Raikkonen not daunted by slow start in 2014

Kimi Raikkonen admits his experience in F1 means he is not concerned by his slow start to the season, especially after seeing Fernando Alonso score Ferrari’s first podium of 2014 in China.

So far Raikkonen’s return to Ferrari has not gone quite as expected, with seventh in Australia his highest finish from the first four races. He has previously put his struggles down to driving style but is content with what he has managed to do with the car so far in tricky circumstances.

“I’ve been here long enough to know this is how it goes sometimes,” Raikkonen said. “We all want to do better, we don’t want to finish in these kind of positions but I would take this rather than nothing.

“There’s lots of work to do, we’ve not been happy with things all the time. One day has been good there, one day in another race, but things seem to have been pretty difficult overall. Once we get a bit more knowledge we can work things out but right now it’s not been the easiest races for me but that’s how it goes.”

Raikkonen’s struggles have been a contrast to Alonso’s form so far this year, with the Spaniard seemingly far happier behind the wheel of the F14 T. Alonso finished third in China and Raikkonen is using that as proof he can put right his early problems.

“We know we have improved things. We have improved every race. If we would take a look from Australia to [China], we have obviously made a lot of improvements. Sometimes it’s hard to see from the outside but we know ourselves. I was pretty happy with the car in Bahrain and in China we had some issues early on and couldn’t run, which didn’t help.

“It was a difficult weekend but at least I got three points. It is not what I want, but overall for the team it was a better weekend and it gives some good feeling to everyone because we have been working hard to improve things. We have not done as much as we want but Fernando’s podium is good for us as a team.”

(Source: espn.co.uk)

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Raikkonen & Alonso to attend Senna Tribute

In two days time, the Ayrton Senna Tribute 1994/2014 event gets underway at Imola’s Enzo e Dino Ferrari circuit from 1st to 4th May. It’s a tribute in memory of the Brazilian champion, who died tragically in the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. On the twentieth anniversary of his death and that of the Austrian Roland Ratzenberger, who also died during qualifying for this Grand Prix, the Imola circuit is opening its doors to the public for four days of motor sport memories. Among the guests who will attend the commemorative ceremony on Thursday at 13h30 will be Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen. Although they were both very young at the time, they were already keen enough about motor racing to be affected by Senna’s achievements.

“I think Senna set the standard for all drivers and he was definitely the best of his generation,” reckons Fernando on the eve of this sad anniversary. “What made him special was his great will to win and the numbers speak for themselves. He always fought right to the bitter end and that earned him the respect of all his colleagues and it’s what makes him a legend today. I was very little at the time and Spanish TV did not show Formula 1, but I began to know something about him as my father was a fan and my first kart was painted in the same colours as his car.”

Although it was a long time ago, Kimi’s recollections are still vivid. “Senna’s death was an incredibly sad moment for the world of Formula 1,” says the Finn. “I was still at school back then and even if I don’t remember much about him, because I was too young, that day has stayed fixed in my memory. I think he was a great driver and a benchmark for many who came after him.”

(Source: ferrari.com)

Martin Brundle said Kimi has the (natural) speed like Senna. pic.twitter.com/odQapTzvFV

— Kimi Räikkönen #7 (@KimiFanPage) April 29, 2014

Eric Boullier comparing Kimi to Ayrton Senna. pic.twitter.com/rSfx256RYV

— Kimi Räikkönen #7 (@KimiFanPage) April 29, 2014