compare 2009 with the coming season, probably the biggest difference will be the tyres," said the Finn, whose last experience in F1 was on Bridgestone’s control tyre.
"I don’t think there is a big difference with the cars."
When asked how he has changed himself since 2009, he replied typically: "I don’t know — I was two years away."
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Post by Anna on Jan 25, 2012 9:49:17 GMT
Raikkonen: It was a good first day
"Running today gives me something to compare the new car to"
Monday 23 January 2012 - 22h44, by Olivier Ferret Lotus F1 Team driver Kimi Raïkkönen completed the first day of running as part of his driving session at the Circuito Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain. The Finnish driver had a good day’s work as he completed around 300km behind the wheel of the team’s 2010 R30.
Kimi Räikkönen: “It was a good first day! Having not driven a Formula 1 car for two years and obviously with a new team, there is a lot to get used to. I’m happy because I was pretty quick to get back in the groove. Obviously you get more into the zone with the more laps you complete, as you discover more about the car and the tyres. Knowing when to turn, brake, and when to get on the power didn’t take long at all. The good thing is that running today gives me something to compare the new car to, so I’m looking forward to it. Hopefully we’ll be fast straight away and it’s going to be an interesting season.”
Eric Boullier, Team Principal and Managing Director: “I must say today was very positive. You can see that the whole team is pleased with Kimi’s feedback, and Kimi himself seemed very happy to be back behind the wheel. He got the feel of the car very quickly and it’s good to see him building a strong relationship with the team. Obviously, the R30 is different to the new car, but he is clearly excited to get started at the first test in Jerez. Our team is made up of true racing people, and Kimi fits into that very well.”
Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Engineer: “The day went pretty much as we planned, which is great. Kimi was on the pace we expected straight away. He completed around 300km, going through three sets of tyres. It leaves us with four sets for tomorrow, meaning we can run a bit longer. We worked on getting him comfortable in the car, giving him a feel for the setup changes, and helping him get to know his engineers. It’s always great to work with a top driver who is not just quick, but professional, and Kimi has all of those characteristics. His feedback is excellent, his requests are concise and to the point. We’re looking forward to a good season with him.”
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Post by Anna on Jan 25, 2012 10:10:43 GMT
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Post by Anna on Jan 25, 2012 10:11:23 GMT
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Post by Anna on Jan 25, 2012 10:13:57 GMT
Boullier heralds ‘positive’ Räikkönen comeback
24 January 2012
Eric Boullier, Team Principal and Managing Director of the newly-named Lotus F1 team, was satisfied with Kimi Räikkönen’s comeback run on Monday. In a bid to reacclimatise, the Finnish Champion of 2007 drove a 2010 Renault car in Valencia.
“I must say, today was very positive,” Boullier commented. “You can see that the whole team is pleased with Kimi’s feedback and Kimi himself seemed very happy to be back behind the wheel. He got the feel of the car very quickly and it’s good to see him building a strong relationship with the team. Obviously, the R30 is different to the new car, but he is clearly excited to get started at the first test in Jerez. Our team is made up of true racing people and Kimi fits into that very well.”
Also eyeing over proceedings was Trackside Operations Engineer Alan Permane.
F1 returnee Räikkönen mingles with Lotus team members and trainer Mark Arnell “The day went pretty much as we planned, which is great,” he said. “Kimi was on the pace we expected straight away. He completed around 300 kilometres (185 miles), going through three sets of tyres. It leaves us with four sets for tomorrow (Tuesday), meaning we can run a bit longer.
“We worked on getting him comfortable in the car, giving him a feel for the setup changes and helping him get to know his engineers. It’s always great to work with a top driver who is not just quick, but professional, and Kimi has all of those characteristics. His feedback is excellent, his requests are concise and to the point. We look forward to a good season with him.”
Lotus has told GPUpdate.net that Räikkönen’s Race Engineer for the 2012 season is expected to be confirmed within the next two weeks.
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Post by Anna on Jan 31, 2012 17:36:20 GMT
'I’m pleased Räikkönen is back' - Whitmarsh
30 January 2012
Martin Whitmarsh is delighted that Kimi Räikkönen is making a Formula 1 return this year, even though the Finn is not back with McLaren. Prior to his stint with Ferrari, the World Champion of 2007 won twelve races between 2003 and 2005.
After debuting with Sauber in 2001, Räikkönen switched to McLaren and immediately achieved a career-first podium finish in 2002. A year later, a maiden race victory and pole position followed and he finished runner-up to Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso in 2003 and 2005, respectively.
Whitmarsh accompanies Räikkönen to the podium, Monte Carlo 2005 “Kimi is a great guy, with a super talent,” McLaren Team Principal Whitmarsh told the official F1 website. “He was very successful during his five seasons at McLaren, winning 12 Grands Prix for us and, although he narrowly failed to win a Drivers’ World Championship during that time, he could easily have become World Champion in both 2003 and 2005 if he’d had a bit more luck or a little more reliability.
“Even as things were, without that extra bit of luck and reliability required to win World Championships, he still won 12 Grands Prix for us and some of those wins were truly majestic.
“During an FIA press conference at a Grand Prix in the latter half of last year - I forget where - I was asked by a journalist whether the Team Principals of the teams then rumoured to be considering Kimi for a 2012 drive, a couple of whom were sitting alongside me, should hire him or not. My answer was an unequivocal ‘yes’. I stand by that and I’m pleased that he’s made a comeback.”
Räikkönen will be in action with Lotus (formerly known as Renault) and is partnered by Romain Grosjean, who also returns to F1 for the first time since 2009.
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kelli52
Baby F1 Fan
Sebastian Vettel....2010 & 2011 F1 World Champion :)
Posts: 131
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Post by kelli52 on Feb 1, 2012 15:01:54 GMT
Lotus F1 driver Kimi Raikkonen has said that he considered ending his driving career at the end of the 2009 season after Ferrari bought out the remaining year of his contact, making way for Fernando Alonso to replace him in 2010.
In an interview in Zurich with Italian newspaper La Repubblica, the Finn was asked if he ever considered stopping driving.
“Well, in those days after it was over with Ferrari, I did. I thought about completely changing my life, perhaps to try motocross or something else. But it did not last long. Time to get back into a car again,” said Raikkonen.
Raikkonen took part in a private two-day test session in Valencia, Spain on January 23-24, driving a two-year-old Renault R30 to help ease his transition back into the sport. It marked the first time since the end of the 2009 he had driven a Formula 1 car.
After two years away from the sport, Raikkonen had this to say about the experience of climbing into a Formula 1 car again: “It was like coming home.”
However, he didn’t not find it physically difficult to adapt to driving a Formula 1 car again, saying: “Well, it hurt my neck. But not any more compared to a few years ago, when I started driving after the winter break. I thought it would have been worse.”
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kelli52
Baby F1 Fan
Sebastian Vettel....2010 & 2011 F1 World Champion :)
Posts: 131
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Post by kelli52 on Feb 27, 2012 19:21:28 GMT
Kimi Raikkonen has vowed that Lotus will not get despondent if they don't make a positive start to the season.
The Enstone squad made a big impact at the beginning of the 2011 campaign when they claimed two podium finishes, but they went through a major slump mid-season and eventually finished a distant fifth in the Constructors' Championship.
A lot is expected from Lotus this season after they recruited former World Champion Raikkonen as one of their drivers, and made a positive start to the Jerez test.
However, their pre-season plans took a big blow at the second test in Barcelona last week when they were forced to pull out on day one after they discovered a problem with their chassis.
Raikkonen, though, says the team won't get discourage if they things don't go according to plan early in the season.
"The last year I was with Ferrari we weren't always at the front," he told F1 Racing in an interview.
"But they [Lotus] started well last year. We hope the new car will be strong but the rules are slightly different and you never know.
"But let's say we're eighth or something; we won't say 'Oh F*** we'll give up'. We'll always try to improve and hopefully we'll be as high up as we can be."
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