YES! YES! YES! Bois, THAT'S what i'm talking about! YES! Woooohhhooooooo.....Yes!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Ben
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YES! YES! YES! Bois, THAT'S what i'm talking about! YES! Woooohhhooooooo.....Yes!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Ben
Can't wait already.
How long til F1 2012.
Come on Come on Come on.....
Anyway this is great for F1, 6 world champions and world class driver. This should be fun.
I can see Lotus Renault designing a competitive car that's capable of taking podiums. Obviously, in 2011 their car had not performed as was expected at the beginning of the season, but that was because of a bad engineering design decision that could not be undone in mid season.
Great news that Kimi is coming back and that we'll see six world champions in F1 next year. Here's hoping that the other drive at Lotus goes to Grosjean, Senna or even Barrichello or Sutil rather than Petrov.
maybe we can now overcome some of the boredom - Go Kimi
I think this is awesome news! It is great to have him back.
Let's just hope he doesn't shove a photographer again.
Great to see Kimi back!
great news
Yep, Massa had more points but as a whole they were quite evenly matched. Anyway, by 2009 Räikkönen had fallen out of favour at Ferrari and we know what happens after that. Just look at Massa's performances after he was relegated to a left-over man.Quote:
Originally Posted by ioan
Welcome back Kimi - I'm glad you're back - hope the car is better next year so you can get some podium places, or even win a few races.
If that affected his performance I'd be pretty concerned.Quote:
Originally Posted by henners88
Let's be realistic for a moment now. Renault team has already admitted that the FEE concept was a failure, because it was inefficient for upgrade packages and they already had an experienced driver like Heidfeld on board to help with development. To think that Räikkönen would have magically managed to develop the car, doesn't make sense.Quote:
Originally Posted by 52Paddy
You do have a point in retrospect. Kimi isn't a man who I've ever considered a good development driver. I guess I was just basing my opinion on the back of his experience. Also, I was unaware of the failed FEE concept - I must have been asleep all year :p : I simply thought their performance petered off. Fair point though I still expect they will have a better year than 2011 - even if not as exceptional as I first remarked.Quote:
Originally Posted by jens
Cheers lad. Missed the video altogether - I really am asleep these days :mark:Quote:
Originally Posted by kfzmeister
I agree. Räikkönen is not a magician when it comes to car development. However, he will get the most out of the car. The same really cannot be said about Petrov who is still an unknown quantity. I'm sure that Renault's tally this year would have been better with Kubica on board and that's the reason they signed Kimi. Kubica is a known quantity, so is Räikkönen.Quote:
Originally Posted by jens
I just presented the bare facts, you first say yes it's true but... fill in subjective view...Quote:
Originally Posted by DexDexter
Back to Bezza's point, what is so great about beating Fisi and Badoer after being hung out to dry by Massa?
Kubica is a known quantity? I beg to differ.Quote:
Originally Posted by DexDexter
Raikkonen is a known quantity? Again, based on what exactly?
Kubica doesn't even know if he can driver a F1 car again.
Kimi didn't drive and F1 car for 2 seasons, and he's never been a known quantity for anything else but his don't care attitude.
Based on what?Quote:
Originally Posted by ioan
Being a champion?
Being runner up twice?
Kimi didn't drive for two seasons... How many seasons did your Uncle Mike not drive for? :o
Well, there are those of us who still remember things such as Suzuka 2005.Quote:
Originally Posted by ioan
For all the hoopla around him, Vettel is yet to show a performance like that.
More bare facts, Räikkönen outqualified Massa more often than not in 2009 before Massa's accident. Anyway, haven't you and I discussed this particular thing quite thoroughly in the past. :p : It's good to see him back but I really don't think he is going to get along with Bouillier.Quote:
Originally Posted by ioan
He is a WDC plus two-time runner up at only 32. You don't lose your ability overnight at that age. Kubica WAS a known quantity when they hired him, sorry about using the present tense.Quote:
Originally Posted by ioan
Funny article on Kimi from finnish sports reporter 'Anette' something.. I hear she was driving carting with Kimi when they were 13 or 14 and thats why Kimi always gives her the interviews (might help that she is really hot too!).
Anyways.. the original (in finnish) is here Kiitti Kimi! - MTV3.fi - Urheilu - Blogit - Racegirl
and here is the translation:
Thanks, Kimi!
MTV3 was the first media which published the news about Kimi Räikkönen transition from Formula One to the World Rally Championship. It was at the end of the year 2009.
This started the spaculations about his success in rallying - some thought he would even win races and others were more realistic and wished that he could finnish off races in the top ten.
We all remember Kim's first 2010 WRC rally in Sweden? Kimi was a Citroen Junior Team driver at the time. For the first time we could all witness the Iceman digging out the car from the snow. The car slipped from the road and for 25 minutes Raikkonen was shoveling snow, with a big woolhat over his ears, dripping sweat, with the world's smallest plastic snow shovel. The Iceman ended the race on Sunday at rank 30 and the difference
to the top was around 37 minutes.
That same year, Kimi drove a the best result of his World Rally Championship career.
In the Turkish Grand Prix Raikkonen was fifth and there was a lot of praise for him after the event. After the rally the Iceman jumped into his private jet and flew to Switzerland while we others stayed stuck in Turkey due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland.
Homecoming took us another 67 hours, for others even longer. Everyone should have their own private jet.
What Kimi certainly appreciated in rallying, was the privacy that he got there.
Journalists / media did not run after him, but he was left in peace. If Kimi was not in the mood to talk, he was left alone with his team. Many foreign reporters came to us to ask what Kimi had said after the interview. Sometimes when the Iceman melted and flashed us
nice smile, the foreigner reportes thought he had said something really funny. Usually it was probably only Kimi laughing at the reporters question.
The fans never left Kimi even though he had changed to the new world of rally-racing. In front of the pit there were always fans shouting kimis name and carrying boards with Kimis name. For example the japanese fans were surprisingly good at pronouncing Kimis full name.
In Kimis first WRC year he had many outings off the road. I don't remember which GP it was but when the forest was calling Kimi again and he had landed his vehicle kimi let out the finnish saying "Voi vittujen kevät!" (Note: meaning pretty much "Fuc king 5hit!"). North One Sports owns the rally promotional rights, and they both film and produce the WRC broadcasts. They asked us to look at Kimis onboard-camera material and asked us to translate what Kimi had said after the car had stopped after doing a somersault. The recap of the conversation:
(original in english as in Anettes blog - not translated)
Anette: Öö it´s kinda hard to translate this…
North One Sport reporter: Well try, we need to know what he says.
Anette: OK, straight translate would be: Spring time of the pussies
North One Sport reporter: Really? What the hell does it mean??? U
finns are weird, we will not use that onboard piece.
Another unfortunate outing was in spain in 2010 which became his shortest ever ralley. He flew off the road on the test special stage. The cars roll bar bend a little and the game was finished. This year after the Rally Catalonia he didn't want to give anyone interviews. We finnish reporters were wondering what this was about? After the rally I asked Kimi why he didn't want to give any interviews? Kimi told me he just had a bad day. He didn't want to talk to us because he would have said something stupid. Yes, even world champions have bad days. This was honesty from Kimis side that I appriciate.
All in all it was great to see Kimi in Rally. I sent him congratulations in a textmessage on tuesday after his renault-contract was published. Usually he doesn't answer my messages but now he answered "Thanks".
So the Iceman is exited about his comeback to to F1! See you next year in Formula One!
ChampionshipsQuote:
Originally Posted by ioan
Wins 18
Podiums 62 in 156 races (40%)
Pole positions 16
Fastest laps 35
Championships
2 (2003 and 2005)
1 (2007)
3 (2008)
Not so bad :)
Compared with AlonsoQuote:
Originally Posted by jas123f1
Wins 27
Podiums 73 in 177 races (41%)
Pole positions 20
Fastest laps 19
Championships
1st (2005 and 2006)
3rd (2007)
2nd (2010)
Alonso and Kimi has quite similar results at Ferrari too ..
Kimi (2007 > 2009) at Ferrari
3 years: (2007 > 2009) 26 podiums 52 races (50%) - 9 wins (17%)
2 first years (2007 > 2008): 21 podiums 35 races (60%) - 8 wins (23%)
2 latest years (2008 > 2009): 14 podiums 35 races 40% - 3 wins (8%)
Alonso (2010 > 2011) at Ferrari
2 years: 20 podiums 38 races (52%) - 6 wins (16%)
Much is depending on the car of course :)
Might not be an issue if Eric gets sh!tcanned!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by DexDexter
Kimi is cool. I'm glad that he is back. Hopefully Romain will be his teammate :)
He´s back and even if he has a not so good car he will score some podiums on occasion, perhaps even a win. What suprises me is a minor thing, the hate people on some boards showe him (not this one). So many people have belitteld him and predict that no team ever would want him again, are thoose dissapointed or do they fear him?
I´m suprised that kimi is twice as popular than the next driver in F1.
Your favourite driver in 2012? - The AUTOSPORT Bulletin Board
Mia, you don´t have to be surprised.
He has allways been very popular among fans. And with teams too.
But as we all know money talks....
RK and KR as a team sounds really exciting.
As for driver lineup IMO the strongest.
Perhaps Lotus (Renault) will get some big sponsors...must be easier with a lineup like that.
Money again, something all top teams need.... to be competitive in the long run.
That's true - Kimi is the absolutely favorite among fans - because we know him - we don't ask him to play any roles - for us he is Kimi and it's enough .. we really like him - that's it.. I glad he want to be part of the show again,*realy*glad*..*he*is*the*guy*who*makes Formula 1 "different" ..Quote:
Originally Posted by P3ws
I would like if every one would say : Welcome back to F1 Kimi.. He deserve it ..
Raikkonen owns slice of Lotus F1 team
Quote:
Dec.5 (GMM/Inautonews.com) Kimi Raikkonen is also a minor shareholder of the newly-renamed Lotus team, according to reports.
Spain’s El Mundo Deportivo, and Italy’s Italiaracing, claim the 2007 world champion traded income and performance bonuses for an actual slice of the Genii-controlled team that is based at Enstone, UK.
That approach has been discussed in the past, and it makes me wonder if has long term aspirations of running or owning a team.Quote:
Originally Posted by CNR
Could be or maybe he wants to avoid a Ferrari-like situation where he is pushed out by sponsors and team politics. If you're a part owner, it won't be so easy to put you on a sidetrack.Quote:
Originally Posted by airshifter
He's a good lad :)Quote:
Originally Posted by DexDexter
Haha, the video is awesome...
That makes sense as well. If they forced him out it would affect them financially.Quote:
Originally Posted by DexDexter
I bet Ferrari still don't understand the decision they made.
That is hilarious! :laugh: The guy's developing a nice sense of humor. Not too long until I also become a Vettel fan.Quote:
Originally Posted by DexDexter
Although if only he would stop sticking that dreaded finger up after getting pole. :hmph:
By the way, has there ever been a year in Formula 1 history when every world champion from the previous 11 years was still racing?
Or 12 years even! That's a good stat, and I'm pretty sure the answer will be no it's never happened before, not even close. In '68, '91 and '06 the previous 6 years' champions were all competing.Quote:
Originally Posted by zako85