Formule 1

[Mechi]

Oki now I've found something... it's on RTL TV-text news that Alonso seems to have found an agreement with BMW! He'll probably replace Nick Heidfeld.
The news actually are from the Italian version of SKY.
No word so far about Kimi signing at Ferrari for more years.

 

[Kinga]

Well I think if you can't really win something for yourself but can help your team to win then you'll play latest for the team if you didn't do already before.
If Massa didn't do it he showed some weakness in character... but as I like Kimi I hope he's doing better cuz I hope he's not suffering the same weakness in character.
They are not driving for fun or their very own fame only... they do have contracts with companies where lots of ppl are working and earning money with each title and success those drivers are bringing home.

you are right, Mechi. But please do not forget that as long as there is a little hope for Kimi he will race for himself, that's what Massa did last year. It wasn't a weakness of his character IMO, it was the racing driver, who only wants to win. Of course, when the time is there, they have to decide at Ferrari. But I think it wouldn't be fair towards Kimi to say him to help Felipe NOW, because he has a - I know, he knows it, too, but - little hope.
That's what Kimi said in his column,

I adore him for his last sentence!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Come on KIMI!!!! FLAT OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obviously we didn't get the result we were looking for at Spa, but it was great to get back in the real racing rhythm.

I've finally got the feeling I want in the car and the circuit of Spa Francorchamps is certainly the best ofthem all to have a Formula One race.

I had a brilliant start from the second row, and after that it was fantastic to start real racing. I overtook the two guys infront of me without problem and after that we controlled the pace very smoothly.

Already befoe coming to Belgium, my only objective was to win that race. I was only interested in finishing first. Nothing else was good enough and it would have only meant that the point gap to the leader would have grown more.

At the end of the day it was as little as two laps and four minutes short for me. We didn't become the kings of the hill but we had to come full circle. I spun and sled into the wall. Then I had to walk back to the pits like I did in Valencia, too. But this time we had fought for the victory till the very bitter end, while in Valencia we didn't have any chance to win.

When the rain started, it was very tricky to lead the race. We had some problems with the hard tyres since the very beginning of the final stint. While the rain came it didn't help and it was slipping and sliding the whole way through after that. I tried to fight and got back in the lead but then I hit the wall and got nothing out of it.

Nevertheless, there is no reason to complain. I did my very best but it was not enough. It's the same sometimes in a game of icehockey or in a race of motocross. You get punches and blows but you just carry on and fight back. There is no reason for me to start worrying about what has happened or to stop trying. I will fight until the very end.

The points will be counted just after the final race and the one who has the most, wins the championship. Nothing is certain before that.

We have five races to go. Obviously my position is not ideal but that doesn't mean I will give up.

Now it's time for the Italian Grand Prix and we will come to Monza with a very good feeling. Monza is the real Mecca of the Tifosi and and there will be a lot of Finnish fans, too. It's the place where we go really, really quick. It's great to go there with everything working well in my car.

Last year I had a big shunt just before the qualifying. I hit the wall in a big way and that hurt and made the whole weekend the toughest of them all for me during last season.

Before Spa we had a productive test in Monza and the car felt well to suit there. But you never know how competitive you are before the qualifying session.

We try our very best to win for the team and the fans.It's the real home of the Prancing Horse and it would be almost out of this world to win the Italian Grand Prix for the first time.

At least I don't have anything to lose. I just go flat out!

^^ I like that wallpaper, I love that little grin on his face I like laso your new siggy, though it makes me a little bit sad...

LOL and the quotes you, Kinga, posted earlier.. he's too funny!! :lol:


I think Ferrari should wait for a race or two and then decide who has to help who. If Kimi does well in Monza and if he does well in Singapore also, the situation is again very different.
So no rushing, Ferrari! Give Kimi a one more chance.. :angel:

yeah, that's what I am saying, too!!! They have to wait at least 2 more races!

*Kinga sings to Domenicali Michael's One more chance*

 

[The One.]

Now it's time for the Italian Grand Prix and we will come to Monza with a very good feeling. Monza is the real Mecca of the Tifosi and and there will be a lot of Finnish fans, too. It's the place where we go really, really quick. It's great to go there with everything working well in my car.

Let's hope everything still works out great when it's time to compete!
Go Kimi!!!! :hat_wave: We believe in you!! :hat_wave:

 

[Kinga]

At least I don't have anything to lose. I just go flat out!

That's my favorite qoute from Kimi from now on! When I read it for the first time I was like: I lift my hands up to the sky and was a biiiig grin on my face and said: KIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIII, I knew it!

You rock!unk:unk:unk:

That's how a real racing driver thinks!!!! He is the only one out there who would like to have those 2 points between the 1st and the 2nd place. He doesn't drive safely, just flat out!!!!!

That's what a Serbian fan wrote before the Brasilian GP last year! It's sooo true and very touching IMO:

If there's god, Kimi will be the champion, and that would be the
heaven's justice. I want Kimi to be the champion. The man who was so
unlucky in that same Mclaren, in that Mclaren who stole his data, fuell
load, set up(s).
The man who doesn't take his large family on the race, who's not crying
and shouting on his teem when things doesn't work well.
Kimi, the man without retiremants infront of the pit line - the one who
crashes at 200miles/ hour in his last lap...
and when something goes wrong on the track, you can see him drinking
with his friends on his jacht.
He, the man from bones, flash and skin, driving clean on the track, fast
and over the limits. The only one who wants those 2 points between 1st
and 2nd place, without any tactics, trough the grass if needed...
The man who's not boring, who doesn't have the best car, who's not a
robot, someones project, he's not the first black, not the yungest one...
He is the last driver left from those real drivers in the sport called
Formula one

 

[Kinga]

Here's a review about Hamilton's overtake and penalty. Great one, worth to read!

Passing into La Source

The point being?

That even cars with a decisive power advantage didn't have a snowball's hope in hell to catch the one exiting the chicane first. Not down the pit straight, into La Source hairpin.

That much is abundantly clear.

Yet Hamilton, in a car that only equalled Raikkonen's in terms of grunt, passed Kimi quite easily into La Source.

And not on any other lap, but on the lap that he cut the chicane!

So, did he exploit an unfair advantage on that specific lap?

You bet.

The way Lewis tackled his entry into the last chicane -- from the Ferrari's outside -- left him with zero chance to pass the Kimster at that particular spot.

It was grand standing from Lewis's side, more than creating a realistic shot at getting by the Ferrari. It pushed Raikkonen hard and made for good viewing, especially as both cars locked up the inside front wheel.

But Kimi was always going to have the shorter line through the first apex.

He was therefore also going to exit first. Which meant that he had track position for the second turn-in. Which normally would have resulted in a clear lead down the pit straight.

Options and penalties

This left Lewis with two options, as he so rightfully observed: stick to the track and ram Kimi.

Or take the escape road.

The ramming option would have resulted in a penalty in any case, just like Kovaleinen was penalised for hitting Webber at the selfsame spot earlier in the race.

Everybody also knew that the second option would result in a penalty if Hamilton failed to yield the advantage back to the man that had rightfully claimed that advantage in the first part of the chicane complex.

The question now is whether Hamilton did restore Raikkonen's advantage?

From earlier examples, it is clear that he would have been -- at best -- two car lengths behind Kimi as they crossed the timing line.

That now, if he had followed the track, as the rules demand.

Lifting only slightly

That's not what happened, though.

Hamilton, in fact, actually joined the track in front of Raikkonen -- which was not a sin in itself.

The sin, however, was that he lifted only ever so slightly, just enough for the Ferrari to cut the timing line a fraction earlier than the McLaren did.

At that point then, they virtually raced side by side, whereas Raikkonen -- under normal circumstances -- would have enjoyed a lead of two car lengths.

In fact, the difference in track position was barely the length of the Ferrari's nose cone. This put Hamilton in a perfect position to duck straight into the Ferrari's slip stream, from which he then pulled out to make his pass down the inside.

Kimi defended poorly, let it be said.

And bad turned to worse, as the Ferrari was down on traction in any case, given the harder tyre and colder conditions; the F2008 performs -- just like the Toyota does -- at its best in hot weather.

Yet Glock easily held Heidfeld at bay, even under adverse conditions for the Toyota, on the same stretch of tarmac.

Deservedly punished

Under normal circumstances, then -- if Hamilton had followed Kimi through the chicane and stayed on the actual track, as the rules demand -- the McLaren would never have been close enough to exploit traction and slip stream factors.

It is therefore clear, beyond any doubt, that Hamilton had been put into a position to overtake Raikkonen into La Source only because he had gained an unfair advantage through the chicane.

This is why he was punished, and rightfully so.

Which just goes to prove again that you must never ask a boxer about boxing. Because fighters often turn punch drunk, their opinions might send your own head flying off in the wrong direction.

Beware then, of Herr Niki Lauda, too. Judged by his pronouncement on the Hamilton Penalty Affair, he could conceivably also be classified as slightly punch drunk.

We wouldn't know whether Kimi would have slide to the wall hadn't there been that Hamilton overtake, but it's true, that it didn't help him. He had the desire to win, he maybe even thought, that he would deserve that win, he was like an angry bull, so he didn't see anything just wanted to cross the finish line first. Maybe he could have been more cautious after Hamilton did the overtake but that's a real racing driver. He just went after his instincts...

 

[The One.]

I just realized that if Kimi would have ended the race 2nd, he still would have got 10 points because of Hamilton's penalty and Hamilton would have get only 6 points.. :bugeyed But that's about it because it didn't happend.

I send good luck to Kimi to Monza :angel:

 

[Kinga]

^^^I realized it in the minute I've heard about Hamilton's penalty... :sad: With that his situation would have been much much better, but we can't change the results. One side of me is happy because I've seen a real racing driver in Spa, whose name is Kimi Räikkönen. Other side of me is very sad because of the points. But I bet Kimi wouldn't have liked to get the win after the podium celebration. Though you can't deny that it would have been so great for Kimi to have those 10 points.

 

[Kinga]

Here I collected some of Kimi's quotes. They are soooo funny! And they say he's boring, OMG, they are wrong!!!


Montoya’s success in NASCAR?- It doesn’t even interest me.


Will these tyres benefit your driving style? - I don’t know and it doesn’t mean anything to me. Tyres are what they are.


What advice would you give to the rookies Nico Rosberg and Scott Speed? - I hope that they are good in giving way.


Do you think that the speed is good at this point? - It doesn’t matter how much behind the others we are at this point. The car will anyway be rebuilt before Australia. Now we just drive around.


Media’s interest in Kimi after the WC? - They have thrown a lot of xxxx on me but I think that I’ll get even more of it now.


Schumacher’s role : - He doesn’t come and tell us drivers anything. And at least I don’t need his advice.

Montoya’s points: - If he believes in it, he can believe. I’m not interested in what happens behind me.


Gossip Media asks how are you prepared for the season? - I usually get to read from your magazines what I have done.


Montoya’s tennis accident: - We don’t call and I’m not interested in what he does.


“If the army would be volunteer I wouldn’t go there - Kimi about women in army


Austria 2002: - I haven seen it. I’m not the least bit interested in what Ferrari did.


Alonso teasing Kimi. - I couldn’t care less what the man is thinking.


Weather conditions: - It’s all the same if it rains or not.


Season 2006: - It doesn’t interest me yet what is going to happen. You’ll see it then. :lmao:


An Italian interviewer tries to get Kimi to say something in Italian. - You can talk Italian if you want to. :lmao:


Ferrari event 2007: - I’m not going to a language school to learn Italian, that’s not what I came to do at Ferrari.


Kimi, what’s the 5th grid place like? - I’ts the 5th grid place. :lmao:


Ferrari party: - Ferrari’s own partys are the best one. I don’t know exactly what I will do there. Maybe I’m Santa Claus.


Party at the President’s castle: - Someone else will have to dance with her (Jenni).


Party at the President’s castle: - Ah, go and interview Mikko Leppilampi. He likes to talk. :lmao:


Kimi, what is your feeeling before the race? - It’s allright.


French GP 2002: - xxxx race.


Hungarian GP 2007: - Boring race.


OHO!-magazine number 46/2006: - I read somewhere that I drive with the luck of a drunk. :lmao:


Opinion of Ron Dennis: - He’s strange now and then. He always wants to know everything. He doesn’t interest me.


- My life would be much more easier had I been a f1-driver in the 70’s with the guys. I was definitely born in the wrong era.


What makes TAG Heuer special? - It’s ok.


Kimi, you speak a little bit? - Yeah, one two.. three.. :lmao:


What kind of an atmosphere do you think McLaren has right now (the spy saga)? - I bet it’s fxcking great. :lmao:


- The Constructor’s Championship doesn’t really mean anything to me.


- I’m not interested in what Jackie says. He hasn’t got anything to do with me.


- Coulthard can say what he wants. I’m not interested in what he’s saying.


- I don’t give a damn about what Trulli says.


- Montoya’s comments doesn’t interest me.


- It doesn’t matter what he says. (Kimi about Hamilton’s defences after Canada GP)


- I’ve seen him (Schumacher) twice: when the car was displayed and in one testing he came to but I left almost immediately after that.


- You don’t drive races on paper.


- Driving is the only thing I love about f1.


- If there’s a red light when you leave the pitlane you have to stop. Then some wooden eye (Hamilton) crashes into you and breakes the car. :lmao:


- What the papers write about me afterwards makes me laugh.


- Formula 1 would be a paradise without the media.


- I’m not interested in what people think about me. I’m not Michael Schumacher.


- The circuit broke totally. Every year same thing happens. They promise to fix it. They probably should hire the guys from Lemminkäinen (Finnish asphalt company) to fix it. :lmao:


How does it feels to drive at 300 km/h? - “It feels normal”


Your idols? - There aren’t any.


What kind of a relationship do you have with Peter Sauber? - He is my boss.
Is he a father figure or a god father? - He is my boss.


The helmet has a special meaning for many drivers. How important is it to you? - It protects my head.


Do you have any special rituals when the helmet is concerned like many have? - I wipe it so that I can see better.


What would you if you met an alien, run away out of fear or try to talk to him? - The problem won’t arise so I don’t imagine meeting one. :lmao:


What do you have to do to become one of your friends? - I’ve got my friends and that’s enough. I’m not on the lookout for new ones.


Martin Brundle’s gridwalk Brazil 2006:
Martin: “Kimi Raikkonen doesn’t seem interested in the proceedings going on up there. Kimi, you missed the presentation by Pele.”
Kimi (nonchalantly): “Yeah.”
Martin: ”Will you get over it?”
Kimi: “Yeah. I was having a shit.”
Martin: “OK, thanks for that! Obviously you’ll have a nice light car on the grid, then.”


"What is there to do in Finland?"
"In the summer the fishing is good and in the winter the fishing is not good"

Q. In the drivers’ briefing were you allowed to cross the line at the pit-exit because some of the drivers crossed the white line and nothing happened?
Kimi: I don’t know even what line you are saying. There is some line but it goes over the exit and you need to drive over it otherwise you are never going to get on the circuit. :lmao:

When question about his donuts at the end of the last year's Belgium Grand Prix, his reply was
"I lost it" :lmao:


"I dunno really. You can't race in F1 if you don't think you're the best, otherwise you will never beat anybody. But it's fine to believe that, because you can't be proved wrong until we are all in the same car. And that's never going to happen"

Any heroes from the past you'd like to have raced?
"I don't know. I don't have any idols, and I never had any when I was younger. It's silly to think you can race against them - I am happy to race against the people I am racing now"

What would you do if you met an alien, run away out of fear or try to talk to him? - The problem won't arise so I don't imagine meeting one.


What have you done on your holiday in Finland? - I think you can read it from your yesterdays magazine. :lmao:

What do you think is gonna happen in tomorrows race? - What do you think is gonna happen? :lmao:


So, Kimi, where does all that talent come from? "Dunno, really. It's hard to tell. It just comes from... somewhere."

"I got fed up with ice-hockey and packed it in because you had to get up very early in the morning to practise."

"It's stupid to spend money on a yacht if you don't have time to use it. Why buy one and keep it floating in the harbour when you have only two weeks time in the year to use it? If I want to use a yacht I could rent a much larger one for less money."

"Okay, Michael Schumacher wins all the time. But he has a mega package. He's not so special that he can't be beaten. I'm not scared of him. Good driver, yes, but if you have the right package you can beat him. Easy."

Kimi did his national service when he was 20. "It was a pain! There was all this marching in the forest and camping and the normal stuff. They're always shouting at you, so it's not nice to be there."

"I don't keep track of scary things I've done. I don't take dangerous risks."

"It makes things a lot easier when you want to win, when you can start from the front."

"My life isn't what the papers make it out to be. I still do things that I like and if the papers choose to write about them, well, let them. I'm not going to quit going out just because someone wants to write about it. But sometimes I wish no one would recognise me."

"I lived in England for almost two years, but only went to a nightclub once in all that time."

Kimi lives in Switzerland these days. Wonder why. "It's very relaxing. I don't like big cities - too much damm hassle. And Switzerland is a bit like Finland: lots of snow. And, of course, it's good for tax."

What about big-bro Mika Hakkinen? "We speak on the phone sometimes. Just for a chat. Not for advice: he can't give me advice. It isn't possible."

"Suddenly the sterring wheel was in my hands. I tried to put it back on, but it was too late. I was just wondering where I was going to end up."


"I get frustrated not being able to go any place with my wife without being interrupted. But there's no way out, it's the price I pay to be an F1 driver."

Is the Iceman in love? "Yeah. Sure. You need love, don't you? I dunno what else to say about it."

Any heroes from the past you'd like to have raced? "I don't know. I don't have any idols, and I never had any when I was younger. It's silly to think you can race against them - I'm happy to race against the people I'm racing now."

"Had a big crash in testing at Mugello last year [2001]. Fast corner. Lost it. Hit a concrete wall. Felt a bit bad. They took me to hospital. It was okay."

"How I live, what I do, off the track, I still think is up to me. I don't really mind what people think about me as a person. I don't think I'm a bad guy; I'm just a racing driver trying to drive as well as I can."

"You can't learn from somebody else how to drive the dar; you have to do it yourself. If you're not good enough, you shouldn't be in Formula 1."

After Kimi's first win for Ferrari, Jean Todt passes him the phone. So who was it? "I think it was Michael, but the line went dead."

"If I changed my style, it wouldn't have changed the results at McLaren. My training or private life wasn't the problem; it was to do with the car not lasting or being quick enough."

"People call me the Iceman. It's nice, but I never think like that. I don't want to sound like I'm full of bull$hit."

"I never really think about what I'm doing. I just do it. It's automatic."

"Danger? I never worry about it. Okay, you know it's there. But you don't think about it. That's it."

"For me, there's no adrenalin or anything - you just want to make sure you're ready when the lights go off, and have a good reaction."

What do Finns get up to in their down time? "Well, in summer there's fishing and $crewing. And in winter... the fishing is bad."


About his time in the army:
What did you shoot?
Kimi: Nobody so far!

Have you seen that YouTube clip where you fell off your yacht?
Kimi: I’ve probably seen all of my YouTube clips. I’ve been involved with all of them certainly! Yeah, well, there are a lot of things that don’t end up on there, and that’s a good thing!

If you could be any character from any movie, who would you be?
Kimi: Captain Jack Sparrow from the Pirates of the Caribbean [Kimi roars with laughter]. He seems to know how to have a good time. I might need to drink a lot of rum to get into the role! I love movies like this. (Great, becaue my fav character is Jack Sparrow! :wink

Do you think you’re an easy person to interview?
Kimi: I don’t mind what people think too much. If they ask nice questions then yes, but for sure if they ask stupid questions I won’t answer and they will think I’m a ******. But it goes both ways. If everyone’s nice to eachother it’s much easier.

Some time before the first race in 2007..
Q: They say that there are more electronics at the use of the drivers in Ferrari than McLaren and that may cause some problems. Is that the case?
A:Well, there basically aren’t more electronics, but there are more buttons on the wheel but that ain’t a problem, they were easy to learn. You can adjust them more however and they are more detailed in some cases,but they work with the same principles.

>From another recent interview:
Is it true that sometimes you're bored in the car?
Only when I am in front by a country mile, like in Melbourne last year. Then you are thinking about other things or you're playing with the buttons on the steering wheel. Then I suddenly missed a braking point. This year unfortunately we haven't had such race.


"Who is the racing driver you admire most, Kimi?"
"No one", came the answer.
So far, so umpromising. I tried again. "OK, maybe not now. But who did you used to admire before you entered Formula One?"
"None," replied the champion.
"Did you and do you compare yourself with another driver?"
As expected, the answer was a monosyllabic "No".
I mentioned I had been to Finland four times and liked the country. He thawed slightly.



"Describe yourself. What are you made of ?" "Blood, flesh and bone like everybody else" !

Interviewer: The most exciting moment during the race weekend?
Kimi: I think so it's the race start, always.
Interviewer: The most boring?
Kimi: Now.

 

[The One.]

:crazy_grin:

OMG!! :rofl: There was so many hilarious answers I don't have time to quote everything but OMG!!! He's too funny!!! :girl_haha: :lmao: :lmao: :lmao:

So basically Kimi isn't interested in anything, he doesn't know or he doesn't care :lol: :lol: :lmao:

Kimi, what’s the 5th grid place like? - I’ts the 5th grid place. :lmao:

LOOOOOOOOL :rofl: :toofunny:

Wheeee that just made my day. Thanks, Kinga! :lol: :heat:

 

[Kinga]

^^^I'm glad you like them!

:lmao:

He's, simply, Kimi Räikkönen...


There was an interview with Kimi after the Spa GP.

One Italian journalist asked Kimi: Why did you slow down in the last 2 laps?
Kimi: Well, it started to rain, everybody got slower... (*everybody started to laugh*)
Q: But Hamilton was fast, much faster than you...
K: I don't know what you've been watching... :lmao: he caught me in the last few laps... he wasn't very far anyway...

 

[Kinga]

Oki now I've found something... it's on RTL TV-text news that Alonso seems to have found an agreement with BMW! He'll probably replace Nick Heidfeld.
The news actually are from the Italian version of SKY.
No word so far about Kimi signing at Ferrari for more years.

I've found this article...

BMW Sauber quiet on rising Alonso rumour

BMW Sauber boss Mario Theissen has refused to comment on intensifying speculation that Fernando Alonso has signed a three-year contract to begin driving for the team in 2009.

Shortly after the chequered flag at Spa Francorchamps, it was reported that the Spaniard would replace Nick Heidfeld to race alongside his friend Robert Kubica from next year.

"I do not take part in speculation," Theissen told the German newspaper Bild.

"Our driver decision has been postponed. At the latest we will announce our drivers at the end of the season."

A BMW spokesman also would not comment.

The Spanish sports newspaper Marca believes BMW will confirm the Alonso news on the Monday after this weekend's Italian Grand Prix at Monza.




Who knows?

 

[Kinga]

I've heard/read somewhere that Kimi might go (went last year, too? ) to Monza by his motorcycle with his friends. He likes to drive fast through the hills. That must be a great trip, I believe. Beautiful landscape, nice mountains... So I've searched through a route planner for this journey. From Wollerau (SWI) till Monza (ITA) the distance is 258 km, so it's not that far away. It says you can go there in 3 hours, but I think Kimi can reach the destination earlier... (he says: I don't speed at all... :lmao: Who would believe it???!!!) There are a lot of highways and people has to pay tolls. So I was just wondering... the workers who would be there at the gates to ask for the money... what'd be their reaction, when Iceman comes on his Iceman 1 and wants to pay the toll....??? Can you imagine it? I'd die right there, that's for sure... :lol:

 

[The One.]

Hmm?

Renault in no rush to announce 2009 drivers

Thursday 11th September 2008


Renault are in no hurry to announce their 2009 driver line-up according to team boss Flavio Briatore.

While some of the F1 teams have confirmed their line-up in recent weeks, Renault have two blank spaces where their drivers' names will appear as neither Fernando Alonso nor Nelson Piquet Jr's future have been secured.

And with Alonso reportedly on his way to Honda and Piquet Jr having failed to impress in his debut season, Renault could in fact be on the look-out for two new drivers for next season.

Briatore, though, is no rush to make any decisions or announcements.

"Be assured that we will announce our 2009 drivers between the end of this season and the start of next," he told the official F1 website.

As for his own future at Renault, which could be over at the end of the season when his contract expires, Briatore says no decision has been made.

"My future is pink. Will I be here next year? I don't know. But this is the least of my problems," he said.

"If it is possible to cut costs and get everything under control, then maybe I'll be excited to stay. But if it goes on like now, I might not interested."


This is from planetf1.com.

 

[Kinga]

Massa keen to get Räikkönen's support - Räikkönen vowing to go all out for the title - The Ferrari duo free to race at Monza

With five races to go and nearly 20 points between them, there is no official confirmation about the driver Ferrari intends to favour for the 2008 title.

Felipe Massa, just two points behind McLaren's Lewis Hamilton following the Spa Francorchamps chicane controversy, believes he should now be getting the entire weight of the Maranello-based marque behind him.

"The team wants to win the title and we are going to try our hardest to do it," the 27-year-old told the Italian daily La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"It is true that Kimi is strong, an excellent driver. But we have to also look at the situation with the championship points," Massa went on.

Reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen nearly got his campaign back on track a week ago before crashing within sight of the Belgian chequer.

The Finn said this week that he has still not given up.

"I'll fight to the end," he insisted. "I've got nothing to lose and so I'll give everything, I'll push to the limits.

"The points will be counted at the end of the season. There are still five races to go," Raikkonen added.

------------------------------

Raikkonen was ready to pit on last lap !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By Jonathan Noble and Pablo ElizaldeThursday, September 11th 2008, 16:28 GMT

World champion Kimi Raikkonen says he was ready to pit for wet weather tyres before crashing out of the Belgian Grand Prix last Sunday.
The Ferrari driver led for most of the race before a downpour with three laps left helped Lewis Hamilton caught up with him and pass him.
The track was so wet that some drivers decided to pit on the last lap in order to put on wet weather rubber. BMW Sauber's Nick Heidfeld pitted with two laps left, a decision that got him onto the podium.
Raikkonen, who was running second when he crashed, said he was ready to pit and reckons he could have won the race if he had not crashed.
"I would have come in, but I never made the last 100 metres," Raikkonen told reporters at Monza. "I was coming in to change the tyres and probably it could have worked out very well but I never got there."
The Finn, who was embroiled in a thrilling battle with Lewis Hamilton, said he did not want to get involved in the controversy surrounding the penalty given to the Briton after the race.
"I think there has been a lot of talk... but I don't really want to get involved in the whole thing," Raikkonen said.
"I was a part of the thing here, but everyone knows the rules, there is always action taken if you do something wrong and this time that was the decision they made in the end.
"Sometimes it is hard to say if it is right or wrong but I don't want to get involved in the whole thing. Definitely everybody has two different views of the whole thing, some like it, some don't. That is life."
He added: "There are some rules, the FIA knows about it, but I am not the guy who makes the decisions. That is for the guys who made the decision. I didn't get any advantage but that was my fault in the end. I wanted to win, it didn't help me, but that is racing and that is rules."
Raikkonen seemed to be much slower than Hamilton when the track was wet during the Spa race, and the pair made contact a couple of times during their fight.
Their difference in speed nearly caused a crash between them, something that led Hamilton to say on Thursday that Raikkonen was driving too slowly.
"That is how he drives," he said. "If you don't have the balls to brake late then that is your problem! At the end of the day, in those situations it is the driver who can feel the grip more and put the car more on the edge. And I know I am great in those conditions.
"I felt the grip more than him, I knew where to place my car and I did place it in different positions to him and I found the grip.":no::no::no::no:

Raikkonen, however, was unfazed by Hamilton's comments.
"I don't mind that. Like I said he has his own opinion on anything, but that is not what happened at the first corner. It is more about what happens when you cut a chicane and get an advantage or not.
"If you put the concrete wall there you could never come there in the first place, it is more about that than what happened at the first corner."

The world champion also made it clear he intends to keep fighting for the title, and suggested he won't play a supporting role to teammate Felipe Massa until he has no mathematical chance.
"I know what the team expects from us and like I said as long as I have any chance and are in the points I will keep trying, and if it happens and I don't have any chance then it is a different story.
"I don't see it is up to me - we race as hard as we can both of us and we see what happens at the end of the season."

 

[Kinga]

so, that's Hamilton:

Their difference in speed nearly caused a crash between them, something that led Hamilton to say on Thursday that Raikkonen was driving too slowly.
"That is how he drives," he said. "If you don't have the balls to brake late then that is your problem! At the end of the day, in those situations it is the driver who can feel the grip more and put the car more on the edge. And I know I am great in those conditions.
"I felt the grip more than him, I knew where to place my car and I did place it in different positions to him and I found the grip."

and that's Kimi:

"I think there has been a lot of talk... but I don't really want to get involved in the whole thing," Raikkonen said.
"I was a part of the thing here, but everyone knows the rules, there is always action taken if you do something wrong and this time that was the decision they made in the end.
"Sometimes it is hard to say if it is right or wrong but I don't want to get involved in the whole thing. Definitely everybody has two different views of the whole thing, some like it, some don't. That is life."
He added: "There are some rules, the FIA knows about it, but I am not the guy who makes the decisions. That is for the guys who made the decision. I didn't get any advantage but that was my fault in the end. I wanted to win, it didn't help me, but that is racing and that is rules."
"I don't mind that. Like I said he has his own opinion on anything, but that is not what happened at the first corner. It is more about what happens when you cut a chicane and get an advantage or not.
"If you put the concrete wall there you could never come there in the first place, it is more about that than what happened at the first corner."

Can you notice the difference?????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Kinga]

I WANT KIMI TO SHOW HAMILTON WHO HAS THE BALLS???????????????????????????????????

unk:unk:unk:unk:unk:unk:unk:unk:unk:

:clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping:

:angel::angel::angel::angel::angel::angel:

 

[Kinga]

There was a "little" rain during the 1st practise in Monza!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:wild::wild::wild: It was more a flood, thunder and everything... The drivers hardly could drive on the circuit which was sooo dark as if it was at night!!! I haven't seen such bad conditions so far...

The results are quite ...:lol: 6 drivers only could do an installation lap, and here are the others. The first 4 could do laps before the big rain.

1.Adrian SutilForce India1:32.842
18 2.Rubens BarrichelloHonda1:33.428+0.58614 3.Giancarlo FisichellaForce India1:33.695+0.85319 4.Timo GlockToyota1:36.800+3.95813 5.Nico RosbergWilliams1:36.900+4.0589 6.Fernando AlonsoRenault1:36.965+4.12310 7.Sébastien BourdaisToro Rosso1:37.142+4.30020 8.Jarno TrulliToyota1:37.214+4.37213 9.Kimi RäikkönenFerrari1:37.392+4.5505 10.Sebastian VettelToro Rosso1:37.754+4.91213 11.Nelsinho PiquetRenault1:38.057+5.21511 12.David CoulthardRed Bull Racing1:38.303+5.4617 13.Jenson ButtonHonda1:39.062+6.22012 14.Felipe MassaFerrari1:40.233+7.3915 15.Heikki KovalainenMcLaren-Mercedesidő nélkül+-32.81 16.Nakadzsima Kazuki Williamsidő nélkül+-32.82 17.Robert KubicaBMW Sauberidő nélkül+-32.81 18.Mark WebberRed Bull Racingidő nélkül+-32.81 19.Nick HeidfeldBMW Sauberidő nélkül+-32.81 20.Lewis HamiltonMcLaren-Mercedesidő nélkül+-32.81

 

[Kinga]

Excellent news!!!!:clapping:

Excellent news!!! :clapping:

Räikkönen extends Ferrari deal (till 2010)

The following is a statement from Ferrari: “Ferrari announces that it has extended its agreement with Kimi Raikkonen to the end of the 2010 race season. Therefore, the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver line-up remains unchanged for the next two coming seasons.”

 

[Kinga]

More excellent news..... :clapping::clapping::clapping::clapping::wild::wild::wild:

(Sorry, I'm just over the moon!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Come on! Kimi!!! Show 'em!!!!!!!!!!!!!!unk: You rock!unk:

 

[The One.]

:bugeyed:bugeyed It must have been interesting to watch the 1st practise
Unfortunately the ydon't show them here.. Kimi looks very tired in the first pic you posted. :mello:

I just read an article about what should happend that Kimi would win the championship. It really gave me faith that it still can happend!! Kimi you can do it!!! :hat_wave: :clapping:



Btw, what a shame that the first thread disappeared because otherwise we could now check what did we think last year when Kimi was so far behind in the points. It would be interesting!

 

[Kinga]

Excellent news!!!!:clapping:

Excellent news!!! :clapping:

Räikkönen extends Ferrari deal (till 2010)

The following is a statement from Ferrari: “Ferrari announces that it has extended its agreement with Kimi Raikkonen to the end of the 2010 race season. Therefore, the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver line-up remains unchanged for the next two coming seasons.”

HAAANNNAAA!!! :wild:

Have you read this!!!???!!! You don't have anything to say!!!!???!!!!???

:cheers:

We didn't have this thread before, at least I didn't create anything because I came here in January this year.

Did you have a thread like this before that also?

Btw, you can watch free practises through this live stream:
http://www.soccer-live.pl/ITVF1/f1player.php

 

[Kinga]

Raikkonen: Retiring was never an option

By Jonathan Noble and Pablo ElizaldeFriday, September 12th 2008, 14:09 GMT

Kimi Raikkonen said retirement was never option for him after announcing he had extended his contract with the Ferrari team until 2010.

The Finn's future had been surrounded by wild speculation in recent months, especially since he has struggled to match the results of teammate Felipe Massa.

Ferrari put an end to all the rumours on Friday, however, confirming both drivers would stay on for another two years.

"I never said it (retirement) was (as option). It was all you guys," Raikkonen told reporters at Monza. "It was not what I said. I said I had a contract for the next year at least and then we see after that. I have a couple more years and we look when the times comes for what happens after that."

He added: "I always had a contract for next year anyway. I never said I was going to retire, it came from you guys. I still enjoy it. I still drive as well as I can.

"Sometimes when the results are not coming it is not such good fun but it doesn't mean that I don't enjoy it. It was not a very difficult choice. I enjoy working with the people, so I am happy."

Despite his problems inside the car, Raikkonen said he had no worries about his future.

"I haven't been worrying about anything. It was my decision, so I knew what I could do and what is possible. It doesn't change anything for this year or the future - I still try to do the best I can.
"And hopefully now we have started to find the way we want and hopefully we can get a good result."

The Finn admitted changing teams was never a possibility either.

"I wouldn't go anywhere else. I won last year and we are still not out this year. I still enjoy it, even though sometimes it is not such good fun.

"When the results are not coming, it is nothing to do with the team or me - it is just that we didn't get it right together. We are making things go in the right direction though."

 

[The One.]

YES SORRY I read that and they just had in on the news also!! It's great!!!! No more speculating it's for suuurreee :clapping: :clapping::wild: :wild: :wub:


And yes we did have this thread earlier... I thought you were there too? Check the first post of this thread... I thought I remember when I was posting about the win last October... hmm...

 

[Kinga]

Exclusive Raikkonen Q&A: We need to take every chance

Never underestimate a sly old fox. When most had discounted him as a title contender, last year Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen gave his competitors a dressing down in the season’s final races and walked away with the crown. With a 19-point deficit on championship leader Lewis Hamilton, Raikkonen seems to be facing a similar situation in 2008, though now with team mate Felipe Massa also among his rivals. Ferrari haven’t yet picked a favourite, but the Finn knows he must perform well in Monza if he is to stay in the picture…

Q: Kimi, how is life as the reigning world champion? You have been in the public eye for quite a while but the title must have increased attention on you? How do you deal with that?
Kimi Raikkonen: It’s true, it increased but it has not changed any normal living. I wouldn’t say that anything is different for myself - and the racing is still the same. But yes, it’s nice to be the champ. I always wanted to achieve that - and it’s something that can never be taken away from me. This is the really great part!

Q: Driving for Ferrari is every aspiring young race driver’s dream. Is it a dream come true for you?
KR: It was a dream at one point for me as I always wanted to come into Formula One and be with a top team. So far I’ve been lucky to be in two top teams. I enjoy being here and I had a fantastic time last year - when I joined last season, I had more fun than I have had in a long time. It is a great place to be, working with all these 120 percent-committed people. And red suits me, I would say.

Q: This season must be like a deja vu for you. As in 2007, you are playing catch up in the title race. But what is different to last season?
KR: Well, so far it has not been the easiest year. There have been a lot of difficulties lately, but that is part of racing sometimes. We have had some issues in getting the car exactly how we want it. We had a strong first part of the season and then we faced some problems. It has been difficult, yes, and hopefully we can turn it around a bit and get some good results. It is not too late yet - but it is getting difficult with every race. Let’s wait and see how it develops.

Q: Last year it was you against Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. This year the title match involves your team mate. That obviously doesn’t make things easier…
KR: Of course not. But again, that is part of racing. At the end of the day, it does not matter who it is - you need to beat all of them. So it doesn’t make any difference if it is your team mate or somebody else. You need to be in front of everybody if you want to win.

Q: But teams can concentrate their efforts on one driver…
KR: We have never had that situation. Of course last year when it was clear that the other car had no chance - points-wise - then it was a different story. But as long as we have every chance, we need to take them. Until that ‘no-chance situation’ comes, it is up to us to move forward - or to come back in my case.

Q: If your chances decrease, will you play the role of supporter to Felipe?
KR: When I clearly have no chance at all then it is a different story. But then that is not up to me. First Felipe needs to be in a position where he can try to win, and then if there is something that the team will benefit from, then it might be yes. But until that situation comes, I am not interested in talking about it.

Q: The championship is still wide open with five races to go and 50 points up for grabs. At what point would you accept that your chances to win the title have evaporated?
KR: As I just said, when it is clear that I will not be able to make enough points.

Q: In Spa you drove for all or nothing. In hindsight, would you do it all over again or settle for securing some points?
KR: I wanted to win - or nothing. Unfortunately I got nothing that time, but at least I had more fun that at many races before. And what are sure points? I needed more points than the others, so realistically I was in a position where I didn’t have much to lose, so I went for it. Afterwards it is always easy to say that by playing safe I would have probably ended in second place, but that is not the right way to win. I want to win it on the circuit rather than after the race. What happened in Spa happened. Again, that’s racing.

Q: The F2008 seems to be a very different machine to last year’s car. Are you still struggling to adapt your driving style to its characteristics?
KR: I would not say that the car is so different to last year. It is more about getting the tyres the way you want them to behave - that is the biggest issue. But then again, they are the same for everybody. When you compare the tyres from a couple of years ago, what we have now is completely different. So hopefully next year when we get the slick tyres it will be more as it used to be - meaning that it will be more fun to drive. And it’s not about wanting the old car back, it is more about getting the package right for us. And the last races indicated that we are on the right track.

Q: Monza is Ferrari’s backyard. It’s almost an obligation to succeed here. You have never won this race. How much ambition is there to walk away with the trophy on Sunday?
KR: I have never made it here although the chances were there. It would of course be great to win here - especially as it is the home Grand Prix for Ferrari. And hopefully we are in a position on Sunday to fight for it - that would be great.

Q: What about you and Felipe? Is there a rivalry?
KR: It is like at any other race. I try to win, he tries to win. This is normal procedure in a top team.

Q: You wouldn’t die for it, but what would a race win here be worth to you?
KR: Of course not. But be assured that I really want to win here and it would make me more happy than in a long time to be on the top spot of the podium on Sunday.

Q: Were you satisfied with the test here two weeks ago. Did it give you any indication of what your performance level will be?
KR: The test was not bad. It was definitely better than where we were one year ago, so we should have quite a good chance of a good result, but it depends on many things. If we get everything running well and the weather stays nice, that would improve our chances.

Q: All that sounds as if you are still enjoying racing…
KR: I would not be here otherwise!

 

[SIDEWALK]

apperently i look like Kimi Räikkönen, is that a good thing?

 

[Mechi]

apperently i look like Kimi Räikkönen, is that a good thing?

uh oh lol better take care Kinga will probably fall in lave with you!!! :cheeky:

 

[Kinga]

apperently i look like Kimi Räikkönen, is that a good thing?

For me, it's good! :lol: I find him cute and sexy. :wub: Where is your photo? :blush:

uh oh lol better take care Kinga will probably fall in lave with you!!! :cheeky:

:lmao: :blush:

 

[Mechi]

For me, it's good! :lol: I find him cute and sexy. :wub: Where is your photo? :blush:



:lmao: :blush:

As I'm always helpfull I've found this for you Kinga... link was posted in the member thread from sidewalk...

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/2935/dsc01269lc2.jpg

 

[Mechi]

Qualifying results:

Platz
Fahrer
Team
1.
Sebastian Vettel
Scuderia Toro Rosso
2.
Heikki Kovalainen
McLaren-Mercedes
3.
Mark Webber
Red Bull Racing
4.
Sebastien Bourdais
Scuderia Toro Rosso
5.
Nico Rosberg
Williams F1 Team
6.
Felipe Massa
Ferrari
7.
Jarno Trulli
Toyota
8.
Fernando Alonso
Renault
9.
Timo Glock
Toyota
10.
Nick Heidfeld
BMW Sauber F1 Team
11.*
Robert Kubica
BMW Sauber F1 Team
12.*
Giancarlo Fisichella
Force India
13.*
David Coulthard
Red Bull Racing
14.*
Kimi Räikkönen
Ferrari
15.*
Lewis Hamilton
McLaren-Mercedes
16.**
Rubens Barrichello
Honda Racing F1 Team
17.**
Nelson Piquet, Jr.
Renault
18.**
Kazuki Nakajima
Williams F1 Team
19.**
Jenson Button
Honda Racing F1 Team
20.**
Adrian Sutil
Force India

 

[Kinga]

^^^Those results are shocking...:doh: Just how the weather was...:mello:

I'm happy for Kimi's buddy, Vettel... and what about Kimi's and Hamster's results??? That's not good that they will start the race sidy by side... I'm afraid of Hamster. Could have been better if Massa would have been around them, too.

As I'm always helpfull I've found this for you Kinga... link was posted in the member thread from sidewalk...

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/2935/dsc01269lc2.jpg

:lol: thank you. It could have been better to see a clearer pic of Sidewalk but from this photo I can see similarities. :yes: