F! 2007 - Kimi

JSDSKI · 09:45 AM

This provides a different perspective on KR's undoubted speed and attack - and maybe a reason for some of those Mac DNF's?

from Autosport AtlasF1 Ferrari's new Formula One car will have to be built like a tank to withstand the treatment Kimi Raikkonen dishes out, according to former Mercedes-McLaren engine expert Mario Illien. "No one drives the machine harder, no one bangs it so hard lap after lap into the kerb," the Swiss, who left Formula One in 2005 and now has an Ilmor MotoGP team, told Sport Bild on Thursday. "Ferrari will have to build Kimi a tank if they want to win the title with him." Raikkonen has moved from McLaren, who won no races last year for the first time in a decade, to replace retired seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher at Ferrari this season. The 27-year-old Finn, twice an overall runner-up in the drivers' championship, suffered repeated engine failures in his time at McLaren. In 2003, he lost out to Schumacher by just two points. Illien's Ilmor engines powered Finland's Mika Hakkinen to the 1998 and 1999 Formula One titles with McLaren while they have also won the Indy 500 on 11 occasions

Jims5543 · 01-18-2007, 10:21 AM

Q - Who fractured their kneecap last year in their car driving during practice?

Hint - He drives for Mercedes now.

Q- Which team has already blown 2 engines while shaking down their cars in the preseason?

Hint - Not Ferrari

Kimi will be just fine.

nostatic · nostatic's Garage

you could argue that a good team builds a car to fit the driver's style.

you could also argue that a good driver adapts to the car.

I'd go with the first one though...

Joeaksa · 01-18-2007, 10:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by nostatic you could also argue that a good driver adapts to the car.

A good driver as well realizes that if the car breaks he gets no points. Better to adapt your driving to the car and get the max out of it while allowing both of you to finish as high as possible.

To win, first you must finish...

TheMentat · TheMentat's Garage

pretty weak... reliability never seemed to be an issue for Kimi until the last two years. Are they implying that he suddenly changed his driving style?

Jeff Higgins · 01-18-2007, 10:59 AM

So why wasn't his team mate finishing either? Yup; must be the driver. We'll see. I think we are in for one hell of a good year, at any rate.

Jims5543 · 01-18-2007, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jeff Higgins
So why wasn't his team mate finishing either? Yup; must be the driver. We'll see. I think we are in for one hell of a good year, at any rate.

+1

JSDSKI · 12:36 PM

Even with his unique turn-in, Alonso drove the same chassis to a WDC throughout '06 (despite fractured kneecap). Didn't Fangio say the point was to win at the slowest possible speed ? Maybe KR suffers from Mario Andretti disease - one speed only - FLAT OUT!!

not that there's anything wrong with that