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[sagi58]

Thought we could start up threads specifically geared around each of our drivers.
This one's for

[sagi58]

Ferrari confirm Antonio Spagnolo will be Kimi Raikkonen's race engineer in 2014

Finn visited Maranello in first public appearance since back operation

Kimi Raikkonen visited Ferrari's Maranello base on Tuesday where he met his new race engineer, Antonio Spagnolo.

The Finn who drove for the Scuderia between 2007 and 2009 is returning to the Italian team next season and this was his first chance to re-familiarise himself with his surroundings.

'It was an opportunity to go over the current state of play on the design of the 2014 car, as well as a chance for Kimi to meet up with many old friends who, in a few weeks time will once again be his team. These include Antonio Spagnolo, who next season will [be] the Finnish driver's race engineer,' the team reported.

Confirmation that Spagnolo will engineer Raikkonen in 2014 will only fuel rumours that Rob Smedley is set to follow Felipe Massa, whom the Finn is replacing, out of Ferrari to Williams.

The Englishman was conspicuous by his absence from the picture marking Raikkonen's visit published on Ferrari's Twitter account.

Fernando Alonso drove next year's Ferrari on the simulator last Friday, but Raikkonen, who is still recovering from back surgery, did not get behind the wheel.

[sagi58]

Jerez Test 2014 James Allison on Kimi Räikkönen

[spankyham]

The team has taken full responsibility for the call not to send Kimi back out in Q1 at Hungary. Kimi questioned them no less than 3 times and 3 times was told he was safe. While Ferrari are in hatchet swinging mode, now would be a good time to prune the deadwood responsible for this and quite a few other bad strategy calls.

[spankyham]

Kimi's reaction to the simply horrible strategy call by Ferrari in Q1 Hungary speaks volumes to what an asset he is to the team.

He must be seething knowing how well he was going this weekend and realizing he was finally a little comfortable in the car. He would, more than anyone, realize it was the team call that cost him and what that means here at the Hungaroring. Yet Kimi has come out in full support of the team and stating that he has already put this behind him and is looking ahead.

Kimi has most definitely underperformed so far this year, but looking at events from Q I have to say:-
"Well done Kimi"

[sagi58]

Not having watched Qualifying today, I want to thank you for that, spanky!!
It's been one of those days where I haven't had a chance to even catch my
breath, let alone read about what happened today.

At least, I know I can get the "truth" from you!!

[spankyham]

Italian GP – Raikkonen: “Difficult, but hopefully we are wrong!”

Monza, 4 September -The last championship round in Belgium saw something of a return to form for Kimi Raikkonen and at today’s press conference in the Monza paddock, the Finn reckoned the improvement actually pre-dated that race. “We had a pretty okay feeling in the races before Spa, but something always happened, being hit by another driver, or other small issues,” said the Scuderia Ferrari driver. “It’s very hard to get a good result when you have problems like that. In Belgium, the race itself was probably the first one where we had no issues at all and the result was a bit better. We can have a good race here. We need a clean weekend, so that we start by running our normal programme on Friday.”

The Finn admits the high speed nature of Monza will present some engineering challenges. “We expect to have a little bit more difficult race here because straight line speed is what we are lacking a bit, not so much in qualifying but in the race, where we have a bigger disadvantage,” he explained. “We expected that situation in Spa, but it turned out to be surprisingly good for us, so hopefully we will find something similar here, but we need to wait and see tomorrow. So it should be difficult, but hopefully we are wrong!”

Kimi was generally positive about the fact that part of the run-off area to the famous Parabolica corner has been asphalted. “It’s a pretty fast corner, easy to run wide in the final part and you can have a nasty accident there, when there is just gravel and so tarmac will help a lot. But then we can start getting complaints if people have four wheels over the white line and whether or not they gained an advantage. It’s better because you don’t damage the car and if you go off, you just lose one lap in free practice or qualifying and your race won’t be over, but maybe you just lose a place. So, there are two ways of looking at it.”

As for the rest of the season, Kimi reiterated the team’s intention of simply working as hard as it can over the remaining rounds of the 2014 championship. “Our aim is to be nearer the front because we are not where we should be as a team and we are working hard on that,” he concluded. “If it’s not for the end of the year, then it will be next year, because it will be hard to make big steps from now to the end of the season. We are improving little by little and hopefully we can be in the fight for podiums later in the year.”

[sagi58]

The Team!!

That's where the focus is: The Team!!

Bravo, Kimi!!!

[spankyham]

Singapore GP – Raikkonen: “I still want to get good results”

Singapore, 18 September – Called to attend the formal setting of today’s FIA Press Conference, Kimi Raikkonen inevitably had less to say than his team-mate who spoke earlier at the Scuderia Ferrari hospitality. However, the first topic was the same for both men, namely the ban on various radio communications. Of course the Finn is famous for telling his race engineer over the radio two years ago (when driving for a different team) to leave him alone as he knew what he was doing! The quote has gone down in F1 history and today, Kimi seemed to continue in that belief. “We don’t spend a lot of time on the radio in my case, usually when there are no issues,” began the Ferrari man. “It might get more complicated if there are problems with the car and we have to change things to finish the race. It could be more complex, but that’s part of the game.”

Raikkonen has endured a difficult season so far, but it hasn’t dented his determination to keep searching for success. “For the rest of the season, we are going to try as hard as we can, because I still want to get good results for me and for the team,” he insisted. “ It’s going to be difficult and of course this season was not what we hoped for as we expected to do better. But there have been some pretty good improvements from us as a team and I am happier. But there is still a lot of work to do.” Hardly surprising that the driver known as “The Iceman” was unconcerned about the tropical weather here. “In the past it’s not been a problem for me, in fact, it doesn’t feel as hot or humid as in the past and also, this year, the cars are slower.”

[Jabberwocky]

Erm Kimi the idea is get good results at every gp

Sent using NCC-1701

[sagi58]

Let me see if I can justify / excuse / explain with the "best":
Kimi has had a lot of bad luck... he's had a lot of mechanical issues...
Alonso is luckier... everything goes right for him...

There!! Does that work?

[Jabberwocky]

Let me see if I can justify / excuse / explain with the "best":
Kimi has had a lot of bad luck... he's had a lot of mechanical issues...
Alonso is luckier... everything goes right for him...

There!! Does that work?

Of course anyone with half a brain can see that lol

Sent using NCC-1701

[sagi58]

Let me see if I can justify / excuse / explain with the "best":
Kimi has had a lot of bad luck... he's had a lot of mechanical issues...
Alonso is luckier... everything goes right for him...

There!! Does that work?

Of course anyone with half a brain can see that lol

As would anyone who thinks for themselves, instead of rephrasing, regurgitating and repeating everything they hear/read!

[spankyham]

I really hoped Kimi would put in a better rave this weekend. We need the points to get ahead of Williams.
Come on Kimi, get your act together!

[sagi58]

I realize Kimi hasn't had his best season, this year, with Ferrari; but, hope springs eternal!!

Go Kimi!!!

Brazilian GP – Kimi Raikkonen: “Continued progress”
Kimi Raikkonen: “Overall, this has been a positive weekend and even today in the race, I felt very good in the car. During the second stint, we realised that if we went for a two stop strategy, we could make up ground, but then, at my second pit stop, I lost valuable time and that cost me some places. In the final part of the race, I had to fight off Button for a few laps and when Fernando caught me, tyre degradation meant I couldn’t fend him off. We leave Interlagos with a good feeling and even if we still have a lot of work ahead of us, this continued progress makes me confident for the future.”'