FORUMula1.com - F1 Forum

[sagi58]

, Pete Gill wrote:">Kimi Raikkonen insists topping timesheets on Day One at Jerez didn't matter
Finn quickest on Day One - but almost ten seconds adrift of 2013 best



In customary taciturn fashion, Kimi Raikkonen has refused to read any significance into setting the fastest time on a truncated first day of 2014 winter testing at Jerez.

Raikkonen, who has returned to Ferrari for the new season five years after leaving the Scuderia for a new career in rallying, not only topped the timesheets on Tuesday but also set the most laps. But, as is Kimi's way, the Finn was completely unimpressed by the seemingly-encouraging results of his efforts.

"It's just the first day, there is still a long way to go," he told reporters. "Lap times don't mean anything, I was just learning about the car. We have started ok."



Nor was Raikkonen admitting to be remotely moved by returning to Ferrari and driving for the most famous marque in motorsport again.

"As I've said before, I've been here before and I know most of the people. It's just a different team from last year, it's not a new team."

In total, Raikkonen set 31 laps, with a best time of 1:27.104 - leaving him over half a second clear of the second-placed Lewis Hamilton. However, it is perhaps more salient to point out that Felipe Massa, who Raikkonen has replaced at Ferrari alongside Fernando Alonso in the grid's most mouthwatering driver pairng, topped the times set in last year's Jerez test with a lap of 1:17.87.

Raikkonen is scheduled to drive the newly-launched F14 T on Wednesday before handing over the charger to Alonso for the final two days of the test.

[sagi58]

Kimi's back!!

[youtube]m4hDJ7X0nNw[/youtube]

[Jabberwocky]

On Ted's Notepad last night, Ted is a convert to the New noise. Plus his commentary of the Mercedes launch was good.

Sent using NCC-1701

[spankyham]

I'm very encouraged by Kimi's comment in a TV interview, that there wasn't much difference between last year and this years car and that the time is meaningless as he never pushed the car.

[Hammer278]

I'm very encouraged by Kimi's comment in a TV interview, that there wasn't much difference between last year and this years car and that the time is meaningless as he never pushed the car.

Same comment which Hamilton made, the guy said he's driving the same and there's no real change in style required. Maybe these cars aren't as different as people expected.

[Jabberwocky]

Maybe the software engineers have excelled themselves

Sent using NCC-1701

[spankyham]

I'm very encouraged by Kimi's comment in a TV interview, that there wasn't much difference between last year and this years car and that the time is meaningless as he never pushed the car.

Same comment which Hamilton made, the guy said he's driving the same and there's no real change in style required. Maybe these cars aren't as different as people expected.

We all love our own favourite teams/drivers, but if we could put that aside for a moment, if the bolded bit above were really true, then wouldn't it make for a tantalizing season of racing

[sagi58]

The F14 T(omcat) surely is a thing of beauty!!

[NHcheese]

I believe you are delusional. Do you find vacume cleaners attractive?

[CookinFlat6]

The F14 T(omcat) surely is a thing of beauty!!

Yeah the fiat is truly awe inspiring

[sagi58]

 wrote:">Raikkonen: The cars are much slower? It’s pointless making comparisons with the past



After having been entrusted with the Ferrari F14 T’s track debut Kimi Raikkonen’s evaluation of his first day ‘back at the office’ was short and to the point, but did make a point of saying that the much slower new era Formula 1 cars did not concern him.

The Finn, on his return to Ferrari, completed 32 laps on the Andalusian track, which was more than anyone else on the day, set the best time of 1:27.04 (which happened to be 10 seconds down on the best time set last year on day one of testing at Jerez, and three seconds adrift of the best GP2 time) around the former GP venue.

Granted, it was a very unusual day, and perhaps inevitable that, with brand new cars designed to all new rules and powered by V6 turbo engines for the first time, there would be teething troubles which would slow down the development work.



Although the Maranello outfit did rack up the most laps, the team had its troubles, especially in the morning. But in the afternoon, Raikkonen was able to do more consistent running.

“The biggest challenge now is to ensure [that] everything works. The new cars are much more complicated than the previous ones and there are a thousand details that can slow down the work. This morning, we’d have liked to do a few more laps but in the afternoon I think we did a good job. From a driving point of view, I didn’t feel any amazing difference, although it’s much too early to give an opinion on this,” said Raikkonen at the end of the day.

“Overall, we can say it was a good start. We have a solid base from which to work over the coming days. The times from this test mean nothing and we will only begin to understand something … in Bahrain. The cars are much slower? It’s pointless making comparisons with the past because everything is completely different,” added the 2007 World Champion.

[sagi58]

Yeah the fiat is truly awe inspiring

How about you keep this under your keyboard?

[CookinFlat6]

IMO the natural state of being for a well adjusted adult is to be playful with a bit of banter thrown in

[sagi58]

Just as long as it's not about your own favourites, eh?

[CookinFlat6]

Sports followers display partisan tendencies

Who woulda thought it