Interviews: World Champion Exclusive | Testing

An exclusive interview with Kimi from Corriere dello Sport

Q: ”Kimi, welcome back to work. It’s something different returning to work as a world champion, isn’t it?
Raikkonen: ”It’s definately a nice feeling. But winning the title hasn’t changed my life. It is what I wanted, what I had always desired to become when I started driving. I’ve tried it for many years, I’ve come very close to it twice. At the end it came to me.”

 
Q: It’s a very special championship.
Raikkonen: ”Special because it was a really unexpected one. In fact, at some stage we looked beaten. We’ve overcome our difficulties and we’ve done it. It’s true, finishing first like that has a different taste to it.”

Q: Some people say that on the night after becoming world champion, you’ve celebrated in a rather, how do you say it…. obstreperous fashion…
Raikkonen: ”(Laughs) We’ve had a nice party and that was all.”

Q: But the story didnd’t even end there. How did you experience the ‘fuel case’ that could have cost you the title?
Raikkonen: ”I wasn’t worried. It’s a mood I always try to avoid getting in. Let’s say I was rather confident. There were no reasons to change the result in Brasil. It’s true that you’re never certain of anything. This year really a whole lot of things happened.”

Q: So…?
Raikkonen: ”So I was at home waiting for news to come out, without much distress. Domenicali called me up to tell me everything had gone well. At the end it’s what I had expected. But at that point I’ve started to fully feel a world champion.”

Q: And you say nothing has changed?
Raikkonen: ”I haven’t changed. My life hasn’t changed. I can understand that some people look at me in a different way now. The world title perhaps changed things for others, not for me. Let’s put it like this: I’ve reached a goal that I’ve been striving for for a long time.”

Q: To get to the point, you’ve given up driving for a team that seemed to be made for you, McLaren, and you’ve gone to a team that apparantly wouldn’t have suited you, Ferrari.
Raikkonen: ”And I’m happy that the world title has come here (at Ferrari). At Ferrari I feel very well, and I’ve left McLaren because they had some problems, that seems obvious to me.”

Q: Problems similar to those experienced by Alonso and Hamilton this year?
Raikkonen: ”I don’t feel like getting into this diatribe at all. What happened at McLaren (this year) doesn’t interest me, honestly. I was in a situation that I didn’t like much. Not things strictly related to the races. It were rather things to do with my behaviour, my way to fill in my spare time. I’ve always been very clear: I want to live my life!”

Q: How would you have felt in Alonso’s place?
Raikkonen: ”Not even bad, I’d say. I’ve always looked to the relationship with my teammates with great ease.”

Q: And if he finds a seat at Ferrari in 2009?
Raikkonen: ”No problem. I won’t change my way of life, or that of driving. It would be interesting to compete against each other in the same car. But I don’t know when and if it will happen. Perhaps it takes a very long time.”

Q: Was your relationship with Ron Dennis very tense?
Raikkonen: ”Oh, we’ve had some discussions. But no e-mail contact.”

Q: In short, at Ferrari you feel a lot better…
Raikkonen: ”Definately. I’m happy with the team, I’m satisfied about the relationship with the engineers and all the rest of it. I don’t see any reason to move anywhere else. This team is simply it for me. I don’t know if this will be my last contract, but I want Ferrari to be my last team.”

Q: Are you already thinking about retiring?
Raikkonen: ”Not at all. My horizon goes as far as 2009, when my contract with Ferrari comes to an end. I don’t restrain myself with any limits. I don’t know for how many more years I will drive.”

Q: But surely you know how many more world titles you want to win. Hamilton has said he wants seven.
Raikkonen: ”I’ve always said that I didn’t want to retire as long as I hadn’t won one. This objective has been reached. Now I want other titles, as many as possible. To start off with the next.”

Q: And if you don’t make it next year?
Raikkonen: ”Then I’ll try again in 2009. I definately haven’t run out of fuel for the moment.”

Q: Let’s talk about this championship once more, the one you just won. How did Hamilton lose out on it?
Raikkonen: ”Simple. He made a number of mistakes. His car was very reliable and he’s done silly things at the wrong moments. It happened.”

Q: In his debut year with McLaren do you think he collapsed under the weight of this very hard season…
Raikkonen: ”I don’t know if it’s relevant to talk about him being a rookie. I think that finding yourself in a certain situation and in a team in which the psychological pressure is always high, he has had his share in going the wrong way at the decisive moment.”

Q: Are these Hamilton’s woes and Raikkonen’s merits?
Raikkonen: ”I’ve won more races. In racing that’s how it works.”

Q: But there’s something not right. You’ve won the title in a way people should still be remembering it after a long time. Instead, we’re always talking about Hamilton the rising star, about Schumacher who won’t come back racing, or perhaps he does, about Alonso who still hasn’t found a team. Isn’t that strange to you?
Raikkonen: ”That seems very nice to me. In that way the others are always in the spotlights and I live a quiet and amusing life. You know what ? I’m world champion and nothing changes anything to that. The only thing that interests me is the trophy that belongs to the world champion and that I’m going to collect in Monaco on Friday. I gladly let the others have other rewards, those like the driver of the year and that kind of thing.”

Q: Do you not feel the best driver having won the title?
Raikkonen: ”Coming from the presumption that Formula 1 drivers are the best in the world, that means I’m one of the 22 and that already means a lot to me.”

Q: Thursday you will take part in the celebrations of Finlands’ independance, Friday you’ll go to Monco and on Saterday you’ll go to Maranello for Ferrari’s Christmas party. What do you think you’ll enjoy most?
Raikkonen: ”At the feast on Saturday, the least official one. There are a lot of kids. I like kids.

Q: Once you chose a pseudonim for an ice race. You chose James Hunt. Why?
Raikkonen:”He was a character I’ve always liked. He was a world champion and lived in a way I liked. A different driver to all the others I’d known. But Formula 1 as a whole was probably different in the ’70’s.”

Q: You’re a universial character too now, a world champion, even though you’re still not driving with the number 1 on the car. Feelings about that?
Raikkonen: ”The number isn’t all that important even though I’ll like it more when I see the 1 on my car. I’ve won and I count on becoming it again next year. But I’m perfectly aware that will be very difficult.

Q: More or less difficult to drive without traction control?
Raikkonen:”From that point of view, it will be fun. When I’ve sat in the car it felt as if we were in 2000 when I tested the Sauber at Mugello without electronic aids. I’ve had the impression of being younger, not bad.”

Q: How will the driving style change in the race?
Raikkonen: ”Essentially, you’ll need to be more concentrated. Every small distractions could lead to a decisive mistake. It won’t be that easy.”

Q: Schumacher now has a much more active role within the team compared to the last months. Did your relationship with him change?
Raikkonen: ”Not at all. I continue to have an absolute friendly, I’d say normal, relationship with Michael. We’re not the best of friends. We don’t call each other regularly, we don’t go out together in the evening. But that doesn’t mean anything. It’s the same with Felipe.”

Q: But it was wise of the team not to let you two test together.
Raikkonen: ”Yes, for a number of good reasons. First of all there’s no temptation to push very hard just for the sake of it. And then a lot of useless talk is avoided.

Q: Can I ask you a comment on an alleged love story in the papers about you and an Italian girl.
Raikkonen: ”Of course you can ask that and of course I won’t respond to it.”

Of course, we fans at
KRS didn’t respond to the silly, scandalous gossip either! I call this the first proper interview with the world campion because, quite frankly, it is. The questions posed have been undoubtedly on the minds all of Kimi fans and he has sat back and answered them in great depth, more than he usually does. It’s a great insight to what Kimi Matias Raikkonen is all about. A humble thank you to Correire dello Sport for this interview.

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Interview with Kimi at Testing, 6th December
From Autosport.com

Q. So how is it coming back to the track?

Kimi Raikkonen: I tried some electronics and it was pretty good.

Q. You will get the award for winning the title this weekend too…

KR: It is nice to get it finally, but it is more important to win it. But is nice to finally get it.

Q. What are your expectations for the next year?

KR: It is too early to say, we have work to do. We will get
the car at the beginning of next year and we’ll see where we are but so
far it is looking good.

Q. You drove for McLaren in the past, what do you think the team is going through?

KR: I am not interested, it is not my problem. I am happy where I am.

Q. Does it feel any different to be in the car as a champion?

KR: No, it is the same still. Driving is the same. Of course
it is a bit different with all the electronics being taken away. It is
a bit more tricky but it is also good.

Q. How is it driving without traction control

KR: Like I said it is a bit more tricky in some areas. It is
good fun, it just takes time to get everything sorted so we have to
work.

Q. Next year you will hunted, does it change anything?

KR: Not really, I think everyone starts in the same position
again. We want to win again, both titles. It’s nice to have achieved it
once but it would be nice to do it again.

Q. What do you think of Michael Schumacher driving?

KR: It is good if he is still good to test and good fun for him. It sure will help us, there’s nothing negative about it.

Q. Are you happy you are faster than McLaren?

KR: It is only a test, but it is winter. We did well yesterday and good today so far.

Q. Is Michael testing really helping you? He has different style to you.

KR:It is not going to change anything for next year so for
me it does not matter. If he wants to test, he tests, it is not taking
anything away from me. I am happy for him.

Q. Why did you not try the slicks?

KR: I think someone else is going to try it tomorrow or in the last day. It is not next year so there is no reason to try now.

Q. How is the car? Is it easier for all the drivers?

KR: I think it is the same for everybody and it takes a while
to get used to it. The car and the driver will make a difference, so it
is ok, just tricky, but also good fun.

Q. Without Alonso, do you think McLaren will will suffer in the development?

KR: I don’t know, you ask them.

Yes, only McLaren would know about that! Great to see Kimi is having good fun at the tests.