Raikkonen sees Massa as good teammate

Kimi Raikkonen expressed that he has high hopes for his next year partnership with Felipe Massa at Ferrari. At Thursday's Shanghai press conference, the Finn was complimentary about the Brazilian.
"I think he is a nice guy and I know him a little bit and I can't see any reason why we shouldn't be working well together, so it will be good." The 26-year-old also believes that he'll be quickly up to speed with his teammate despite Massa having a year's more experience racing with the team. "For sure, it will be a little easier for him because he has been there testing and racing this year, but I have all the winter and plenty of time to get to know the people and get used to everything, so there is no reason why there should be any advantage for him."

FIA Thursday press conference - China

Q: Kimi, you’ve been driving a car through the streets as well somewhere. Kimi Raikkonen: Yeah, in Dubai. It was OK, but it was mainly for the local people and media.

Q: Kimi, you come here as probably the most successful driver around this circuit, with a second and a third place in the two races we’ve had so far, so what are your hopes this time? KR: Hopefully I can do a bit better, but I think it’s been quite good for us so we will just do our best and see where we end up.

Q: Do you think you’ve got a better chance here than in Monza? KR: I don’t know. I think we have something new on the car but I wasn’t at the test so I haven’t seen the team… I’ve just arrived here. I will find out tomorrow.

Q: What are your thoughts about your team for next year? About possible management changes? Jean Todt’s importance in your career? How much are you going to be leading that team next year, as we’ve seen Michael do so well? KR: I don’t know what’s going to happen next year. So far, I just want to finish this season and do the best I can for McLaren and then we see next year and what’s going to happen, but I don’t really know.

Q: When do you have your first major contact with the team? KR: No dates just yet, but probably sometime between the end of this season and the start of next year.

Q: (Sal Zanka - AP) And Kimi what advice would you seek from Michael as an incoming Ferrari driver? KR: As I said, it depends on many different things, but we will finish this year and then we will see what happens.

Q: (Marco Evangelisti - Corriere Dello Sport) Kimi, I understand that you want to concentrate on McLaren, but may I have an opinion about your future team-mate Felipe Massa and if you think he can take advantage from his experience in the team next year?KR: I think he is a nice guy and I know him a little bit and I can’t see any reason why we shouldn’t be working well together, so it will be good. Yes, for sure, it will be a little easier for him because he has been there testing and racing this year, but I have all the winter and plenty of time to get to know the people and get used to everything, so there is no reason why there should be any advantage for him.

http://www.formula1.com/news/5018.html

Flying Finn burns rubber in Dubai

Ear piercing engines howls from the Emirates sponsored Team McLaren Mercedes, driven by Kimi Raikkonen, echoed around Dubai with a Formula 1demonstration on a palm lined city road. Phil Blizzard was there to capture the action, along with a few words from the F1 ace.

Renault Key To Raikkonen Plans

Whether or not Kimi Raikkonen makes an appearance in testing for Ferrari this year, remarkably, seems likely to rest on the decision made by Renault boss Flavio Briatore.
Raikkonen currently holds a contract with McLaren which is only due to expire on December 31 of 2006. As we have seen in the past many teams choose to hold their drivers' to this agreement, preventing them from assisting their new teams until the New Year.
This time, however, it seems as though McLaren would be willing to let Raikkonen join up with his new team before the year end should Renault allow their new driver, Fernando Alonso, a similar leeway.
"It is a discussion that we will have with Ferrari," a McLaren source has said.
"I believe that our attitude will be just as pragmatic as Flavio Briatore's."
Whether or not the Renault team boss is willing to be so generous to his two main rivals remains to be seen but Ferrari will no doubt be hopeful that they could see their new Finn flying in the Scuderia red sooner rather than later.

Raikkonen wants to win in China

Kimi Raikkonen has only three races left to win a race for McLaren this season. The Finn will join Ferrari next season after having one of his most difficult seasons in his F1 career. In China he hopes to race for the win.
Raikkonen finished six times on the podium this season, but the highest step was often one step too far. In the first two races organised in China he finished second and third, so this season he is hoping for a race win. Looking ahead of this weekend's race Raikkonen said: "So far in China I have finished in third and second and my aim for this year is to take the top step of the podium with Team McLaren Mercedes!" Speaking about the track in China he looked ahead saying: "The Shanghai track is great to drive; it is quite wide so can be good for overtaking in places. You do need good mechanical grip for the slower corners, this is really important for turn 13 as it exits out onto the long back straight, that is over one kilometre, so having good speed as you leave the corner is vital. The final hairpin, turn 14, at the end of the back straight is probably the most obvious overtaking opportunity. You can get into a slipstream, as speeds reach nearly 330km/h, and the go for position under braking as you drop down to around 85km/h."

Lauda doubts Kimi's right for Ferrari

Former F1 Champion Niki Lauda has questioned Kimi Raikkonen's ability to prevent Ferrari from falling apart in 2007.Ferrari announced at the Italian Grand Prix that Raikkonen would be replacing Michael Schumacher next season and that Schumi, who was instrumental in Ferrari's rise to the top of F1 since joining them in 1996, would be retiring from the sport.However, Lauda has questioned whether Raikkonen's the right man to hold Ferrari together or whether the Scuderia will fall apart under his leadership."Ferrari will need to rebuild themselves," Lauda told German magazine Focus."Question is, will they rebuild as well as they did with Michael, or will it be the same old Italian chaos? "Kimi must be careful that, after Michael, everything won't fall to pieces."It may happen, even more so because one thing is for sure: Raikkonen can drive fast, but he can't do anything else, so Ferrari must give him a complete car."It worked at McLaren, but they're not an emotional team like Ferrari. The Italians, by contrast, need the human component, and Michael was ideal for this. He could get the whole thing working. "I can't see Kimi doing the same."The Austrian also warned Raikkonen about the Italian press and urged the Finn to becareful of what he does even when he's away from the race tracks."Michael has managed to survive the press for 11 years with his private life," Lauda added. "Raikkonen will have to be able to do that as well. "Italy is fully behind Ferrari, emotionally. But if they don't win, as it also happened to Schumacher, and if Kimi was found drunk, the effect would be ten times more negative than elsewhere."Italians look for excuses by nature, because they try to avoid being guilty themselves. And that's why Kimi risks a lot: one beer too many and he becomes the scapegoat for everything, even though he's innocent. But try explaining that to the Italian fans..."

Raikkonen hopes for good chat with Schumi

Kimi Raikkonen has a big challenge ahead of him: replacing Michael Schumacher at Ferrari next season. The Fin is looking forward to next season but is hoping to chat to Michael Schumacher to learn more about the Italian team.
"Until now it was pretty difficult to talk with him about these kind of things because it was a difficult situation," Raikkonen told Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport. "Maybe it will become easier now. He has decided to quit F1 and I might be able to talk some more to him about Ferrari." Raikkonen is also looking forward to work with his new team mate Felipe Massa. "I'm sure things between me and him will be fine. I know him already a bit and he's a nice guy. He is also part of the team already at Ferrari which will help."

Massa believes Raikkonen is big challenge

Next season Felipe Massa will have a new teammate on his side at Ferrari. Michael Schumacher will retire and be replaced with current McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen. Massa expects a good relationship with Raikkonen and believes the Finn will be a big challenge for him on track.

"Kimi will be a new and big challenge for me," Massa told Gazzetta dello Sport. "I believe we will become a good pair at Ferrari. My relationship with Michael has always been good so I am sure it will be the same with Kimi." Massa's contract with the Italian team was extended for another two seasons. The Brazilian was obviously very pleased with his new contract. "This is obviously something I am very proud of."

Raikkonen committed to Ferrari, says Briatore.

Ferrari say they will confirm their 2007 line-up on Sunday, with widespread expectation that Raikkonen will join from McLaren and seven times world champion Michael Schumacher announce his retirement.Renault's champion Fernando Alonso is switching to Mercedes-powered McLaren in a deal announced last December."We tried to have Raikkonen," Briatore told reporters after free practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza."We did not really expect to lose Fernando and we moved a little bit late. Kimi chose to sign this pre-contract with Ferrari and good luck," he added."We will try to beat him next year. "Sure, for me the dream was to have Fernando and Kimi," said Briatore. "But what is not possible is not possible."We try to do whatever we think is the best and Raikkonen's commitment was made very early with Ferrari. We believe, we presume, that he will be driving for Ferrari next year with (Brazilian Felipe) Massa."Renault announced on Wednesday that their Finnish test driver Heikki Kovalainen would be partnering Italian Giancarlo Fisichella next year, with Briatore also signing up for another two years at the helm.The team boss said he did not see anyone better than Kovalainen on the market and dismissed suggestions that he was too inexperienced and not a big enough name."Kovalainen is quite a big name. It's very long," he joked."Everybody was very happy because the name was very long and big. Montoya was short but unfortunately he was in another series."Everyone is talking about how he has no experience. This is utter rubbish. Montoya has experience and he's not in F1 any more," added Briatore.Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, a seven times race winner, left McLaren for the U.S-based NASCAR series in JulyBriatore, who oversaw Schumacher's first two titles with Benetton, paid tribute to the German but suggested also that it was time the 37-year-old called it a day."There's no doubt that Massa was quicker in the last two or three grands prix," he said. "Formula One is strong enough to lose an important driver.We lost (Brazilian Ayrton) Senna and Senna was a star. Nobody believed that one day we would have a Formula One without Senna."If Michael decides to stop, I believe it is the right way for him," he said.

Raikkonen Skips Monza Test Due to 'Sore' Back

A McLaren spokeswoman has confirmed reports that Kimi Raikkonen skipped the Monza test this week due to an injured back.The Finn jarred his back in a crash at the Istanbul circuit last Sunday, but the injury was not at the time thought to have jeopardised either his scheduled test on Thursday, or his participation in the Italian grand prix at the same Monza venue next weekend.''After the minor incident in Turkey,'' the spokeswoman explained on Thursday, ''Kimi is resting to make sure he is fully fit for the Italian grand prix.''Gary Paffett replaced him.Team boss Ron Dennis had insisted in Turkey that a team doctor was 'optimistic' that 26-year-old Raikkonen's planned attendance at the test was not in doubt.Kimi, meanwhile, said: ''My back is a bit sore but nothing to worry about.''

http://www.paddocktalk.com/news/html/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=40411&newlang=&topic=8&catid=0