Raikkonen: The F14- T seems to be a good car, but the track will tell who is quickest

[Nero Horse]

There are now only a few days to go to the start of the 2014 Formula 1 season and this year, like never before, there is a great sense of anticipation to see the cars take to the track on Friday in Albert Park for the opening day of the Australian Grand Prix weekend.

For Kimi Raikkonen, there’s an extra reason why it will feel special, because he will be starting his second stint at Ferrari.

Most recently, the Finn won this race in 2013, but he also did it back in 2007, when he made his Ferrari debut, thus joining a select band who triumphed first time out for the Prancing Horse, drivers of the calibre of Juan Manuel Fangio, Mario Andretti and Nigel Mansell. Only one other driver managed it after Kimi and that is his current team-mate, Fernando Alonso.

Raikkonen recalled, “I remember very well my first win with Ferrari,” Kimi told www.ferrari.com. “it couldn’t have been a better start to my seventh year in Formula 1, with a dominant win from pole. Winning always feels great for me.”

“Nothing could be better. Last year, we also managed to win, which certainly surprised people because unlike 2007, at Lotus we weren’t favourites. So, if I had to compare the two Australian wins, somehow, winning it last year for the second time felt even a little bit nicer after such a difficult pre-season testing period.”

“Australia is a great place to start the season, Melbourne is a wonderful city and, for us Europeans it always feels a bit special to be in this different part of the world. Only the weather is not always that nice,” added Raikkonen.

“I can remember only one GP here where there was sunshine all the time. Of course, I’d prefer dry and hot weekends, especially this year with a completely new car and so many technical aspects still to be understood completely.”

Raikkonen ran the Albert Park track programme on the simulator Wednesday, to try and anticipate unusual situations that could arise because of the characteristics of the 2014 car.

“The track is not that difficult and it’s a combination of a street circuit and a permanent race track and the event is very well organised. Sure, if your car is not well balanced then life can get difficult because you can lose a lot of time compared to those have got it right. If it rains, then the track is very, very slippery and the white lines can be really treacherous.”

The Iceman won’t be drawn into what could be the possible outcome of the race, “Making predictions has never been my habit and this year there is even more reason not to. We are heading Down Under with brand new cars and I reckon it is wide open and anything can happen.”

“In Maranello, we have worked hard and the F14-T seems to be a good car, but the track will tell who is quickest. When we start running to see where we are, we will at least have some data to give us a starting point.”


http://grandprix247.com/2014/03/06/r...o-is-quickest/

[R Ginart]

“Everyone in the team is very competitive and we are working day and night in order to get all the potential out of the F14 T as soon as possible.”
"I think the most important thing to understand on our side is how to manage the balance between electrical power, the ERS, the battery, all these things have an effect in terms of horsepower," said Domenicali.
Ok have I not heard this before, like the last 4 years?

[Senna4Ever]

“Everyone in the team is very competitive and we are working day and night in order to get all the potential out of the F14 T as soon as possible.”
"I think the most important thing to understand on our side is how to manage the balance between electrical power, the ERS, the battery, all these things have an effect in terms of horsepower," said Domenicali.

Somehow I don't take things really much serious when any other expert is rating us high or more low ... I don't mind ...
But soon as I see a interview where it is related to: Domenicali said ... a cold rush runs down my back ...

as it is always talk things nice, not being angry, stay calm, not loose focus and work hard night and day ...
I never get the impression by his public presentations: this man is confident ... and trust in his team that we are a winner ...

[wisepie]

If Kimi seems fairly OK about the car at this stage and Fernando has been smiling, then who are we to judge? I think it'll be at least mid-season before we get a true picture and I hope first and foremost that we don't have teams saddled with endless penaltes for exploding engines from the start. Although saying that, at least any damage done by poor early performance/reliability may be partially erased by other team's penalties too! Fastest isn't necessarily going to be the answer and I don't think we've seen a championship so open for years, but motor-racing and F1 as we knew it won't be the same at all.

[Nick Singer]

My humble tuppence worth: 2014 is shaping up to be a disaster. Massive uncertainty as to how any one team/ car will go. Hugely expensive despite avowed attempts to 'cut costs'. DNFs likely to feature regularly, certainly early in season. Just hope we have tied it all together enough to be 'in the fight'.
F1 has become a joke. I'm sure the formula could have been shaken up without a ridiculously complicated engine/energy recovery system. Similarly, the gimmick of self-destructing crappy tyres has made things artificial. Unless the first races are decent (and we do OK!) I may be sitting this one out for the first time since 1972..

[ManFromMilan]

Fastest isn't necessarily going to be the answer

With the so called "experts" still slapping a fast car label on the RB even though they cannot seem to drive very fast or very far until they start to melt from the inside, the car with the fastest one lap pace will probably not win this years Championships. Just ask Mark Webber. A fast car means nothing if it breaks or looses tyres through out the year.

I still feel very confident that we will have a very good package come Melbourne and that a one two finish is still on the cards for us.

Forza Ferrari