Alonso fired up by Raikkonen return
Source: yallaf1.com
Fernando Alonso believes that the return of Kimi Raikkonen will raise the game for 2012 and believes that there are more than a dozen drivers capable of winning races this season.
Alonso told TotalRace: “The fact that six champions will be on the grid raises the level of the championship. This makes me happy because it provides a big challenge and the desire to do well in a year with so many champions is higher for everyone.”
“Kimi’s return is certainly a very great news for all of us, not only to Formula 1, but also for the spectators, for people who love the races, because he is a very talented driver. I have always respected him and a driver you can trust racing wheel to wheel,” commented the 2005 and 2006 F1 world champion who replaced the Finn at Maranello for the 2010 season.
“We are 12 grand prix winners on the grid this season. So there are about 14 drivers capable of winning a race on Sunday if their car is any good. This could be great fun for the fans,” added Alonso.
Trulli doubts Raikkonen fast on return
Source: yallaf1.com
Returning world champion Kimi Raikkonen will not immediately set the Formula 1 tracks alight in 2012, according to grand prix veteran Jarno Trulli.
Raikkonen, a winner of 18 races with top teams McLaren and Ferrari last decade, is returning with Lotus this season after a two-year sojourn in world rallying.
But Italian Trulli, whose season with Caterham in 2012 will be his sixteenth consecutively in F1, doubts the 32-year-old will be immediately fast.
“Yes, it will be difficult for Kimi when he has to re-adapt to a F1 car,” he told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“I don’t think at the very beginning Kimi is going to be fast,” added Trulli.
Lauda: Kimi needs a strong car
Source: autosport.com
Kimi Raikkonen will only return to his very best in Formula 1 this year if Lotus is able to provide him with an exceptional car.
That is the view of former world champion Niki Lauda, who welcomes the return of the 2007 title winner to F1 but thinks his potential will be very dependent on what machinery he is driving.
“It’s excellent news that he will be back,” Lauda told AUTOSPORT. “He is an exceptional personality and will create huge interest and excitement with media and fans.
“It is a good move for Renault or Lotus as the team is called now. It depends on how good the car will be, because Kimi will only shine in an excellent car.”
Lauda believes that Sebastian Vettel’s rivals are also going to face a mammoth task if they want to overhaul the double champion – and he has not ruled out the German dominating the forthcoming season again.
“Sebastian has gained a lot of confidence last year, and doesn’t make mistakes,” he said. “He will be the benchmark again. Who ever wants to beat him, must rely on a perfect car.”
Speaking about his predictions for the 2012 season, Lauda added: “Right now nobody knows how the new cars will perform. However, from a logical point of view, Red Bull should be out in front again because they only have to modify the exhaust and the diffuser.
“The loss in downforce will be regained by aerodynamic improvements. The question is: who will find the smartest solutions? Who had a very good car in 2011 has the advantage now too.
“Red Bull had an excellent car last year and they only need to do further developments whereas, say, Mercedes have to build a proper new car. That includes the risk of going in the wrong direction, though they added some well-known technicians. The same for Ferrari.
“It is easier to improve from a solid basis than to start from scratch. Having said that, we all have to wait for the first tests.”
Watson: Kimi needs more track time
Source: autosport.com
“If you take the example of Schumacher, who was slightly longer out of the cockpit and found it more difficult to re-acclimatise to F1 than he may be expected, whether Kimi will go through the same struggle I don’t know. I think probably not to the same degree.
“But big changes because of the aerodynamics, primarily because of the change of tyres, the limitation on testing, all those factors are going to limit Raikkonen’s progress so he is going to have to really use every opportunity to be in the car to try and short cut that two-year period where he has been fooling about in rally cars.
“He must re-tune his mind from what you do in a rally car and what you do in a grand prix car.”
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