The Ferrari team kicked off on Wednesday their final test of the season at the Mugello circuit in Italy.
Test driver Luca Badoer took the Tuscan circuit to carry out a
programme of developing aerodynamic solutions aimed at the final four
races of the season. He also did some work on car set-up.
Badoer covered a total of 66 laps with a best time of 1:21.010.
Kimi Raikkonen will take over from Badoer today, while Felipe Massa
will be in action at Fiorano to carry out the shakedown of the cars
that will be used at the Singapore Grand Prix.
(Source AFCA) While Badoer was driving his last laps at Mugello, Raikkonen
finished his work at the simulator at the Centro Ricerche FIAT at
Orbassano (Turin). His work yesterday was dedicated to a first contact with
the Singapore circuit, although just a virtual one. Kimi will be at
Mugello today, while Felipe Massa was already at Orbassano
yesterday.
It’s a brand new circuit and the race will also be during after sunset but Kimi isn’t keen on using simulators much. However, I guess there is no choice for this Singapore Grand Prix. I hope Kimi and the team cover some significant progress this week, it’s their only chance to improve their performance before heading to Singapore. Whether it makes any huge difference that it’s Massa who gets to test the cars that will be taken to Singapore, we can only hope Kimi gets enough from this test too:
A busy day’s work for Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, working at two venues:
at Fiorano with Felipe Massa and Mugello with Kimi Raikkonen.
On the Tuscan circuit, it was the second of three days of testing
planned for this week. Kimi continued with the job of developing new
aerodynamic solutions and work on finding the best set-up for the car,
which Luca Badoer had begun yesterday. The Finnish driver covered a
total of 79 laps, setting a best time of 1.21.079.
Felipe will drive at Mugello tomorrow, having been at Fiorano this
afternoon, carrying out the shakedown of the cars that the Scuderia
will use in the Singapore Grand Prix, scheduled for 28th September.
FUCK ISRAEL 
Hi guys, read this post from ITV’s Mark Hughes, he’s talking about Kimi’s contract extension :
The timing was peculiar, coming on the back of several recent below-par performances from the world champion and fevered speculation that his place would be taken by either Fernando Alonso or Robert Kubica in 2010.
There were several takes within the paddock on the logic of the announcement.
Take one: the face value take. Ferrari understand that Raikkonen’s recent difficulties are purely to do with adapting his driving style to a car reluctant to heat up its front tyres; and that next year, on slicks and with a completely new set of aero regulations, those characteristics will not apply.
Then we will see the essence of Kimi Raikkonen: a devastatingly fast, uncomplicated driver who is a perfect fit for Ferrari’s requirements.
Great analysis by Mark… This is the testimony in front of you… Clueless critics… go ahead and read the stuff. If u don’t believe me, go to http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=Mark_Hughes&id=44011
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"A devastatingly fast, uncomplicated driver…", could someone sum up our Kimster in better words? This season was and is just crappy for Kimi, not being able to show his true style/potential, I´m really hoping 2009, with all the aerodynamic devices gone and slick tyres, he´ll be able to go back to his old self, pedal to the metal, fearless driving. Because it´s the F2008 that doesn´t allow him to do that. 2009 is gonna be fun!(isn´t it? :s)On the matter of testing, why do Ferrari insist on having private tests from time to time? I know they own the private tracks and everything, but I just don´t get it. Does anyone know if any other motorsports will be testing the Singapore track before F1? No one has mentioned any testing at all, and this worries me, it´s a fresh track, they should test it with anything that has an engine on it! Because for Valencia, GP2 tested there first, to see that the surface of the track was ok and that it didn´t break off…if anyone knows anything, please post it. And God, it looks like it´s going to rain again, so more reason to test the track!;p
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Mark Hughes, I’ve known him from before and it’s been a while since I read his stuff actually! Nice find Hasan :)You can see pics of Kimi from the test today here, thanks to TaniaS on the official forum. My forum has been having a problem too now, so sorry about that. It’ll be fixed asap.
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oh and Sol…I guess we’re all in for a stonkingly good and exciting Singapore GP lol
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Sorry for another post but it’s relevant lolA few quotes from Italian Media (thanks to AFCA):
Raikkonen:
”I don’t feel like being the second driver. The title ? It’s
difficult, but I will try for as long as I still have a chance. The
only thing I’m interested in now is obtaining good results.”
”It won’t be easy for me to fight for the title but you never know,
miracles can happen. I will in any case try it race after race.
Hopefully I can have some good results, it’s been quite a while. In the
end I’ll see where I’ll be in the standings.”
”This morning things have gone well. We’ve tried out various solutions
to see how to improve the set-up of the car. Because of this I spent a
lot of time in the box, waiting for modifications to be made to the
car.”
Yesterday the current world champion was preparing for the upcoming GP
using the simulator in Orbassano: ”I’ve tried the Singapore circuit in
the simulator, but it was almost a game, to really find out about the
circuit we have to go there and drive on it. It’s always nice to be
confronted with new circuits, especially those where we’ll be driving
at night. It will be nice with the illuminated track. But in the
simulator it’s not the same thing. Driving a real car to then have a go
in the simulator is a completely different thing.”
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Also, the launch thingy or whatever of the Ferrari California (check out the California website video stream) is/was tonight, Kimi was there with the team, and Montezemolo apparently had a speech and said that Kimi will be No2/helping Massa for the title now.
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Montezemolo: "And now we, all of us, from the president, to the engineers, to the
mechanics, to Kimi, must do our best to make sure that Felipe wins the
title"Well well well, that’s the deal now guys. Unless Felipe makes a mess of it all himself, then it’s certain Kimi won’t retain his title this year. I’m sorry to say.
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Read here some more about the event.
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Ouch… "Tears on my pillow, pain in my heart…"
Hearing Monty say that feels pretty similar to when I was 19 and my girlfriend broke up with me. I kinda expected it – but it still hurt. Now I must raid the fridge to console myself.
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Same here Soren. I received my copy of F1Racing magazine this morning and while having my cup of tea I read Peter Windsor’s race report of Spa and it was mainly about Kimi. My eyes welled up, man! Also, Alan Henry praised Kimi for proving that he still is a proper ‘bedrock racer’.
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