For a change, it was nice to come back home from a race weekend. Looking at it, the most positive thing from both weekends was being strong in qualifying – at last.The car is more to my liking and, because of that, we started on the front row at both Fuji and Shanghai. It gave a good feeling. Finally we got something back from the hard work the team has done with the car. We have done some right things while the results have improved.
I like sushi and Chinese food too, but of course I liked it more to get back onto the podium. We need a strong finish to the season. A positive finish gives a positive feeling for the long winter and a good starting point for next year.
The possibility of a win was almost there. But the race pace was not enough in China. I had a better feeling with the car all the time which felt positive. But it still wasn’t the 100% we wanted it to be.
We could not exactly match the speed of the McLaren during the whole weekend. Hamilton was quicker than us in the first few laps of the race and, again, quicker with the new tyres after the stops. We managed to get a little bit closer but obviously it was too late. While we had the same amount of fuel, only a mistake from them would have made it possible to try and beat Hamilton.
I became 29 years old on Friday at China. Birthdays come and go, but it was so nice to see and hear that so many fans remembered and supported me, although this season has not been my best. Thank you all for the support.
Last year I had the best weekend of my life in Brazil. I will never forget that. Now we head for Brazil again and obviously what happened there last time will give me such a great feeling again. This time we’ll try our very best to repeat that 1-2 result again. We will try to fight for the win and we will monitor what is happening and act accordingly.
My approach is the same as it was when going to the last two races. The qualifying is very important. The front row would be fantastic again. Let’s wait and see, how it pays out this time.
We made the best of it from the position we had in China. While I cannot win the driver’s championship anymore, it was the same finishing second of third for me. The main thing is that I was able to get 14 points for Ferrari. The team still fight hard for both championships.
I’m a team member and I’m more than happy to do my share and to help the team win the championships in the season final.
What a great review from Kimi (read the Finnish translation in the comments section below). He’s taking the positive of finally having a more comfortable car in qualifying to get a better result in Brazil. For the team. His last sentence shows his dedication and appreciation to the team who took him in 2007 and made him a world champion. I don’t expect anymore criticisms to assume otherwise.
The fans in China were in bigger force than they were last year. Not only does this show the growing support for Kimi, but even at a time where he’s said 2008 hasn’t been his best year, we have shown our loyal support and eternal love for him. It definately was emotional for me to see all that support, those banners and hundreds of Finnish flags. So Kimi really appreciated it. Well done guys. It was made clear that ‘through the highs and lows, keep flying Kimi!’
And it’s touching that Kimi mentioned his last weekend in Brazil, where he became world champion. As you would have already seen yesterday or perhaps not yet, I also mentioned I’ll never forget it. We’ll never forget it! It was all the hard work of six damn years, all the blood, sweat and tears, compressed into one moment and exploded in the Kimi fan community around the world. We stood by him through that time, so another bad year wasn’t going to change anything. Next season will be a completely new chapter and one worth seeing, as each year has been as a Kimi fan.
| Send KRS Your Messages! | We have more than a week left till this season’s final Grand Prix. So till then, I want you all to email me a summary of your thoughts on 2008, as the season comes to a close. Keep them short (between 100-150 words) and if possible please do send in a picture of yourself to accompany your message!
The deadline is the 29th October.
KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN SPACE 
What else can be said about this great man? He takes it as it is, he can´t do anyhting about the title right now, so nothing better than to help his team, the team that helped him achieved his life long dream. I really am blown away by his approach to this year, any other driver would be bitching and moaning, not our Kimster! And he´s grateful and humble, that´s why he wants to help the team…..Great idea about the summary! I´ll try to keep it short, hehe……as a matter of fact, I´ll start a draft on that right now! ;pKeep flying Kimi – Keep flying Evenstar!!!
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Hey guys/girlie….I’m going through Heikki Kulta’s Kimi 2007 Review, and found Michael Schumacher wrote the following…
"This is for Heikki’s book only"
"When thinking about Kimi, I remember well 2 moments: The one when he crossed the finish line in Brasil to become world champion was for sure the stronger of both. I mean, "strong" is even a weak word for it. It was the unthinkable thing to do, and he did it, just like that. I do not know what he felt, but I definitely could not believe my eyes and felt more than happy.
You can only shake your head in disbelief and congratulate Kimi to have made the impossible possible.
The other moment I remember well was that cold late-season test-day in Mugello some years ago, when this young kid came up and drove a test for Sauber. It was by accident that I was testing that same day for Ferrari, and at the end of the day I called Jean (Todt) to tell him he had to have an eye on that boy. The time he did were really impressive for a rookie he was.
Well, the rookie became world champion. In a way, you could already see it then. Nice to know he did it with Ferrari. I am happy for him.
Congratulations!"
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Really, all that i read is so fabulous even Schumi’s words ! lol! that’s great to hear from him!
As usual, Kimi is just himself so lovely and Saima and all here are so great too!
i love the little stories about our Kimi, we can recognize what we know about him even more with!
It’s really comforting "through the lows" and nice "through the highs"!!!!!
all feelings mixed!
yeah, coz it’s also the end of a difficult year, a farewell to his "public" tittle even he’s forever the world champion in our heart!!
the best of all!
i’ve no rancour anyway,
i’m looking forward next year already too and have good hope!
KEEP FLYING KIMI! AND KEEP FLYING EVENSTAR!
(i will try to write some words of course for our Kimi and his unbelievable year, just few, i said i wil try!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hihihi!)
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@YiNing:…wow, that’s really cool of Schumi 🙂 Thanks for sharing that!@Marilyne: Good luck, hehe :p!
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Hiya girlies, it was my pleasure :)) Actually it’s kind of like the Foreword for the book and it’s in English – so rather easy for me :)) The other will require Finnish -> English dictionary…haha For example the title of the book "USKOMATON MESTARUUS" means "Incredible Champoinship". The book has total of 332 pages…if I calculate base on the speed of translating these 2 words…hmm.. good job that there are many photos in there. :))
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yes!i wiped a finnish flag last weekend~in front of Ferrari pit lane!and i did a banner~the pictures i used as background came from ur space~
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@Donut.Day: I thought so! I noticed a banner with two wallpaper pictures I made last year 🙂 I bet you had a great time making that noise for Kimi!
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Kimi’s column in it’s originality (Finnish translation by Nicole!)BETTER FEELINGS
For a change it was nice to come home from the trip. All and all I had
pretty positive feelings about what we achieved in Japan and China. The
best is that now the development work is going forward. We have done
things right when the results have improved.
Now we got to do more than just eat sushi. Two places on the podium
are just waiting for the 3rd one to follow. That way it’s much more
nicer to go on towards the next season. A good ending is important for
a good start next season.
Yet it wasn’t quite what we were looking for. In China we couldn’t
keep up with Hamilton’s ride. Our gallop just wasn’t enough. He was
faster in the beginning and when we at some point caught him a little
it was already too late to challenge him.
Because we had the same amount of fuel we couldn’t try and patch up
things during the pit stops. We would have needed him to make mistakes
so that we could have raced for the victory. McLaren was now a wee bit
too fast for us all weekend long.
When you look at the two latest races afterwards, the most positive
thing was of course that we were quite strong in the quali. It was a
good Q3 and I got to the front row in both of them.
The car is more like we want it to be like and it leads straight to
the fact that we could fight in quali for better positions. The hard
work finally paid off just like it should do too.
We could almost challenge for the victory too but the racing speed wasn’t quite in place.
The car felt good to drive but it was a bit too slow. At least the
good feeling came back and it’s great to move on to Brazil from there.
On Friday in China I got 29 filled up in my meter. The birthday
came and went. It was nice to see and hear that I have so many fans.
They remember and they support even though my season hasn’t been much
to brag about.
Last year I definitely had my best weekend in Brazil. I will never
forget it. Now we go there again to race and the memories make it one
big ongoing celebration. Now I drive only with the team’s best interest
in mind. I’ll fight for the victory and observe the situations so that
we get the best result for the team.
In China we got the best result out of that situation. When you no
longer can win the WDC it’s all the same if you’re 2nd or 3rd. The most
important thing is that we got those 14 points for Ferrari and we’ll
still fight for both championships.
We go to Brazil with the same attitude we went to Japan and China
with. We will do our best for the team and see what we are capable of
doing. Last year we had a fantastic car for that track and in Friday
practice we’ll see what chances we have to take the 1-2 result again,
the result the team hopes for.
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Thanks for this! He´s so sweet, "They remember and they support even though my season hasn’t been much
to brag about" , how was anyone going to forget??? Don´t you know already that we´re all the craziest Kimi fans around the world?!?! ;p Bless him!
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I really like Kimi in many ways. He has a high quality as the best F1 championship winner. Do not give up and he will be the best forever!
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