FKR Oficial - Kimi Räikkönen Fans

<< 10/22/2007 >>

Kimi Raikkonen snatches the ultimate prize
Source: F1-live

It has been a real roller coaster of a season and the finale in Brazil was a fitting climax to a year that has enthralled fans both on and off the circuit. Kimi Raikkonen has achieved what seemed all but impossible and he overcame a seven point deficit by winning the this afternoon at Interlagos while Lewis Hamilton suffered his own problems.

The start of the 71 lap Grand Prix saw pole-sitter Felipe Massa sprint in the lead with Kimi Raikkonen making a good getaway and slotting into second. One man not making a good start was Lewis Hamilton who dropped from second to fourth and then compounded his problems by running off track and losing another four positions.

At that point Hamilton will have been frustrated but he was still in the race and the championship race was very much still on. Lap seven however saw the McLaren Mercedes slow dramatically with a gearshift issue. Hamilton dropped from sixth position to 18th and while he was able to reset the electronic systems and get back under power, his title hope were in tatters.

Out front Raikkonen shadowed Massa and seemed content to bide his time behind his Ferrari team-mate. The turning points for Raikkonen came in his second round of stops as he was able to stay out a few more laps and once he had made his final pit stop, emerged in the lead of the race. Fernando Alonso at this point ran in a lonely third and was not able to mount a serious challenge.

Raikkonen took the chequered flag by just over a second from 2006 race winner Massa and with 110 championship points on the board, takes the title by one point from Hamilton who battled back to seventh position on track and Alonso who finished third.

"I always believed we could recover from our poor results and do a better job than our rivals," Raikkonen said. "So I never gave up and it was a great result for me and the team.

"I wasn't really 100 per cent sure of what was happening at the end as we were still waiting for still to finish - I had to wait a long time to hear that I had finally won it. I waited and waited. It was amazing for me that after all the last races we have had such a good finish to the season and I am very happy now."

por FKR Admin 9:46 PM

<< 9/30/2007 >>

RACE RESULTS

The Japanese Grand Prix
Mount Fuji, Japan;
67 laps; 305.721km;
Weather: Wet.

Classified:

Pos Driver Team Time

1. Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes (B) 2h00:34.759
2. Kovalainen Renault (B) + 8.377
3. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) + 9.478
4. Coulthard Red Bull-Renault (B) + 20.297
5. Fisichella Renault (B) + 38.864
6. Massa Ferrari (B) + 49.042
7. Kubica BMW Sauber (B) + 49.285
8. Liuzzi Toro Rosso-Ferrari (B) + 55.622
9. Sutil Spyker-Ferrari (B) + 1:00.129
10. Barrichello Honda (B) + 1:28.342
11. Button Honda (B) + 1 lap
12. Yamamoto Spyker-Ferrari (B) + 1 lap
13. Trulli Toyota (B) + 1 lap
14. Heidfeld BMW Sauber (B) + 2 laps
15. Sato Super Aguri-Honda (B) + 2 laps

Fastest lap: Hamilton, 1:28.193

Not classified/retirements:

Driver Team On lap
R.Schumacher Toyota (B) 56
Davidson Super Aguri-Honda (B) 55
Rosberg Williams-Toyota (B) 50
Vettel Spyker-Ferrari (B) 47
Webber Red Bull-Renault (B) 47
Alonso McLaren-Mercedes (B) 42
Wurz Williams-Toyota (B) 20

Post Race Press Conference

Q. Kimi, a brilliant drive from you too from the back of the field, sadly – tell us about that decision off the line to be on the Bridgestone wet instead of the extreme wet and having to come in so early in the race?

Kimi Raikkonen: We made a decision to start on intermediates. It started to rain a little bit actually behind the safety car. That wasn't really the issue – it was more for me to be able to see anything – on the straight I couldn't see the car in front even if it was 50 metres in front of me.

After the race, I heard there were some rules or they forced everybody to start on full wets but the FIA or the race control forgot to tell our team, and we had to pit again under the safety car. So it cost us a lot but there was nothing we could do at that point.

All race I couldn't do much because I couldn't really see anything. I tried to get past people in the lowest part of the circuit because you could see more. I actually got past Heikki on the last lap but went a bit too fast, and he got me on the exit again. So the biggest problem for me was to see all of the other cars. It was quite a difficult race but at least we got something out of it.

Q. You did – a podium finish, and you're still alive in the World Championship. What was the car like in terms of the downforce level you had – it appeared you were pretty quick in a straight line but therefore had not a lot of grip in the corners? On that, you seemed to go off quite a lot but not lose a lot of time when you did go off?

KR: I aquaplaned off many times but just kept coming back. The car was set up for the dry, so it wasn't perfect for the wet. I thought that we had a good car but for sure if you are in front and you can see something, it makes it a lot easier. The whole race I tried to get past people. We lost points from Lewis again but we couldn't do much after the pit stop where we were forced to change the tyres.

Q. Kimi probably knows a fair amount about bad visibility as well, don't you?

KR: Yeah, I didn't have any visibility really during the race but that's part of coming from behind.

Q. It must have been really action-packed, coming all the way through from the back.

KR: Yeah, but as I said, the most difficult part is to try to see where the people are on the straight. If somebody slows down, there is no way to know. You're going full throttle, full speed on the straight and hoping nobody is slowing down because, for sure, you would hit him. When you get in low speed corners, it's much easier when you can see other cars. But it was pretty tricky.

Q. What are your feelings now about the championship?

KR: It doesn't look too good right now but there's nothing else that we could have done today, really, we did the best that we could. We lost points but there are still two races to go and we're still trying, we're still pushing and we'll see what happens.

Q. (Paolo Ianieri – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Kimi, why was Ferrari the only team to chose to start with intermediate tyres, even if you didn't read this e-mail from the FIA? Considering the conditions was it not too much of a gamble?

KR: I don't know. It could have gone either way. I didn't have any problems really behind the safety car. The only problem was that I couldn't see anything but we didn't know any e-mails or any new rules that came up and they somehow forgot to tell us but it's quite an unfair situation to end up with, them forcing you to stop when you don't really want to but that's now behind us. We needed to stop because there were so many places but I don't know if it would have made a difference or not.

Q. (Juha Paatalo – Financial Times Germany) Kimi, how were you told to come in and change the tyres and what went through your mind at that moment?

KR: The team just told me that I must pit on the fifth lap or whatever it was. They didn't really know the reason why we were forced to at that point but then I heard after the race that there was some paper or some information given but they forgot to give it to our team.

Q. (Juha Paatalo – Financial Times Germany) What did you think at that moment?

KR: Ah, nothing. I knew that I was forced to come in, so there was nothing that I could have done. The team didn't really know the reason, so we just tried to do the best that we could after that.

Q. (Paolo Ianieri – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Kimi, did you have any problems with the fuel because you had two quite short fuel stops at the beginning of the race, and another one which was pretty long in time, considering how long Lewis pitted?

KR: No, we didn't.

Q. (Paolo Ianieri – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Kimi, what about the Ferrari set-up? It looked like you were not as competitive in the wet as McLaren. Was it because you were hoping it would be drier, so that yesterday you were working with more of a dry set-up?
KR: It was exactly the same as it was in dry conditions, so we didn't change anything. We were not sure about the weather conditions today. We were expecting that they probably should have been better than yesterday but it wasn't, so it probably could have been better but I don't think that that really cost us anything. The car was pretty nice to drive today and yesterday.

Q. (Carole Capitaine – L'Equipe) A question for Kimi. How do you explain the last pit stop for Felipe at the end of the race when he was in front of you, was it planned or was it a help for you?

KR: You need to ask him.

por FKR Admin 12:05 PM

<< 9/29/2007 >>

Post-qualifying press conference - Japan

Q. Kimi, we saw you have a couple of moments in the wet – what was the Ferrari like in those conditions?
Kimi Raikkonen: It was OK actually, not too bad. We touched the kerbs a few times but it didn't really affect the lap times. I had traffic on the last lap and needed to back off. Anyhow, we had a small problem with the gearbox, so for sure we can fix it for tomorrow.

I think we can be in good shape – we don't know what kind of weather we're going to have tomorrow, but it's the same for everybody, so we should have a good car for any kind of weather conditions.

Q. Ferrari was less competitive on Friday afternoon than they appeared to be in the morning perhaps with set-up changes – you weren't able to verify that with the loss of the session on Saturday morning, so how does that place you for the race?
KR: I think we are pretty close to Friday morning, so it should be OK. The circuit is going to be different after the rain for the race tomorrow, so we'll wait and see. I'm confident that we'll have a good car in the race and it's going to be a tight race with all four cars.

Q. Kimi, going into a wet Q1 was a bit of a surprise for everybody but more so for you because you didn't get out at all this morning.
KR: Yes, we were a bit too slow out of the box… or not too slow but they closed the circuit so quickly that we didn't even manage to get into the pit lane. But I think one out lap wouldn't have made much difference. It was OK. The car felt good. Of course the first few laps are always a bit about finding the lines and it gets better when you do more laps but it was good.

Q. You mentioned a gearbox problem just now.
KR: Yeah, we had a sensor problem, so we lost the fast shift, so it cost time. There was nothing that we could do during qualifying but we can probably fix it for tomorrow.

Q. Do you think you might have been in amongst the McLarens?
KR: I don't know. For sure it helps when you have that working but the car felt pretty OK in the last session. I was pretty happy. I only got one lap really and that was good enough for third place. I think the times are very close, so maybe it would have made a difference, maybe not, but anyhow we are in a good position for tomorrow.

Q. (Paulo Ianieri – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Kimi, would you prefer to have a dry race or a wet race tomorrow?
KR: It's the same for all the teams, all the drivers, so it doesn't really make any difference. It would be nice to have it dry or wet, not really in between. There's a bit more luck involved then. I don't know. Anything really.

Q. (MC) Did it dry out at all during that session, were the conditions pretty stable?
KR: There were some little dry places but not really completely.

Q. (Dan Knutson – National Speed Sport News) Question for all three. Now that you've driven this track, what are the differences, both from the driving point of view and the car set-up point of view between what you've experienced and what you and the teams anticipated before you got here?
KR: OK, it's a new place and a new challenge but I think it's been going quite smoothly. We knew the circuit a little bit from having a look before and it's been good.

Q. (Heikki Kulta – Turun Sanomat) Kimi, do you think that first corner is more decisive than usual?
KR: I don't think so. It's not any different to normal. It's going to be quite tight but the last race it was a very tight corner, so I don't think it's going to decide any more than any other circuit.

Q. (Paulo Ianieri – La Gazzetta dello Sport) This is a question for all three of you. Considering the long straight, are the pit stops less important here than in other races, that you can overtake more, or is it not going to change much?
KR: I don't think it changes much. It's a different time at every circuit. For sure there are optimum laps which is the best to (stop) but I don't think here it is very crucial compared to other places.

Q. (Dan Knutson – National Speed Sport News) Again for all three of you. Speaking of overtaking, besides turn one, what are the other overtaking points here do you think?
KR: I think we will find out tomorrow. Hopefully there are more. I think turn ten but other places are probably very difficult.

Raikkonen stays hopeful for the race

Kimi Raikkonen is still hopeful about his chances for the Japanese Grand Prix despite being unable to secure a place on the front row.

The Ferrari driver, winner of the last race in Spa two weeks ago, had to settle for third place behind the McLaren's of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.

Raikkonen, who is 13 points behind Hamilton with three events to go, finished less than two tenths behind the Briton in the wet conditions.

Despite missing out on a front row start, the Finn is confident he has a car capable of fighting for victory in tomorrow's race.

"It was okay. I had traffic on last lap and we had a small problem with the gearbox so I hope we can fix it for tomorrow," said Raikkonen.

"I think we are in good shape. We don't know the weather but it is the same for everybody. The circuit is going to be different after the rain.

"I am confident we have good car for the race. I think it will be a tight race between all four cars."

Japanese GP starting grid

Pos Driver Nat Team Time Notes

1. Lewis Hamilton GB McLaren-Mercedes 1:25.368
2. Fernando Alonso E McLaren-Mercedes 1:25.438
3. Kimi Raikkonen FIN Ferrari 1:25.516
4. Felipe Massa BR Ferrari 1:25.765
5. Nick Heidfeld D BMW 1:26.505
6. Jenson Button GB Honda 1:26.913
7. Mark Webber AUS Red Bull-Renault 1:26.914
8. Sebastian Vettel D Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:26.973
9. Robert Kubica PL BMW 1:27.225
10. Giancarlo Fisichella I Renault 1:26.033
11. Heikki Kovalainen FIN Renault 1:26.232
12. David Coulthard GB Red Bull-Renault 1:26.247
13. Jarno Trulli I Toyota 1:26.253
14. Vitantonio Liuzzi I Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1:26.948
15. Ralf Schumacher D Toyota No time
16. Nico Rosberg D Williams-Toyota 1:26.728 Penalty
17. Rubens Barrichello BR Honda 1:27.323
18. Alexander Wurz A Williams-Toyota 1:27.454
19. Anthony Davidson GB Super Aguri-Honda 1:27.564
20. Adrian Sutil D Spyker-Ferrari 1:28.628
21. Takuma Sato J Super Aguri-Honda 1:28.792
22. Sakon Yamamoto J Spyker-Ferrari 1:29.668

por FKR Admin 3:02 AM

<< 9/25/2007 >>

Japanese GP - Kimi´s column

New circuit, exciting challenge.

So it is time for Japanese Grand Prix. I have not seen Fuji anywhere else then on the cover of the film package. What I have read, obviously it is not the best of the circuits for our Ferrari cars. But the team has worked extremely hard to be very competitive also during this weekend.

We are the hunters. Our only target is to win the race.

I know some drivers have worked hard in the simulators to get accustomed to the new circuit. But they are not for me.

I never played the playstation or spent too much time in the simulator. Still it has not effected my performance in the past.

I will approach Fuji the same way I approach every race - with the intention of going there ro win.

Since I was very young, I have always been able to pick up circuits very quickly. It has not changed. It should not be a problem. Now given the three hours practice on Friday and further one hour before the qualifying on Saturday all the drivers will know the circuit very well.

I have always liked to go to the new places. It gives me a good feeling. It is exciting to come there for the first time and start the work with walking around the circuit and check all the corners how they are.

It is difficult to say how it goes between Ferrari and McLaren. We knoe that McLaren is strong there, but propably they know we go fast, too.

Obviously, I will carry on the fight from where we came in Spa. The McLaren boys are still clearly ahead and they don't want to loose that advantage by making a silly mistake. I, on the other hand, can gamble and really go for it.

I have nothing to loose. The competitors must be more cautious.

We had a really good weekend in Spa. We gained five points on the leaders. I will do my best to win the final races. We are the hunters and now we are better equipped than we were before the last race.

It would be great to repeat that feat of the wualifying in Spa, but let us see, how the practice on Friday and Saturday goes first before making any serious predictions.

Frrari is now officially the constructors´champion. I am really happy for the team and it feels nice that I helped Ferrari to win this team championship. It is a great reward for the great job the team has done during this season.

I had a sohort break after Spa. Now my neck is fully recovered. I can turn it normally. I also picked up some fighting spirit from the Icehockey practises with my friends.

This is my seventh Grand Prix in Japan. I managed to win Suzuka two years ago and had also some other good results there, but I never really liked the place.

The Japanese fans are some of the most passionate supporters of F1 I have ever seen and it is great to see them cheering for Ferrari.

Arigato gozaimasu - already beforehand.

por FKR Admin 5:58 PM