Technical problem cause of Raikkonen’s Canada spin

Under pressure Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen is hoping to win at least one grand prix in 2015, and admits that if he retires from the sport he is unlikely to visit the F1 paddock ever again.

After boss Maurizio Arrivabene gave the Finn qualifying homework to do after Monaco, Raikkonen duly lined up third on the grid in Montreal.

But at the same time, Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel suffered technical problems and also a further grid demotion for a red flag infraction in practice.

And then in the race, Raikkonen angered Arrivabene by spinning and “throwing away” a podium. Only later did Arrivabene acknowledge that a technical issue contributed to the spin.

“Everything indicates that a technical problem was the cause, as we saw from the data that the throttle behaved in a brutal way,” Arrivabene is quoted by Speed Week. “Kimi’s race pace was good.”

However, a Ferrari insider said the timing of Raikkonen’s spin was nonetheless bad, as he is trying to convince Arrivabene to extend his contract for 2016.

“Even if the technology was a factor, the mistake came at the most inconvenient time possible,” the insider was quoted as saying. “Ferrari is giving a lot of thought to the issue of the second driver for 2016.”

For his part, Raikkonen said he remains focused on 2015, telling Sky Italia this week: “I would be happy to win at least one race by the end of the season.

“I’m sure we can improve, to be more competitive and catch Mercedes, but it’s hard to say. We need time,” Raikkonen added.

Finally, Raikkonen admitted that he hopes his five month old son Robin chooses a career other than formula one.

“Why? Because when I retire, I don’t want to be coming back here (to the paddock),” said the Finn who has a well known dislike for anything other than racing in F1. [video @ 2:21mins]

| Source: grandprix247.com |

More to the deja vu spin than a momentary lapse of judgement:

But one nice thing came of it… Kimi set his 42nd career fastest lap at Canada, adding to his all-time best and now moves up past Prost in the records:

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Raikkonen not the source of the problem

The theme is passion and it was easy to imagine that.

I will try then, softly, to speak my mind on the smashing Raikkonen-Ferrari. The premise is that I am biased: as some will remember, since as far as 2007, I call myself a Ferrari of Raikkonian fan. I also anticipate others’ thoughts about the extension or not of the contract of the Holy Drinker. Obviously every opinion is not only lawful, but welcome. This is mine.

1) I strongly doubt that the Ferrari’s priority relates to the pair of drivers, better yet, the identity of the Vettel’s partner.

2) The real problem lies in the car. That is thankfully much improved compared to the one produced in 2014 but it objectively remains inferior to Mercedes. I would not want us to talk much of a spin to remove the fact that Hamilton has fair chances to win all the remaining races from now until the end. And I’m not kidding at all. And anyway if the Red is always there I would confirm my positive evaluation about the season of the Horse. That’s because I have memory of 2014 and considering this 2015 is a fresh start and not an existing nomination to the title to begin with.

3) If we agree on this, we go to the numbers.

4) Behind Hamilton and Rosberg in the standings is Vettel, Deo Gratias. Then there is the Blond.

5) Would another team-mate of Seb be in a better position? Seriously? And who is this phenomenon, keeping in mind that Alonso has just left Maranello and it is not that you can go to Vettel to tell him that his new teammate is Ricciardo!! Bottas? Vergne? Grosjean? Garibaldi? Gigi Riva? Neymar? Messi? Suarez?

6) In numbers, Raikkonen has 36 (thirty six) points less than his teammate. This is not to forget in Australia, he was forced to retire. Let’s hypothesize that we would be doing crap finishing fifth, that is, he would have received 10 points… so we are less than 26 points from Seb after seven races. We can say a GP difference, in a budget that is 5-2 in favor of the German. Net verdict, but not a 7-0 and unfortunately, the red flag with the Manor did not see Kimi on Saturday, uh, I guess the theater. It’s called double standards, huh.

7) Is the internal ranking (so largely favorable to Seb) a scandal? For someone like me, from immemorable time considering Vettel a top driver, here, no, it’s not a scandal. It is acceptable. The dry data numbers, therefore, would suggest to Ferrari to focus on the priority (which is the car), without seeking distractions about the composition of the team.

9) So, if you ask me, I would extend the contract to the Holy Drinker for another season, keeping your hands free for 2017, when the heart imagines that the run-up to the Silver Arrows will be completed (I always said not to believe in miracles, by the way, and by the way). And if you have to keep him (Kimi) awake you need to talk about incentive-bonus-blablabla, devil, you have to ask Marchionne, that certain things he knows so much better.

10) Finally, boh, it does not look so top team to challenge a world champion for a spin, let’s put it in this way. Especially considering that up to the rebirth of Bahrain, the Blonde was celebrated coram populo (*from all the people) even by his loyal detractors (not here, in general: by the way I never understood why a mild type as Kimi is well on the heels of certain people…….well, mysteries of life and F1). After that, to avoid misunderstandings:

a) The Raikkonen’s final race in Monaco was too soft, see onslaught of Ricciardo.
b) The Raikkonen of Canada, even if one believes that interpretation clears him about the origin of the spin, otherwise makes a nice bitch spinning on the track in a manner not exemplary.
c) Raikkonen’s qualifications in general has never been perfect, and we are with the curious exception of Montreal, where he had saved his cabin.
d) My hero should understand (he’s still in time) that lending to the sessions of the simulator is not a torture but a necessity, because even in F1 you never stop learning.
e) Finally, I care about Ferrari and always the driver, whoever he is, in my mind is ‘after’ the car. It’s just that I’m not so sure if the problem is Kimi… I much less believe that another driver in his place would be much higher up in the rankings. That’s all.

| Source: Leo Turrini’s Blog | Translation courtesy of Claudio Acquista |