What does Kimi's mythic reputation base upon?
What does Kimi's mythic reputation base upon?
19.3.2012 klo 14.41
Kimi Räikkönen is the most interesting F1-driver at the moment, even internationally.
Kimi Räikkönen has the reputation of being a mythic and mysterious man.
His two-year rally-wandering is now over and Australia GP meant that a new phase started once again.
In Melbourne Räikkönen was on the lips of almost everybody. Iltalehti listed the reasons why Räikkönen is internationally the most significant Finnish sportsman.
Wonder child
Peter Sauber gave 21-year old Räikkönen a chance to show his talent in autumn 2000.
- I wouldn't say that Kimi was polite in any way. He was like a scared animal who didn't want to be disturbed, Sauber has described.
However three days in Mugello was enough to convince Sauber.
He negotiated Räikkönen a super licence so he could get in F1, although Max Mosley strongly objected to it.
- The decision is wrong. When an inexperienced driver causes an accident on the track it's my job to explain it to the media, Mosley justified his opinion.
The Iceman is born
Mosley's anger was mainly the reason why so much attention was focused on Kimi's debut race. Mosley also had a lot of supporters. Räikkönen had after all only drove 23 races after his karting career.
Many thought he would be a risk factor.
Räikkönen's debut race in Australia 2001 was practically freezing when thinking of the background. He battled with a mediocre Sauber-car from 13th to WC-points.
The legend of the Iceman was born when it became clear that Räikkönen had to be woken up only less than 30 minutes before the race started. The Finn had curled to sleep in the garage's corner when everybody else was already fussing in the starting grid.
Blinded into smoke
In Spa GP 2002 Olivier Panis' BAR-engine exploded on the top of Eau Rouge -hill. A huge smoke cloud filled the track and McLaren-radio warned Räikkönen, who was blazing his own fast lap, to slow down.
What else. Kimi asked coolly on which side of the track Panis' car is and went blindly into the fog with his foot on the pedal. McLaren's telemetry revealed that Räikkönen hadn't lifted his foot off the pedal at all, although he could see zero meters.
According to a believable story, Räikkönen had determined where Panis' car was based upon the oil track he left on Eau Rouge.
WDC-party
When Räikkönen won his WDC in 2007, he headed for the parking lot in Interlagos track with a backpack after doing the mandatory interviews and photos.
There he sat in his own Fiat Stilo and headed in a modest way to the night clubs in São Paulo.
Walking his own path
They have always thought that Räikkönen is too proud to take a bow in front of anyone. I mean anyone.
Maybe that's why the Ferrari corporative culture and the Finn's stubbornness never really melted together. Räikkönen was in 2009 Ferrari's absolute driver #1 and he dragged the completely failed F60-car to victory in Spa. It wouldn't had been any problem for Räikkönen to drive alongside Fernando Alonso. It was the Spaniard who didn't want it.
Räikkönen's individualism cost Ferrari dearly. Ferrari didn't believe that the WDC would leave the whole genre. However that's what he did and hence Maranello had to pay in full the contract fine. I bet those millions would have been needed to the development work of the future cars.
Comeback
And like the cherry on the cake Räikkönen returns to F1 when he wants to.
He returns refreshed, relaxed, renewed. Ready to win, but not obsessively wanting it.
- This might be a bit surprising but Räikkönen's most important help to the team is his motivation, Éric Boullier estimated his driver #1 in Melbourne.
- He is a world champion. He deserves our respect. I noticed it immediately when we met in my office for the first time. Räikkönen has charisma and it just reflects around him. He inspires all of us to do even better.
JANNE PALOMÄKI
Fonte: www.iltalehti.fi/Tradução para o Inglês: Nicole
Só tenho uma coisa para comentar deste texto, a seguinte frase de Eric Boullier, no último parágrafo: "Ele é um campeão mundial. Ele merece nosso respeito". Acho que eu não preciso dizer mais nada né?!
Beijinhos, Ludy
19.3.2012 klo 14.41
Kimi Räikkönen is the most interesting F1-driver at the moment, even internationally.
Kimi Räikkönen has the reputation of being a mythic and mysterious man.
His two-year rally-wandering is now over and Australia GP meant that a new phase started once again.
In Melbourne Räikkönen was on the lips of almost everybody. Iltalehti listed the reasons why Räikkönen is internationally the most significant Finnish sportsman.
Wonder child
Peter Sauber gave 21-year old Räikkönen a chance to show his talent in autumn 2000.
- I wouldn't say that Kimi was polite in any way. He was like a scared animal who didn't want to be disturbed, Sauber has described.
However three days in Mugello was enough to convince Sauber.
He negotiated Räikkönen a super licence so he could get in F1, although Max Mosley strongly objected to it.
- The decision is wrong. When an inexperienced driver causes an accident on the track it's my job to explain it to the media, Mosley justified his opinion.
The Iceman is born
Mosley's anger was mainly the reason why so much attention was focused on Kimi's debut race. Mosley also had a lot of supporters. Räikkönen had after all only drove 23 races after his karting career.
Many thought he would be a risk factor.
Räikkönen's debut race in Australia 2001 was practically freezing when thinking of the background. He battled with a mediocre Sauber-car from 13th to WC-points.
The legend of the Iceman was born when it became clear that Räikkönen had to be woken up only less than 30 minutes before the race started. The Finn had curled to sleep in the garage's corner when everybody else was already fussing in the starting grid.
Blinded into smoke
In Spa GP 2002 Olivier Panis' BAR-engine exploded on the top of Eau Rouge -hill. A huge smoke cloud filled the track and McLaren-radio warned Räikkönen, who was blazing his own fast lap, to slow down.
What else. Kimi asked coolly on which side of the track Panis' car is and went blindly into the fog with his foot on the pedal. McLaren's telemetry revealed that Räikkönen hadn't lifted his foot off the pedal at all, although he could see zero meters.
According to a believable story, Räikkönen had determined where Panis' car was based upon the oil track he left on Eau Rouge.
WDC-party
When Räikkönen won his WDC in 2007, he headed for the parking lot in Interlagos track with a backpack after doing the mandatory interviews and photos.
There he sat in his own Fiat Stilo and headed in a modest way to the night clubs in São Paulo.
Walking his own path
They have always thought that Räikkönen is too proud to take a bow in front of anyone. I mean anyone.
Maybe that's why the Ferrari corporative culture and the Finn's stubbornness never really melted together. Räikkönen was in 2009 Ferrari's absolute driver #1 and he dragged the completely failed F60-car to victory in Spa. It wouldn't had been any problem for Räikkönen to drive alongside Fernando Alonso. It was the Spaniard who didn't want it.
Räikkönen's individualism cost Ferrari dearly. Ferrari didn't believe that the WDC would leave the whole genre. However that's what he did and hence Maranello had to pay in full the contract fine. I bet those millions would have been needed to the development work of the future cars.
Comeback
And like the cherry on the cake Räikkönen returns to F1 when he wants to.
He returns refreshed, relaxed, renewed. Ready to win, but not obsessively wanting it.
- This might be a bit surprising but Räikkönen's most important help to the team is his motivation, Éric Boullier estimated his driver #1 in Melbourne.
- He is a world champion. He deserves our respect. I noticed it immediately when we met in my office for the first time. Räikkönen has charisma and it just reflects around him. He inspires all of us to do even better.
JANNE PALOMÄKI
Fonte: www.iltalehti.fi/Tradução para o Inglês: Nicole
Só tenho uma coisa para comentar deste texto, a seguinte frase de Eric Boullier, no último parágrafo: "Ele é um campeão mundial. Ele merece nosso respeito". Acho que eu não preciso dizer mais nada né?!
Beijinhos, Ludy
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