TBK-Light.com :: 2011 Random F1 Discussion

Kimi, it has been three weeks since you were confirmed as a Lotus Renault GP driver for the 2012 season. How have you found the reaction to your F1 return?
KR: I have been surprised at how big the reaction has been so I guess people must have missed me!

What has been the best moment so far?
KR: Sebastian Vettel’s impersonation of me at the Autosport awards! No, seriously, my two visits to Enstone have been great. The first one, at the team’s Christmas party, made me realise how much support I have there. The second one, last week, allowed me to understand that this team has not been world champion by coincidence. I also saw all the investments they have made recently: new simulator building, CFD upgrade, 60% wind tunnel… It gives me a lot of confidence for the season ahead.

How difficult do you think you will find it coming back?
KR: Let’s put it this way: before my two years of rallying I had nine seasons, 157 races and 18 wins in Formula 1. I know the sport well. When I went to rallying and when I tried NASCAR, there were many new things to learn, but with Formula 1 I feel like I’m coming home. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel.

Do you think it will take you long to get back up to speed?
KR: I hope not! I am more motivated than ever and I don’t think I’ve lost any speed. Getting on top of the tyres will be the hardest thing, of course, but I’m not really worried. Although the technical regulations don’t seem to change much, they apply to a lot of areas and quite a few elements will have to be re-designed. As a result, the cars will be significantly different next year. The order could be shaken up, which will make things very interesting.

What is your schedule in the build-up to testing?
KR: We don’t test the new car until February so it’s a long wait. However, I should be able to jump into a two-year-old F1 car in January. Of course, there will be the usual training, but I will also be working on getting to know the team better and making sure I fully understand all the changes since I have been away.

What are your targets for pre-season testing?
KR: Finding out if we have a fast car! For me, learning how the team works will be another important aspect. Learning Pirelli’s tyres will be the most important job, as it’s a different approach from what I experienced before.

What are your plans over the Christmas break? Have you got anything special arranged?
KR: I am doing a lot of training. The most important area for me is to get my neck strong enough again, especially as it will be put through its paces in testing. Of course, I will also be celebrating Christmas with my family.

Any more snowmobile races planned?
KR: I was surprised by how much attention there was over me falling off a snowmobile. You can watch what happened on YouTube and it was probably the smallest and slowest crash I’ve ever had. It is almost embarrassing! I won a snowmobile race right before the start of the 2007 season and that year didn’t go badly for me so who knows?

Author:	Ospi [ Tue Dec 20, 2011 12:55 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
Oh god, I can't look at Shanghai now without seeing the woman doing the splits. WHAT HAS BEEN SEEN CANNOT BE UNSEEN!

Author:	phil1993 [ Tue Dec 20, 2011 11:19 am ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
Especially for Mr. Hadsley http://www.f1zone.net/news/the-f1zone-a ... 011/11167/

Author:	phil1993 [ Tue Dec 20, 2011 2:29 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
Saw this on Twitter [youtubeidiot]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kG_t3P4448o[/youtubeidiot] [youtubeidiot]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWMQOOkap_I[/youtubeidiot] [youtubeidiot]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMDJ3_lnrXs[/youtubeidiot]

Author:	codename_47 [ Tue Dec 20, 2011 4:43 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
phil1993 wrote: Especially for Mr. Hadsley http://www.f1zone.net/news/the-f1zone-a ... 011/11167/ None of my puns.....worst awards ever!

Author:	phil1993 [ Tue Dec 20, 2011 4:45 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
After a whole year of Lewis Hamilton related private news, another driver's love life has hit the shit - Fernando Alonso is divorcing his wife of 5 years

TBK-Light.com https://tbk-light.com/phpBB3/

2011 Random F1 Discussion https://tbk-light.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=1960	Page 599 of 605

Author:	Cheeveer [ Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:24 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
</3

Author:	Omega [ Tue Dec 20, 2011 6:45 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
phil1993 wrote: After a whole year of Lewis Hamilton related private news, another driver's love life has hit the shit - Fernando Alonso is divorcing his wife of 5 years shouldn't have married a 5 year old in the first place

Author:	kakico [ Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:20 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
Montrel often provided us good racing, because it had no run-off areas, the track was usually dirty and we always had SC in the races. This F1 with one retirement per race sucks

Author:	Gabriel [ Tue Dec 20, 2011 9:33 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
Omega wrote: phil1993 wrote: After a whole year of Lewis Hamilton related private news, another driver's love life has hit the shit - Fernando Alonso is divorcing his wife of 5 years shouldn't have married a 5 year old in the first place I chuckled.

Author:	phil1993 [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 3:27 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
Kimi Raikkonen Q&A Quote: Kimi, it has been three weeks since you were confirmed as a Lotus Renault GP driver for the 2012 season. How have you found the reaction to your F1 return? KR: I have been surprised at how big the reaction has been so I guess people must have missed me! What has been the best moment so far? KR: Sebastian Vettel’s impersonation of me at the Autosport awards! No, seriously, my two visits to Enstone have been great. The first one, at the team’s Christmas party, made me realise how much support I have there. The second one, last week, allowed me to understand that this team has not been world champion by coincidence. I also saw all the investments they have made recently: new simulator building, CFD upgrade, 60% wind tunnel… It gives me a lot of confidence for the season ahead. How difficult do you think you will find it coming back? KR: Let’s put it this way: before my two years of rallying I had nine seasons, 157 races and 18 wins in Formula 1. I know the sport well. When I went to rallying and when I tried NASCAR, there were many new things to learn, but with Formula 1 I feel like I’m coming home. I can’t wait to get behind the wheel. Do you think it will take you long to get back up to speed? KR: I hope not! I am more motivated than ever and I don’t think I’ve lost any speed. Getting on top of the tyres will be the hardest thing, of course, but I’m not really worried. Although the technical regulations don’t seem to change much, they apply to a lot of areas and quite a few elements will have to be re-designed. As a result, the cars will be significantly different next year. The order could be shaken up, which will make things very interesting. What is your schedule in the build-up to testing? KR: We don’t test the new car until February so it’s a long wait. However, I should be able to jump into a two-year-old F1 car in January. Of course, there will be the usual training, but I will also be working on getting to know the team better and making sure I fully understand all the changes since I have been away. What are your targets for pre-season testing? KR: Finding out if we have a fast car! For me, learning how the team works will be another important aspect. Learning Pirelli’s tyres will be the most important job, as it’s a different approach from what I experienced before. What are your plans over the Christmas break? Have you got anything special arranged? KR: I am doing a lot of training. The most important area for me is to get my neck strong enough again, especially as it will be put through its paces in testing. Of course, I will also be celebrating Christmas with my family. Any more snowmobile races planned? KR: I was surprised by how much attention there was over me falling off a snowmobile. You can watch what happened on YouTube and it was probably the smallest and slowest crash I’ve ever had. It is almost embarrassing! I won a snowmobile race right before the start of the 2007 season and that year didn’t go badly for me so who knows?

Author:	RtN [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 3:44 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
That's an awful lot of exclamation marks for a Kimi Raikkonen interview.

Author:	phil1993 [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 3:50 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
Autosport's end of year podcast. http://plus.autosport.com/free/feature/ ... w-podcast/ Good listen if you have an hour or so free.

Author:	Gabriel [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:26 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
RtN wrote: That's an awful lot of exclamation marks for a Kimi Raikkonen interview. Yeah. For a moment I thought I was reading a Castroneves interview or something.

Author:	J.Morelli [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:14 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
Rumours coming from brazilian press confirm Senna in Williams as titular driver for 2012. I'll be so happy If confirmed! http://grandepremio.ig.com.br/formula1/ ... 41720.html

Author:	glorfindel [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 9:26 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
Regiotap wrote: That is terrible news. Two top drivers (Sutil, Alguersuari) out, and one bad driver (only because of his name) may stay. Have we seen enough to call him a bad driver? No one looked good in that HRT, I don't think its fair to judge anyone on that car. In the Renault his qualifying was good. Sure he made some mistakes in the races but he wasn't a million miles from his team mate and Senna hadn't raced in, what, a year? Give him a full season and I think he might do well. If he doesn't get a seat, I hope he goes race somewhere. I see Chandhok admitting he might have to take a test driver role next year and wonder how he expects to get a seat anywhere with that. Racers need to be racing, if they aren't they won't be as sharp when they come back and its bound to be harder to come back when you have barely driven a car in a year or more. Its madness, especially for the younger guys who take reserve/test roles and don't take part in GP2, I am thinking specifically of Bottas here. I believe he has said he will not race GP2 wanting to work on his role in F1, but how does he expect to get an F1 seat with nothing really to show? Sure he might show something amazing on Fridays, but only Williams have all the info on that so its not going to help much with other teams. Its just a real chip on my shoulder right now, drivers should be racing. Sorry, I seemed to drift off my original point there.

Author:	phil1993 [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 9:36 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
I'm led to believe that Bottas will take part in 15 practice sessions for Williams next season, potentially alongside an FR3.5 campaign. I agree with you, I just think we should bring back mid-season testing frankly, because that would help. The problem is we have 24 drivers and a fantastic crop of talent. No-one seems to be retiring and the economy is meaning that, unlike in the manufacturer era of the late 90s/early 00s, teams need finance. Another issue is that the media has made everyone so aware of data and facts and have the ability to criticise drivers, and see so much of what was going on. That part of the formula didn't exist until the early 00s really. Now we have so many drivers, with so much information and pros/cons of each driver. F1 has always had drivers that fall by the wayside, who should have made it but didn't. Equally, there's going to be a time very soon where we have a lot of drivers leaving. Schumacher, Barrichello, Trulli will all be gone either by the start of next year or the year after probably. How much longer will Webber keep going, for example? Young drivers is an issue that needs to be sorted out though. The likes of Vettel and Hamilton have skewed people's opinions on what a driver has achieved. People are slating Alguersuari because he hasn't achieved anything. I mean yes, he was taken to F1 by Red Bull but he is only 21 years old. Vettel & Lewis are the exception, not the norm, when it comes to F1 drivers of a young age achieving a lot. F1 drivers peak in their early 30s, not when they're 21. Something needs to be done, but what... As a driver without a seat, what do you do? Take a year out and hope you get the seat (like Hulkenberg), or go and do something else. Personally, I'd prefer to see a couple more teams and have pre-qualifying again. As, I think Dave said, it gives a driver a chance to stay in F1 and drive. The closeness of the F1 midfield in particular means its so hard to differentiate between drivers. In the past, each team was separated by several tenths. Now, 0.5s can be the difference between 8th and 18th.

Page 599 of 605	All times are UTC+01:00
Powered by phpBB® Forum Software © phpBB Limited https://www.phpbb.com/

Author:	Regiotap [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 7:32 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
That is terrible news. Two top drivers (Sutil, Alguersuari) out, and one bad driver (only because of his name) may stay.

Author:	phil1993 [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 8:22 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
Trying to write for a not-necessarily-F1-aware audience is tricky. You guys think it's okay? http://www.wessexscene.co.uk/sport/2011 ... from-dull/

Author:	RtN [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 9:38 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
The general consensus appears to be that Trulli has gotten the boot and that his drive is available to the highest bidder.

Author:	phil1993 [ Wed Dec 21, 2011 9:40 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: 2011 Random F1 Discussion
RtN wrote: The general consensus appears to be that Trulli has gotten the boot and that his drive is available to the highest bidder. We can but hope. Smart money seems to be that Petrov will be crossing the Great wall of Lotus. Caterham rejected Red Bull's advances regarding Ricciardo, so they must have been planning for more money coming.