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Interview with Kimi Raikkonen |
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Sunday, 01 July 2007 |
 Kimi 's interview for Italian newspaper Tuttosport. This took place before the French Grand Prix. Kimi talks about his performances in Ferrari, about McLaren, about having children etc. (rough translation)
Q: Kimi, you look happier than normal.
KR: Why shouldn't I?
Q: I guess it goes to show you have changed in recent times.
KR: Have I?
Q: Six years of Formula 1 changes everyone.
KR: Not me. I continue to like the things that I liked six years ago: I
enjoy myself with friends playing ice hockey. The difference now is
that I don ’t have so much free time to do it anymore.
{mos_sb_discuss:1}
Q: Looking at what certain newspapers write, maybe it 's better this way.
KR: Some papers are full of nonsense. Thank God I don ’t read much.
Q: Have you ever thought of changing your attitude?
KR: I can’t change my life depending on what people like and
what they don’t. Even more, on certain papers. I will continue
to do what I love.
Q: You talk as if your life is difficult.
KR: Well, it’s not all fun walking out of your house and seeing loads of
people looking for sensational stories. But, I cannot call
myself unlucky, obviously.
Q: Do you see racing as a way to escape from that?
KR: It’s one of the reasons why I’ve always wanted to be a driver. When
you go in the car and drive, stop and talk with the engineers, the rest
of the world stays outside. The only thing that counts is going
fast.
Q: But, at McLaren Ron Dennis was watching things closely and kept things tight.
KR: Yes, but it’s normal for a boss to ask how things go exactly
and where people that are working for him go. I have never felt
surpressed. I just pushed my day forward, fighting in the way I liked.
Of course, I could not be seen as a classic McLaren driver because of
that.
But when you let your head down you’re in trouble with Ron.
Q: Have you ever feared that you could lose this independence going to Ferrari?
KR: It hasn’t happened. On the contrary, at Ferrari I ’ve immediately
understood that I have my freedom. The team has welcomed me very well, I
feel well, everyone helps me in a constructive way and the atmosphere
is how I like it: very friendly. Believe me, I haven’t found any difficulties in becoming part of the team.
Q: You haven’t impressed in the way the fans expected you to.
KR: I am the first to be dissapointed. But there are logical
explanations, I haven’t simply unlearned how to drive during winter.
All the problems are technically related: learning how to drive the
Bridgestone tyres, the way the tyres influenced the regulations. And
then some driver mistakes of course.
Q: What is so difficult using the tyres ?
KR: That you can’t find the limit, you don’t understand it, as long as
you don’t push to the limit and stay on track. It’s a matter of getting
used to it, but I will.
Q: Do you need more time ?
KR: At the moment I feel very well within the team. Also now the team
had to reorganize with new people in new roles. But we’ve only made
mistakes in a couple of races. It’s enough to have two races spot on to
be back in the game.
Q: So you think you can still win the championship?
KR: I will try it. I can’t imagine McLaren reaching the end of the year without a technical problem.
Q: Is it a big advantage to have your teammate in front of you ?
KR: I wouldn’t say so. Massa and I work well together.
Q: If you remained with McLaren you might have led the championship now.
KR: I don’t think about that a lot. I am with Ferrari and don’t
regret that. I wanted to change myself, I ’m happy to have done so. I
knew very well that the two teams were at the same level. And that
every once in two years McLaren is able to build a very fast car. I
didn’t expect anything else than what has happened. Apart from a few
results from my part.
Q: And still, at McLaren there are people that say you would be faster
than Senna, at Ferrari there are people that say you would be faster
than Schumacher.
KR:
I’m honoured. But it’s not so unlikely to be the fastest and still
lose. Success depends on a number of factors, the start of the
season for instance.
Q: The season has started better for Hamilton than for anyone else. Don’t you think it’s incredbile a rookie does so well ?
KR: He’s good. He started in an ideal situation, in an ideal year. Had
he made his debut in 2006, he would have suffered. He has been testing
a lot on the tyres we use now and hardly did any testing with
the Michelins. It doesn’t happen normally with rookies but McLaren is
a first class team and their car is very strong. No, it’s not
incredible.
Q: Alonso and you were the new generation till the end of last year. And now comments go around that you are already retired!
KR: The public has a short memory. Only the last two or three races count.
Q: Have you ever heard someone in the team say: ‘Michael would have done it like this, Michael behaved in a different way’?
KR: No. The past is the past. I have my staff and I discuss the car and
the races with the engineers that belong to me. Schumacher talks more
with Felipe than with me. But it ’s not a factor that has influence on
my race results. From my part, I don’t even tell that I did ‘this and
did that’ at McLaren.
Q: Is it true that whenever friends come to visit you at your house in
Switzerland, you can never resist to challenge them for whatever, be it
swimming, karting, cycling ?
KR: It’s true. The visit is a lot more fun this way.
Q: Have you ever thought about having children ?
KR: Certainly, even more than one. I love children. But it’s not the
right moment for it. I want to be a serious father and as long as I fly
from one capital of the world to another, that is not possible.
Q: Will you learn Italian one day ?
KR: I really hope so, but I am not rushing it. It’s a beautiful language
but very difficult. I’ve always played hookey, you know.
Being behind books for hours, it’s horrible.
Q: What if you lose the championship? What about next year then?
KR: Next year will be a completely different story. New rules, no traction control. A different story.
Q: Better or worse ?
KR: More fun I suppose. And perhaps better for the drivers as there is
a greater chance to make the difference. In case you have a good car
obviously.
Q: Once you’ve taken part in a race and won on snowmobiles under the name of James Hunt. Why was that?
KR: Maybe because I’m born in the wrong century. Had I been a driver
many years ago, I wouldn’t be in the spotlights 24/7, my life would
have been a lot easier.
source: tuttosport.com (newspaper)
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