Video Interview: Kimi’s first 3 days at Ferrari

| Source: ferrari.com | full transcript below |

The first three “official” days of Kimi Raikkonen’s second stint with the Prancing Horse proved useful for him to familiarise himself with the technical aspects that go to make up part of a driver’s job wherever he is. In addition, it was also a chance for him to re-immerse himself in the special atmosphere only to be found at Ferrari. Below are five videos where Kimi talks about the fans, the team, F1, Maranello and the FF.

Kimi’s world – Raikkonen and the fans

 

Kimi’s world – Raikkonen and the team

 

Kimi’s world – Raikkonen and the Formula 1

 

Kimi’s world – Raikkonen and Maranello

 

Kimi’s world – Raikkonen and the FF

Kimi plays down 2014 changes

“My feeling is that it’s not going to be as different as people think. But I might be wrong.”

Driving new F1 turbos won’t be as difficult as people think (full transcript of video interview)

Q: How does it feel to be back at Maranello?
KR: It’s nice to come back here [Maranello], obviously it is nice to be back and seeing the people that were here when I was at Ferrari. Also some new people, but it has been so far very good. There are a lot of good people in the team, with a lot of knowledge. We have to the best and see where we end up, but there is the chance that we can do very well.

Q:  What’s the target for the future?
KR: There’s only thing we try to do and that is to win championships. Hopefully as a team we can do that. It’s going to be difficult, especially with the new rules. It’s very hard to say who is where and how its going to be. Thats the only thing we try to do and that is to win championships. Hopefully as a team we can do that. It’s going to be difficult, especially with the new rules. It’s very hard to say who is where and how its going to be.

Q: Your return has made Ferrari fans very happy…
KR: As always nice to have fans and the fact that they are happy I came back to Ferrari is obviously a bonus. And hopefully we can get the results and make them even happier.

Q: How different will it be with new regulations and the all new Formula V6 turbo cars?
KR: My feeling is that driving the new cars will not be as difficult as people think. Hopefully we find out it is pretty simple. For sure it will be difficult for the technical people, all those who have to make a new engine, new gearboxes and all this. But it is not affecting so much the driver, I think. Sure we have new buttons and things to follow, let’s wait and see. It will be much easier to say after the first test.

Q: How do you feel about double points to be awarded at the final race of the season?
KR: This is the same for everybody It might help somebody or might be against somebody, and obviously people who it helps will like it. For me it doesn’t matter what it is. It’s the rule, so like it or not it isn’t going to change.

Q: What’s your favourite track?
KR: Spa is very nice track because it is sort of old fashioned, there ae some nice new circuitts too where they have done a good job. The United States track and India [were] quite nice. I quite liked it.

Q: You were in the Ferrari simulator?
KR: We did some work on the simulator and we will do more later, but mainly to check some of the buttons and see how things work.

Q: What are your thoughts on your new race engineer Antonio Spagnolo?
KR: We worked with him together before for two years, he was the data engineer for me. I know him from that time already, so basically it wasn’t too difficult and it was nice to see him. I saw him at some races and we spoke quickly when we passed each other in the paddock. For him it is a new challenge, but he knows the systems and has a lot of experience, so I thinbk it should be fine. Obviously we have to start from somewhere and then build things together. I don’t see any problems, or wy it shouldn’t be good. So it’s only exciting.

Raikkonen will be in action in a Ferrari, for the first time since 2009, during the first day of testing at Jerez on 28 January at the wheel of the team’s 2014 turbo powered car.