Source: autosport.com | lotusf1team.com | twitter
A tightly contested qualifying session at Suzuka this afternoon saw Kimi and Romain comfortably progress to the final pole position battle ; eventually claiming P8 / P5 in the standings respectively.
Kimi Räikkönen, E20-05
Position : Q1 – P4 / Q2 – P3 / Q3 – P8
Best Time : Q1 – 1:32.221 / Q2 – 1:31.826 / Q3 – 1:32.208
Laps Completed : Q1 – 7 / Q2 – 6 / Q3 – 5
Key Moments :
Q1 : 00mins : Install lap ; new hard tyres
Q1 : 09mins : Out for 2 flying laps ; P8 in the early stages
Q1 : 14mins : Fresh soft rubber ; strong lap to take P1
Q1 : 20mins : Ends the session in P4
Q2 : 03mins : Solid first run on scrubbed softs puts the Finn into the top 10
Q2 : 07mins : Brand new softs on ; instant sector improvements throughout final lap
Q2 : 15mins : Chequered flag ; progresses to Q3 in P3
Q3 : 00mins : Sighter lap on used soft tyres
Q3 : 07mins : Fresh softs for one final attempt at the top slot
Q3 : 10mins : Spins out and into the gravel at Spoon curve ; recovers but potential best lap lost
Q3 : 10mins : Final result ; P8
Summary:
- Warm, dry conditions throughout ; slightly cooler than Friday due to slightly overcast skies
- Romain reported mild understeer in Q1 ; this was corrected for the remaining sessions
- Both drivers easily progressed to the final Q3 session
- Kimi spun off at T13 (Spoon curve) on his final lap in Q3 ; sector times suggest he could have been in the top 4 had the lap been completed
- Romain lost a small amount of time in sector 1 ; otherwise may have been a place higher in the final standings
Pos Driver Team Time Gap 1. Sebastian Vettel Red Bull-Renault 1m30.839s 2. Mark Webber Red Bull-Renault 1m31.090s + 0.251 3. Jenson Button McLaren-Mercedes 1m31.294s + 0.451 * 4. Kamui Kobayashi Sauber-Ferrari 1m31.700s + 0.861 5. Romain Grosjean Lotus-Renault 1m31.989s + 1.059 6. Sergio Perez Sauber-Ferrari 1m32.022s + 1.183 7. Fernando Alonso Ferrari 1m32.114s + 1.275 8. Kimi Raikkonen Lotus-Renault 1m32.208s + 1.369 9. Lewis Hamilton McLaren-Mercedes 1m32.327s + 1.488 10. Nico Hulkenberg Force India-Mercedes no time Q2 cut-off time: 1m32.272s Gap ** 11. Felipe Massa Ferrari 1m32.293s + 0.792 12. Paul di Resta Force India-Mercedes 1m32.327s + 0.826 13. Michael Schumacher Mercedes 1m32.469s + 0.968 14. Pastor Maldonado Williams-Renault 1m32.512s + 1.011 15. Nico Rosberg Mercedes 1m32.625s + 1.124 16. Daniel Ricciardo Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m32.954s + 1.453 17. Jean-Eric Vergne Toro Rosso-Ferrari 1m33.368s + 1.867 Q1 cut-off time: 1m33.370s Gap * 18. Bruno Senna Williams-Renault 1m33.405s + 1.376 19. Heikki Kovalainen Caterham-Renault 1m34.657s + 2.628 20. Timo Glock Marussia-Cosworth 1m35.213s + 3.184 21. Pedro de la Rosa HRT-Cosworth 1m35.385s + 3.356 22. Charles Pic Marussia-Cosworth 1m35.429s + 3.400 23. Vitaly Petrov Caterham-Renault 1m35.432s + 3.403 24. Narain Karthikeyan HRT-Cosworth 1m36.734s + 4.705 * - Five place grid penalty
Kimi Raikkonen – 8th: “I spun. I was on a good lap and I was pushing – maybe a little too hard – and lost the rear. It’s a shame as the car feels the best it has all weekend. If the car’s good tomorrow we should be able to move forwards. Let’s see what happens.”
Romain Grosjean – 5th: “Yesterday we had two tricky sessions, so to have both cars in Q3 is a good recovery. We knew it would be very tight in qualifying and I think we could maybe have been one place higher with a cleaner run through the first sector, but the leaders were too quick today. We’re lacking a little bit of downforce at the moment, but with a few minor adjustments overnight and the right strategy I think we can take home a good haul of points tomorrow.”
Video:
FUCK ISRAEL 
Thank you again for everything! You’re too good for us. =)
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it’s cool Mikko! Everything is for the Kimi fans, the others who don’t like KRS can kiss my butt 🙂
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Translation courtesy of Nicole
——————-
Räikkönen rather a quick spinner than a slow eight
F1 | Turun Sanomat 11:24
As known Kimi Räikkönen goes hard on himself when he makes a mistake.
After Saturday’s qualification Räikkönen marched in front of the media in less good mood, however he was looking for something positive also.
– At that lap I was in a speed of 1.31,5, which would have been enough to come in 4th and due to Button’s penalty 3rd, Räikkönen calculated.
Now he has to settle for 7th.
– We have had problems all weekend, but we found the pace to qualification. I rather spin as a fast one than be a slow 8th. At least there is speed in the car, Räikkönen said.
– Red Bull was way ahead of the others but the speed would have been enough to keep up with them. The goal is to drive points off Fernando Alonso. Hopefully we get the maximum out of the car in the next races, with whatever package we are running.
Lotus will bring the double-DRS also to Korea in their new update-package.
Then what happened in the Spoon-corner?
– I spinned, Räikkönen replied.
What lead to it?
– I came a little bit too fast into it, Räikkönen said.
The soft set of tyres was gone immediately.
– I was supposed to start the race with them but now we start with different tyres, Räikkönen assured.
Turun Sanomat
HEIKKI KULTA
http://www.ts.fi/moottoriurheilu/f1/398447/Raikkonen+mieluummin+nopea+pyorahtaja+kuin+hidas+kahdeksas
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It’s sad he blew such a good chance for top qualifying position. Let’s hope car is fast enough to clear slower cars in front quick enough. It would be a bore-fest if he’ll be stuck behind slow car for fourth race in a row.
Go Kimi, Suzuka 2005!!!! Show them whos the boss!!!!!
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