Kimi Raikkonen returns to F1 with Lotus F1 Team

[miezicat]

very good article Mar, thanks

two videos from snow mobile race
http://tvthek.orf.at/programs/1504477-Chili
http://www.puls4.com/video/pink/play/1463624
they don't seem to work for everyone, you can download the second one here too http://mediafire.com/?dwnc13d84qtr91o
and I don't think that the crash they show is Kimi

[reppo]

So he has really bought part of the team? Or does it mean the opposite?
I never understand business people when they talk

Bahar says he doesn't think that Kimi bought a stake in the team, then he says "I don't know". Is he just pretending to be clueless as a CEO?

I don't believe he owns any part of the team. German magazines just game up with that gossip during negotiations with Williams. It is absurd. If he would be dissatisfied to his driving he could go in front of a mirror and say: "You are fired".

[Mar]

The thing is, that it is not "German magazines" who came out with the gossip, it is "The" German magazine. It is Auto, Motor und Sport who told about the story (and also a couple of English speaking well known journalists). And Auto, Motor und Sport keeps being the most reliable motorsport magazine, even more than Autosport.

As a matter of fact, during the Brazilian GP, while all the usual media were talking about how Kimi had prized himself out of Formula 1 again, the same guy who had written about the shares, also wrote in Auto, Motor und Sport that, regardless of what people were saying, he had heard the real reason why the negotiations with Williams had died was that Kimi had another offer and that it could be from Renault... and he was right.

However, Schmidt (that's the guy) admits that he is not 100% sure about shares being part of the deal with Renault. He says that Kimi's "friends" tried to buy parts of two teams before trying with Williams, so it is possible the approach was the same with Renault, but not 100% sure.

I would not find it so weird if Kimi bought shares in a team. He had his own team (WRC and motocross) already this year, and as far as I know, the offer he had for Nascar meant also having and IceOne team there, where he would drive. LRGP is one of the last teams where I would buy shares, though

[reppo]

I finally finished the first part of the report about what Kimi has been doing outside F1
http://www.f1zone.net/news/how-kimi-spe ... t-1/10993/

This first part is about his first season rallying. I have added a couple of graphs regarding his pace compared with the winners and so on. I couldn't avoid it
Still two parts to come.

Thanks Mar. Great report. Can't wait for the next part.

One thing Kimi has done just short ago, he was seen in a church concert in Helsinki listening Christmas songs. Doesn't quite fit into image of a party animal

Mostly what I've seen written about Kimi is that his WRC and NASCAR driving has been more or less failure. Yet at the beginning Kaj Lindström said it is four year project to get into top in WRC. I can believe that. Driving from notes is not so easy to learn for someone coming from track racing. There was in news about Citroen tests they have been doing. After Kimi has learned the road he is as fast as Loeb or Ogier or sometimes even faster. In NASCAR even he finished 15th and 27th Rick Ren his chief at KBM said he did a great job.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/na ... ebut_N.htm

Kimi says that in Charlotte he realized how much he misses track racing and maybe that is why he is back in F1. WRC fans can now say "DA** CHARLOTTE".

[reppo]

The thing is, that it is not "German magazines" who came out with the gossip, it is "The" German magazine. It is Auto, Motor und Sport who told about the story (and also a couple of English speaking well known journalists). And Auto, Motor und Sport keeps being the most reliable motorsport magazine, even more than Autosport.

Yes you are right. I didn't care to check what magazine it was. My bad

As a matter of fact, during the Brazilian GP, while all the usual media were talking about how Kimi had prized himself out of Formula 1 again, the same guy who had written about the shares, also wrote in Auto, Motor und Sport that, regardless of what people were saying, he had heard the real reason why the negotiations with Williams had died was that Kimi had another offer and that it could be from Renault... and he was right.

Explains very well why talks with Williams stopped so suddenly. Anyway I found it odd that Kimi would make a deal with Williams.

However, Schmidt (that's the guy) admits that he is not 100% sure about shares being part of the deal with Renault. He says that Kimi's "friends" tried to buy parts of two teams before trying with Williams, so it is possible the approach was the same with Renault, but not 100% sure.

I wonder where that gossip has started. I know Finnish newspapers sometimes write bizarre news which comes out of from nowhere or from unknown Kimi's "friends". Usually they just translate what they find from internet but I remember when Kimi went to NASCAR there was lots of news that he would team up IceOne racing with Foster Gillett who has a very bad reputation in NASCAR. I traced back who wrote it first and as far as I could find it was Heikki Kulta journalist of Turun Sanomat a Finnish newspaper. The news was of course false but it spread around the internet like a wildfire and KBM had to convince again and again that Gillett has nothing to do with the deal.

I would not find it so weird if Kimi bought shares in a team. He had his own team (WRC and motocross) already this year, and as far as I know, the offer he had for Nascar meant also having and IceOne team there, where he would drive. LRGP is one of the last teams where I would buy shares, though

I think the biggest reason for having own team was Red Bull pulling it's support from Citroen's junior team and Citroen terminating the team completely. Helmut Marko didn't like him being up side down off the road so often Getting sponsors to team was probably hard and he couldn't afford to drive all races. He has had a team with Robertsons in F3 which they sold at the end of 2010. But I don't think he has now any ambitions to become any kind of team owner in F1, specially with LRGP or with Williams either.

[reppo]

Bahar admits to Raikkonen gamble
.
.
Despite his past speed and talent, Raikkonen has shown that when results are not going his way he can lose interest. Bahar, however, is anticipating the 32-year-old will appreciate his situation and adopt a mature approach.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpres ... 710629435A

For someone losing his interest and motivation he did quit well since Hungary at the rest of the season in 2009. He scored 38 points, only two points less than Hamilton and eleven points more than Vettel and with a car which was no longer developed. Wonder what he can do with a competitive car when he is motivated and interested

[reppo]

Courtesy miezicat!
Kimi Räikkönen Interview at Swatch Snow Mobile 2011

Thanks Totally five seconds interview. Did he speak more than nine words

[sarnee_ice]

kimi at swatch snowmobile
http://www.snow-mobile.at/wp-content/ga ... g_4026.jpg
http://www.snow-mobile.at/wp-content/ga ... g_8364.jpg

[Mar]

I wonder where that gossip has started. I know Finnish newspapers sometimes write bizarre news which comes out of from nowhere or from unknown Kimi's "friends". Usually they just translate what they find from internet but I remember when Kimi went to NASCAR there was lots of news that he would team up IceOne racing with Foster Gillett who has a very bad reputation in NASCAR. I traced back who wrote it first and as far as I could find it was Heikki Kulta journalist of Turun Sanomat a Finnish newspaper. The news was of course false but it spread around the internet like a wildfire and KBM had to convince again and again that Gillett has nothing to do with the deal.

The story about Gillett was real:


There you have him in the picture. He was Kimi's (or somebody of his environment's) guest during Rally Portugal, just a couple of days before the Nascar deal was announced. As a matter of fact, even Gillett said in an interview that it was true.

Luckily, somebody thought about the thing again, maybe after seeing the reaction the news had in the USA, and the final deal was not done.

I think the biggest reason for having own team was Red Bull pulling it's support from Citroen's junior team and Citroen terminating the team completely. Helmut Marko didn't like him being up side down off the road so often Getting sponsors to team was probably hard and he couldn't afford to drive all races. He has had a team with Robertsons in F3 which they sold at the end of 2010. But I don't think he has now any ambitions to become any kind of team owner in F1, specially with LRGP or with Williams either.

The motocross team is not there so he can drive it

[reppo]

The story about Gillett was real:


There you have him in the picture. He was Kimi's (or somebody of his environment's) guest during Rally Portugal, just a couple of days before the Nascar deal was announced. As a matter of fact, even Gillett said in an interview that it was true.

Luckily, somebody thought about the thing again, maybe after seeing the reaction the news had in the USA, and the final deal was not done.

Well, one picture does not prove anything. And Heikki Kulta believes anything I suppose.

"... Gillett gave Turun Sanomat an exclusive interview."

http://www.kimiraikkonenno1.com/apps/bl ... id=6570127

The page requires password but it can be read in google's cache.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... en&ct=clnk
Good thing that Robertsons know their job. They had their own agent in US to check possibilities and found KBM. The link between Kimi and Gillet is Saku Koivu who knows both of them. Gillet was talking with too big mouth without any real deal and if they had known his reputation in Turun Sanomat maybe they would have made some checking before printing the story.

I think the biggest reason for having own team was Red Bull pulling it's support from Citroen's junior team and Citroen terminating the team completely. Helmut Marko didn't like him being up side down off the road so often Getting sponsors to team was probably hard and he couldn't afford to drive all races. He has had a team with Robertsons in F3 which they sold at the end of 2010. But I don't think he has now any ambitions to become any kind of team owner in F1, specially with LRGP or with Williams either.

The motocross team is not there so he can drive it

[sleenster]

The story about Gillett was real:


There you have him in the picture. He was Kimi's (or somebody of his environment's) guest during Rally Portugal, just a couple of days before the Nascar deal was announced. As a matter of fact, even Gillett said in an interview that it was true.

Luckily, somebody thought about the thing again, maybe after seeing the reaction the news had in the USA, and the final deal was not done.

Well, one picture does not prove anything.

But it's bad enough that Kimi was hanging out with that guy in the first place though

[reppo]

two videos from snow mobile race
http://tvthek.orf.at/programs/1504477-Chili

I think Kimi is there at 00:31

http://www.puls4.com/video/pink/play/1463624
they don't seem to work for everyone, you can download the second one here too http://mediafire.com/?dwnc13d84qtr91o
and I don't think that the crash they show is Kimi

and at 00:57.

If that is the accident it looks like nothing. Well at least when compared what other drivers had to suffer.

[reppo]

But it's bad enough that Kimi was hanging out with that guy in the first place though

Yes. Bad judgement I agree. He is a good friend with Saku Koivu and maybe that's why he did it. He might now think twice before meeting people his friends suggests and go to strip clubs and boats instead

[reppo]

As a matter of fact, even Gillett said in an interview that it was true.

Kimi has newer told where he got the idea to go trying NASCAR racing. He only said there was some contacts from US who suggested it. It might as well be Gillett who put the idea into his mind. I can well imagine how the conversation between Kimi and Gillett could have gone.

Off-Topic: show

Gillett: "INCREDIBLE...NASCAR...SUPERB..."
Kimi: "whatmmmmumblinggggwhommmmumblinggggnommmumblinggg"
Gillett: "????RACING...FANTASTIC....VICTORIES....EXCELLENT..."
Kimi: "mmmmmumblingggggg????mmmmumblinggggg..."
Gillett: "???????ICEONE...GREAT....BIG...FAME...MAGNIFICENT..."
Kimi: "nommmmumblinggggreallymmmumblingggnomumblinggg..."
Gillett: "????????BEST...FAST...ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS...WONDERFUL..."
Kimi: "mmmmumblinggggwheremmmumblinggggknowmmmumblingggbye"

Gillet thinking: "I thing I have a deal now. Great."
Kimi thinking: "Who the fu** is he. Better call to Steve."

And no one bothered to tell Gillett that he has no deal and Kimi does no deals without Robertsons checking everything and there is no deal before Kimi has signed some papers. Then he goes dreaming on and ends up giving an interview based on no facts other than Kimi will race few times in NASCAR and one reporter from a tiny country believes him. Of course only Kimi and Robertsons knows what really happened.

Kimi had a budget for three Truck races but the money was spent on one Truck and one Nationwide race. Then he was interested in trying Sprint Cup which never became true. Who knows what happened. Maybe Robertsons convinced him that they can get him back to F1 if he wants to go track racing. They anyway didn't want him to leave F1 at the first place. According news Kimi started physical training on July to be in good shape for F1. It's only just over a month after Charlotte. NASCAR might have been just a not so serious side step in his career.

[sarnee_ice]

Swatch Snow Mobile 2011 - Highlights

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5cy8R6u ... r_embedded#!

is that kimi at 0:25?