Kimi Raikkonen returns to F1 with Lotus F1 Team

[reppo]

From F1 Racing:

Thanks sleenster

From this week's Autosport. I chuckled when I saw it

That's funny

Forochel still looks like Forochel in summer?

Yes of course Why do you think we are so good in ice hockey

I read today on a french website that Raikkonen will represent this car in Geneva Motor show at the beginning of next month.

Isn't it the same day Lotus is supposed to get their extra testing day?

No. They'll have one day just before test at 1.-4. of March.

BTW, did something important happen in any motorsport series this week?

No. Kimi wasn't driving

[sleenster]

Btw, I am useless at the Iceoneracing game, I keep crashing

[iceman1]

Btw, I am useless at the Iceoneracing game, I keep crashing

Because it's a realistic game

[donald29]

Damn beat me to the 'game keeps on crashing' joke.

[reppo]

Btw, I am useless at the Iceoneracing game, I keep crashing

So, you drive like Kimi Maybe ice road racing is better for you



They say summer is too slippery and it is harder to stay on the road in rally than in ice racing

[Suomileijona]

From F1 Racing:

Thank you very much, Sleenster!!

I don't like that comic, though. Kimi is the ICEMAN! Not a snowman!

[NewF1Boy]

Davidson: Raikkonen is going to find it hard

Anthony Davidson is 'fully expecting' Kimi Raikkonen to struggle this season on his return to F1.

Raikkonen, who has spent the last two years competing in the FIA World Rally Championship, will compete with Lotus F1 in 2012, and while the 2007 F1 world champion has the pedigree, it remains to be seen if he can return to winning ways with the Enstone-based squad.

“I am fully expecting him to struggle a bit,” Davidson confirmed to Crash.net during the recent Sky Sports F1 press day. “It is not easy to have a break and come back to it, it's really not. When I was a test driver for so long and came back for my first proper race in '07 [with Super Aguri] it was a real eye opener to be in a racing situation again. We saw that with Michael [Schumacher] as well [when he came out of retirement]. If Michael took a time to get back into it, I am sure Kimi will as well.

“It is just so different the sensation of a rally car to an F1 car. In F1 we are talking about the finer details all the time, it is the tenth of a second you are looking for. He will find it hard to get back into it. I am sure he will be fast and he is at a disadvantage because the car is not going to be there, in the same way that Michael's car wasn't [in 2010].

“Also to top it all off he has [Romain] Grosjean there, his team-mate, who nobody expects to go quickly at the moment. So if Grosjean is snapping at his heels, then it is going to make him look even worse.”

1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill, who like Davidson will act as an expert analysis on the new Sky Sports F1 HD channel, meanwhile concurs that Kimi could be in for a rough ride.

“The thing is he has been doing rallying and to be honest if you want to choose something that is even more nerve racking than driving a F1 car, it has got to be rallying,” Hill added.

“It is really hard to come back because you have got these young guys coming up and you don't want to be the dead weight in the team. That's the trouble and that is why Michael is really unbelievable. Michael is an amazingly resilient competitor. He really is a phenomenal driver and to be able to with stand the pressure, all the grinding down... he must feel really deflated every time he gets out qualified by Nico [Rosberg]. But he still keeps going. He is absolutely incredible.”

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/177053/1/d ... _hard.html

[icemaid]

Davidson who?

[Suomileijona]

Davidson who?

[reppo]

Davidson who?

Exactly The name sounded remotely familiar and I checked what has he done in F1. So:

2002 Minardi 2 races, retired both
2002 BAR td
2003 BAR td
2004 BAR td
2005 BAR 1 race, retired
2006 Honda td
2007 Super Aguri 17 races, 23rd in WDC, retired 5 times
2008 Super Aguri 4 races, 22dn in WDC, retired 2 times

I don't know what in means when he says: "It is not easy to have a break and come back to it, it's really not. When I was a test driver for so long and came back for my first proper race in '07 [with Super Aguri] it was a real eye opener to be in a racing situation again", and it took until the French GP before he was retiring again. Since then he retired half of the races he drove in F1. I believe him it really takes time to get used to race again. Is he really comparing himself to Michael or Kimi

Prost was one year away and won WDC immediately when he came back at the age of 38. Lauda was away two years and came back being 5th in 1982 and 10th in the next year. Then at the age of 35 he won WDC in 1984.

[Kriss]

James Allison on Lotus suspension mount problem


The big story of the last Barcelona test was the disappearance of the Lotus team after a chassis issue put a stop to running. The team has now confirmed suspicions that the problem was related to the front suspension mounting, which has now be modified, allowing the team to run in Spain tomorrow. Technical director James Allison explains the situation in a Q&A issued by the team.

Q: What happened to the E20 in Barcelona last week?

We arrived in Barcelona with a brand new chassis, the E20-02. We completed installation laps on Tuesday morning then Romain left the pits for his first run of the day. As soon as he touched the brakes before turn 1 on his first flying lap, he felt that something was wrong. He told us on the radio that he was aborting that run and returning straight to the pits.

Q: What did you discover when the car got back to the garage?

We saw immediately that we had a problem with the mounting of the upper front wishbone rear arm.

Q: What were your thoughts at that time?

We were using chassis 02 for the first time, so our initial reaction was to consider the possibility of a manufacturing issue affecting that particular chassis. We made the decision to take chassis 01 – which had run successfully in Jerez – from the UK to Barcelona. Before we sent it, we launched an investigation programme at Enstone to ensure there was no risk of a similar issue. Unfortunately, our investigations concluded that there was a possibility of the same problem reoccurring. We then decided, quite reluctantly, to cancel the test and make the necessary changes to both our chassis before running again.

Q: How did the factory react?

It’s been an intense few days, but I have to say that everybody has completed their tasks in tremendous fashion. On the first day back at the factory, I spoke to the entire Enstone personnel and clearly explained what happened. Everybody understood that the situation was unfortunate, but under control. We designed the new parts, manufactured them, and fitted them to the chassis. We then completed the necessary tests satisfactorily and the chassis left for Spain.

Q: Are you confident about the repair?

Yes

Q: Does it mean that the chassis is now heavier than before?

Yes, but we’re only talking about 1kg, which is manageable. It won’t have any significant impact on handling or performance.

Q: Did the chassis have to pass a new crash test?

No. It wasn’t necessary.

Q: Which chassis will the team use this week?

We’ll use chassis 01 this week, while chassis 02 will be used as a spare from now on. We’re currently finishing chassis 03, with the new design implemented.

Q: The team missed four days of testing. Is it a big setback?

Of course, missing four days of testing is not ideal. We need mileage at this stage of the year, as does any other team. That said, there are reasons to remain optimistic. First of all, we completed many troublefree laps in Jerez and gained a good understanding of the car. Also, some of the small issues we identified in Jerez needed to be fixed, and the parts were not available last week. On Thursday, the car will run with all the required redesigned parts. We’re looking forward to being back on track.

http://adamcooperf1.com/2012/02/29/jame ... t-problem/

[rankxerox2]

Kimi is such a lovely child.

[reppo]

http://www.iltalehti.fi/formulat/201202 ... 3_fo.shtml (in Finnish)

"When Kimi talks, it is always something important"

Wednesday 29.2.2012 at 10.16

Kimi Raikkonen is said to be tight-lipped

Lotus test driver Jerome d'Ambrosio confirms the claim.

- Yes, he does not talk much, but when he speaks, it is always something important.

- Otherwise he is a nice guy. First meeting went well.

D'Ambrosio describes Räikkönen to be a very different personality when compared to Lotus' other driver Romain Grosjean.

- We have known Romain for ten years, so we get along well, we have never had any problems.

D'Ambrosio was in the last season Virgin team's driver. For the beginning season he did not get a contract. Now he is trying to create a new career at Lotus.

- This is a good deal for me. I have received support from one of the top teams. If you want to make a long career in Formula One, you must aim to the top teams. I am pleased that Lotus gave me the opportunity.

Lotus' tests in Barcelona were interrupted due to a defect in chassis. Still D'Ambrosio does not see the situation as a disaster.

- We are pleased with our car. In the second test we had problems, but it does happen. The team intends to resolve the issue next week. We have a good basis and from it, it is good to develop.

F1 season starts in Australia on March 18th.

SOURCE: CHAMPIONAT
IL

[Anelise]

Thanks reppo!!!!!!!!!

[donald29]

Apparently Raikkonen will be on Top Gear on 11th March.

Edit: Here is the announcement: http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/progin ... -gear.html