Ferrari: Raikkonen could win in Australia

Source: turunsanomat.fi by Heikki Kulta | Translation courtesy of Nicole

Kimi Räikkönen shrugged off the rest of his rust and goes to the F1-races as the fastest driver in the winter test.

Turun Sanomat got to interview Räikkönen as the only media after his last testing day and I can assure you that a blissfully happy man lazed on the VIP-premises couch.

The qualification-stint proved to all doubters that Räikkönen’s speed is what it used to be.

The race length again got the driver satisfied and the opponents practically bursted in praisal.  Luca Colajanni decided that Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will not comment on the car anymore this weekend.

Colajanni himself surprised the Finnish reporters by assuring that Räikkönen could win in Australia – the same way he won with Ferrari in 2007.

When I asked if he said it seriously or just for fun, Luca assured that he believes just as much in Kimi’s chances to win the opening race as he believes in Ferrari not being able to win the opening race.  Since I know, that based upon all data information Ferrari doesn’t have any chance in Australia, Kimi is then possibly hiding big chances to win on a track where he has been 4 times earlier on the podium.

We re-lived with Colajanni those unforgettable moments when Räikkönen became Ferrari’s last WDC in 2007, Brazil. Keeping those memories in mind, Luca adviced me to prepare myself for an even better assurance in the opening race, so my heart that was operated three years ago wouldn’t be too strained from anticipating a victory.

Kimi: it was a good day

Kimi Räikkönen started and ended this year’s F1 -winter tests the same way. On the first day in Jerez he whipped his Lotus to the top time and in the final testing in Barcelona he coughed out the fastest lap time of the whole testing season.

Usually a car that is fast in Barcelona is also fast everywhere else.

“That’s how it has been. This is quite a challenging spot,” Räikkönen admitted to Turun Sanomat.

Actually they followed the top teams’ race simulations during the final day instead of qualification speed. Even there Lotus kept their ground well.

Räikkönen drove first 12 laps with a soft compound, then 24 laps with a harder and in the end 16 laps with a soft compound.

Out of those who drove the race lenght at the same time, Räikkönen could do better than Ferrar’s Fernando Alonso. McLaren’s Lewis Hamilton was a couple of tenths ahead with softer compounds but with hard compounds Lotus was just as fast.

All and all Räikkönen worked almost two GP-lenghts on Sunday because he made 121 laps.

Lotus had to leave one testing week unused. Hence Räikkönen lost two driving days. All and all he had time to drive 1598 km with the new E20-car or 1694 km if you also add the so called filming day.

How ready are you now for the opening race?

“It doesn’t get any better no matter how much I would drive. The car gets new parts and of course we could have tried them out. However I don’t believe that it would had changed how ready I am for Australia,” Räikkönen thought.

Sunday was a really good day for Lotus and Räikkönen. Although the man was tired after the hard working the catch of the day gave him the best feelings.

Everyone in the Lotus-camp had a big contented smile when they shipped the machinery back home to Enstone and from there to the opening race next week.

“It was an all right day because there was no problems. We got everything in place right from the morning and the car is working just as it is supposed to work.”

Front tyre-wear held back Kimi’s best race-pace

Times with a full tank were very strong but in the end there was no more speed with an empty tank.

“It was just so cold. The left front tyre peels away. When I overtook a few it seemed like everybody had the same thing. The tyre starts to peel off and when it peels the rubber goes away. When it peels this much the heat vanishes.

“For as long as that didn’t happen the car was pretty good. After that it just didn’t work anymore. When the heat drops you can’t get it back anymore,” Räikkönen told Turun Sanomat.

“I guess quite many drove with a reasonably low amount of fuel. However you don’t get any picture of that. For some it works better,for some worse. It depends a lot on the track too I suppose.”