The KIMI SUCKS Thread

separate strategies... Seb is out front attacking at 10/10ths plus, at full risk... it could be Kimi is consolidating his position preserving a reasonable finish as insurance should things go wrong up front...

 

I actually thought that Kimi did quite well. After the pit stop, it was pretty clear that he was not going to be able to catch and pass Bottas. So his job was to finish and stay ahead of Max. If you noticed the closing laps, Kimi maintained a roughly 2 seconds lead over Max. Then to serve notice of what to expect in the next race, he turned in the fastest lap of the race. Right after Max asked RBR if he could do it.

The next race should be interesting. I think Kimi's quali was compromised by the red flag at the end of Q3.

 

MARCH 28, 2017

Ex boss wants Giovinazzi to replace Raikkonen



Antonio Giovinazzi has put himself in pole position for a Ferrari race seat.

That is the view of the great Maranello marque's former boss Cesare Fiorio, after Italian Giovinazzi made his surprise race debut for the Ferrari customer Sauber in Melbourne.

"What Antonio did in Melbourne was outstanding, particularly as he was woken up on Saturday morning to replace the Sauber driver (Pascal Wehrlein)," Fiorio exclaimed on Italian Radio Anch'io lo Sport (Rai).

Giovinazzi finished second in last year's GP2 championship and is now Ferrari's new reserve driver.

"I have followed him for 4-5 years and he is definitely the best talent we (Italy) have and is ready for formula one. Ferrari did well to put him under contract and I hope they will give him a chance."

Fiorio said Giovinazzi, 23, is an obvious candidate to replace Kimi Raikkonen for 2018.

"His (Raikkonen's) last season with Alonso and the first with Vettel were embarrassing, although he recovered last year with Vettel.

"But by the end of the season, he starts to be a driver at 38, 39 years old and then I think it's time to conclude his adventure at Ferrari," he added.

Finally, Fiorio hailed Ferrari and Sebastian Vettel's opening race of the 2017 season in Melbourne.

Referring to German Vettel in 2016, he said: "Last year was the result of anxiety -- he did a very bad season. So it was important for Vettel to let everyone know he is a four time world champion.

"And Ferrari also had to show Mercedes that this year they will put them in great difficulty.

"It was said that without British engineering you cannot go anywhere, but instead (Sergio) Marchionne's team of young engineers was the winning choice.

"Now comes the hard part," added Fiorio, who ran Ferrari at the end of the 90s. "With the new rules, they must add a tenth at each grand prix, so two seconds by the end of the season.

"If Ferrari can do this they will remain competitive, if not they will stay where they were before. It will take a great effort in the area of aerodynamics," he said.

 

Interesting article.

He's basically saying Kimi is crap and was made to look good by Vettel who had a miserable 2016 season.

An Italian driver at Ferrari, I'd like to see that. Been far too long since that happened

 

I would like to see Giovinazzi in a competitive car but I don't think that Kimi is quite ready for the old folks home. If Magnussen doesn't get his act together I could see Gio at Haas.

 

Interesting!

 

From Crash.net / F1

28 March 2017

"Raikkonen: Ferrari can produce 1-2 results


Kimi Raikkonen has faith in Ferrari to 'put things in perfect order' for him with the SF70H which will enable him to challenge for race wins.


With Vettel charging to victory at the 2017 Formula 1 season opener in Melbourne Raikkonen endured a frustrating race to finish fourth but 22 seconds off his team-mate despite suffering no mechanical issues with his car.

The 2007 F1 world champion is confident once Ferrari cures the understeer he is battling while using ultra-soft tyres he can cut down the deficit to Vettel and provide the Italian manufacturer with opportunities for 1-2 finishes.

“When we put things in perfect order [we can finish 1-2],” Raikkonen said. “It's good for him [Vettel], good for the team. We have a good base, a good car, but there's a lot to work on. It's a long championship and we just have to see how it goes.

“It's a bit disappointing where I finished but we know what we have to do. At least we finished, after quite a few years where we didn't finish this race, but it's obviously not the ideal start.

“This is not one hundred per cent what we wanted, but I'll take it. Even if it's disappointing I'm pretty happy we understood quite a lot of things over the weekend. It was a good race for the team, we won the first race, so we have a lot of good things and a foundation to build from.”

Have F1's worst fears been realised and can they be fixed?

Raikkonen's fourth place in Australia represented his best start to a season since 2013 when he won the Melbourne race for Lotus – which remains the last time the Finn reached the top step of the rostrum in F1.

Ferrari's last 1-2 finish in F1 came in the 2010 German Grand Prix when Fernando Alonso won from Felipe Massa - the race which sparked the 'Fernando is faster than you' when Massa was told to hand the win to Alonso by the Ferrari management."

 

Lets hope so.

If Kimi is quick, there's no real rush. Giovinazzi won't be racing the whole season, though I do believe Ferrari might put him in Magnussen's seat if he keeps doing as he has (last year he also wasn't that good). Gene knows the potential of his Haas and won't appreciate valuable points flying away like last year.

We can't have Gio drive in Ferrari next year if he's only done a race or two this season. If Kimi retires after 2018 that'll be perfect, really. It allows Gio to mature and then take over the seat, IMO. Having an Italian in F1 is great, especially one that knows how to drive properly. I hope we see more so we can evaluate him.

 

Give Kimi another 5-6 races to to actually judge him. If he doesn't buck up, then this should be his last season.

 

+1 and I think Ferrari will be in the same mindset on him.

 

His whole statement is a load of crap. God forbid someone admit the cars sucked.

 

More like China and then if he does'nt buck up after that, then this should be his last season as he will be fighting with Bottas for points or 3 place....MB already has a lead on us and we cannot let up.

 

Two races are too short for any average calculations. What if the something mechanical happens, and it's Kimi's fault? 5-6 races are a better calculator.

 

of course and agree but if the car is dialed in.....and Kimi is not behind Vettel or 3rd place then my "expectations" start to dwindle....and after 5-6 races and he is still having issues due to him being "picky" cuz of this or that....then his "credibility" with regards to this year only will leave me nothing short of disappoinment. Can understand if its a mech. failure.

 

Press is saying this about Kimi - Ferrari

Vettel 1 – Raikkonen 0

Friday practice might have looked a bit dodgy for the Scuderia, but once they got the balance of the SF70H sorted Vettel was in a glorious position to exploit any weakness in Mercedes strategy. Sebastian’s win was heralded as a great new dawn, his first win since 2015, but there have been times since then that it was only the wrong strategy call that denied Ferrari victory. It hasn’t been the lack of engineering grit that has kept them off the top step of the podium. Vettel pushed Hamilton all the way, and got the essential jump on Bottas. Raikkonen was adrift both in qualifying and the race. He can’t afford to do this for more than three races, because if there is one team that will start enforcing team orders, it’s the one based in Maranello. Which he works for.

 

APRIL 5, 2017

Raikkonen wants to stay beyond 2017



Kimi Raikkonen has indicated he wants to stay in formula one beyond 2017.

The 2007 world champion, now 37, has been a solid if not standout performer during his second stint at Ferrari.

But the general perception is that he was outclassed by his respective teammates Fernando Alonso and Sebastian Vettel.

And now, a fresh, young and Italian face is looming on the horizon in the form of Antonio Giovinazzi, and some in the paddock think Ferrari is clearly grooming the 23-year-old for a future at the Maranello team.

Finn Raikkonen, on the other hand, is now the oldest driver on the grid and with only a one-year deal.

But ahead of the Chinese grand prix, Speed Week quotes Raikkonen as saying: "As long as I enjoy driving and my services are desired, I will stay in formula one."

 

Probably posted elsewhere, but deserves to be here as well. If not for Kimi Vettel would have had a shot at Hamilton.

Two races and not one pass except under blue flag.

 

I'm giving Kimi more than two races before I pass judgment this season. At this point, one can only call him a highly paid number two driver.

Here's to your improvement, Kimi. We know you can do it.

 

Marchionne wants the team to have a talk with Kimi about his form: https://www.motorsport.com/f1/news/ferrari-wants-talks-with-raikkonen-to-discuss-his-form-891900/

Basically Marchionne has accused Kimi of not trying, saying that he seemed to be: "busy with other stuff", and suggested Maurizio Arrivabene sit down around a table and discuss it with Kimi.

When asked if it was a case of the car simply suiting Vettel more than Kimi so far, Marchionne replied: "Absolutely no."

I could easily see Kimi saying: "If Marchionne thinks it is so easy, put him in the ***king car and let's see how he does!".

Alonso back to Ferrari? - It looks like it might be taking another step closer!

 

Alonso should never return to Ferrari.

 

Kimi done

 

I went straight to bed after watching the "Kimi-Vettel train" doing tours behind Ricci.

 

APRIL 10, 2017

Ferrari criticises Raikkonen after China



Ferrari has openly criticised Kimi Raikkonen after Sunday's Chinese grand prix.

The Italian marque was not alone.

The influential sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport said after Shanghai that the difference between Raikkonen and his teammate Sebastian Vettel was the latter's overtakes.

"Kimi never even tried," it noted.

But the criticism went all the way to the top, with Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne present in Shanghai to observe the fabled team in action.

"Raikkonen was lacking something? Yes, today he seemed to have other commitments, he was busy doing something else, or maybe he was tired," he told the Italian broadcaster Sky.

"Vettel was much more aggressive."

And Ferrari team boss Maurizio Arrivabene pointed out that Raikkonen did plenty of public complaining about the car over the radio.

"Today Kimi was talking, but I think when you talk a lot you are driving less," he said.

President Marchionne continued: "I will talk to Arrivabene, as maybe it is time for him to sit down with him (Raikkonen) and tell him something clear."

More generally, however, the Italian-Canadian said he is happy with Ferrari's progress so far, with Vettel jointly leading the world championship.

"Can Ferrari fight on par with Mercedes? We already do," said Marchionne.

In the constructors' championship, however, Ferrari is a point behind Mercedes, even though the Italian team has two world champions in the cockpits.

So team boss Arrivabene hinted the time might come when Raikkonen is slotted into a clear supporting role for Vettel.

"The championship has just started, so there's no rush and time will tell.

"But if we find ourselves in a situation where Ferrari is fighting for victory in the championship, then our drivers are well aware of the rules of the game," he said.

 

He needs to go. Inconsistency is the trademark and legacy of his time at Ferrari, title or not. I simply wont miss him. There are better choices out there waiting for this opportunity. Does anyone think he stays now? I can see the choice being made at the end of next week if he doesnt improve. So what if he does. His inconsistency is evident....

 

My understanding was that Kimi is extremely sensitive and compensates for that with very good setup ability and feedback to engineers. This is of course tough to judge from the outside but it needs to be factored in, I guess. If his ability there benefits the race pace of Vettle by 0.X seconds per lap then there might still be a lot of value in him besides his track performance.