| Source: lotusf1team.com |
Having run as high as P2 in today’s race, our Finnish maestro had to settle for a hard fought P5 in what was a chaotic British Grand Prix. Here’s the Iceman’s view on today’s proceedings…
Q: Things looked so promising today until right at the end; give us your view
KR: It’s a disappointing end to the weekend for sure. Things were going pretty well in the race, but it was a mistake not to switch to new tyres when the safety car came out for sure. I tried to hold on, but with tyres that were maybe twenty laps older than the others it was impossible to keep them behind at the end. It’s a shame as we had good pace and looked set for a pretty easy P2 but this is racing sometimes.
Q: On the plus side you finally broke Michael Schumacher’s record for points finishes…
KR: It makes no difference to the Championship, so I’m really not interested in that.
Q: You had a pretty intense moment behind Jean-Eric Vergne; were you nervous at all?
KR: It wasn’t ideal having bits of rubber thrown at your helmet for sure, but risk is all part of the game. It wasn’t his or the tyres’ fault; if you have sharp edges on a kerb as seems to have been the case here this weekend then these things can happen no matter what tyres you have. It didn’t change our race anyway.
Q: It’s not been an easy run of late; does that affect your mindset?
KR: No. It’s three races now where we haven’t had the result we maybe expect, but hopefully if we can have a bit more luck and also get rid of some of the mistakes we’ll be able to get back to the front.
What Kimi really said…
The team screwed up (translated from Finnish by Nicole)
KR: I asked the team during the SC if I can come to the pitstop. We had over half a lap to make a decision about it. There are ten people sitting and staring at all kinds of monitors. I can’t understand how they could make such a wrong decision. I lost an easy 2nd position right there. I have to ask the team why they did it. That’s why it bugs me so much. I would had come in earlier myself, but somehow you still believe that people who’s work it is to make these decisions would do right decisions. But what can you do. It bugs to lose so many important points because of something like this.”
FUCK ISRAEL 
If You have got the video from interview when Kimi said that about team screwed up, would You put it on? I would really like to see this speech 🙂
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I think for those who consider Lotus to be a humble/mid table team then the result is not surprising. To the contrary, for those of consider Lotus to be a winning team then its quite depressing. I really don’t understand the reasoning behind not pitting, when OBVIOUSLY cars with fresher tires will catch up/have more grip to those that don’t have.
“we don’t need to be a rocket scientist to understand that”, the gamble was not worth the risk and Lotus (as a team) created/will create discomfort. Credibility is on the line because of a humongous kindergarten mistake.
When somebody as quiet as kimi questions a decision, then you know something is wrong….
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Indeed. I think the rot at Lotus starts at the very top. And even though Mr Boullier has admitted it was a mistake not to pit Raikkonen, the element of doubt still lingers stronger than ever.
If the team as a whole cannot make a simple, reasonable decision to pit Kimi, then I must admit that my trust – indeed my support for Lotus – has dramatically diminished since Sunday’s debacle.
If this does not swing Kimi’s decision to leave lotus at the end of 2013, then nothing will.
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Boullier told french tv last night that the probability of kimi staying in the team is still high and kimi has asked him some guarantee of performance for 2014. KImi though can’t have access to next year’s car.
As for the race yesterday, the pace was decent but the Red Bulls n Mercedes were clearly faster than the E21. Lotus has almost lost their advantage on tyre degradation, things will get tougher now to climb on the podium especially if Force India n Toro Rosso make better quali than Kimi.
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Kimi will leave for Red Bull – if the seat is offered to him. They are in talks anyway. Besides, it’s his last chance. He’s not getting any younger. In fact, after Webber has gone, Kimi will be the oldest guy in F1
If I was offered a seat in the best team in F1, then I would certainly take it.
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