I've heard that Kimi is a wild man in private. Definitely a party animal.

In F1, the car is a HUGE part of the equation, and the drivers are veeeeery good, acraoos the board. And the cars...not the easiest thing to drive either.

I think JV HAS driven great races, just not in this decade. ;)

His FIRST race was pretty wild...but he WAS in a GREAT car. Still, he was on pole IIRC in his first ever F1 qual session on a track he had never seen. You don't do THAT without a bit of talent.

Sadly, it seems he leaves it home on the yacht, or in the flat every weekend.

Now...how about Zanardi! Theres a guy with heart AND talent. Congrats to him on his recent first Touring car win. Atta boy!

Like Bush, Kimi isn't too good off the cuff. But unlike Bush, Kimi is actually damn good at what he does.

How good is Kimi? The McLaren is the fastest car on the grid at the moment, so it's impossible to say. It's always hard to pinpoint the Top Gun in F1 as the cars are never equal, including cars from the same team. There's no control tire, either.

There's only way to find out who the best steerer in F1 is: throw 'em all in identical-spec, torsion bar 911s for 30 laps of fun around the Nordschleife and hope that none of them miss a shift!

For someone who according to the statement above is not "damm good at what he does", making it to the highest office in the most powerful country in the world aint too shabby.

Please let us know when you are running for the office and your platform!

Joe A

I guess you do not remember his first season with Williams, when he had a decent car under him. He was sensational.

Totally agree! To win the championship in the first season in F1 was excellent and there were times that no one could approach his level.

Guess I miss the old JV and have not accepted the fact that in his early 30's he is "over the hill" for a F1 driver...

Joe A

JV never appeared to be the wild man on the track like his father. Perhaps he's lost some of the nerve? The age thing does make Schumacher's speed seem more impressive, but many of these guys are done in their 30's.

No one's commented on how Kimi would do in the same car as Alonso or Fisi.

Peter,

Possibly that is because the Ferrari cars have been less than normal this season. Agree that he would be interesting in a consistant fast car, just wish he had one at his disposal.

Joea

Damon Hill gets a pretty rough deal..... he was the development and test driver for Williams the season before Ayton joined.. was thrust into the lime light after Monza and managed to win a World Championship... and JV won the next one....

I think Damon deserves a huge amount of credit for making that Willaims what it was... he may not have been the best racing driver.. but he was certainly one of the best drivers....

Jacques however is a great racing driver.... but less able to develop the car to its ultimate potential.....all guts and not patience...

Kimi will win next year... McLaren have finished their new building...finished the SLR and can now refocus on racing.... ever notice how thier success is inversely proportional to the amount of outside activity they have.....remember the F1 period... nothing... then consequetive championships and then its all went away whilst building their research centre....

Remember also Demon Hill won races for Jordon (not the best of cars) lead a race in an Arrows from the start untill it broke down on the last lap. I reckon he was very under-rated and a top bloke.

Two Finns left for a weekend to go camping, walked into the forest and sat on a fallen tree. They opened their bottles of 'Koskenkorva' (the Finnish vodka) and started drinking.

After a couple of hours the first guy asked: 'So, how's it going?'

Two hours passed...

The other guy: 'What? Have you walked all the way out here to have a chat or to drink?'

So, yeah, we Finns are quite quiet type. :)

Isn't that what I said? He was great in the Williams. So was just about everyone else who drove the Williams. Those Renault engines were phenomenal.

Don't get me wrong, I like JV, it's just that when history looks back on his career I don't think he's going to be remembered as one of the greats.

Look at all of the drivers that come into F1 and make a big splash only to fade as the seasons go by. I think Ralf Schumacher is a good example. Or even Jean Alesi. Or Andrea DeCesaris. Hahaha...just kidding. :>)

Mike

Salonen,

Good one and so true!

Joe A

Salonen - what does "Kimi" mean in your language? I mean if a guy walked into the bars I used to frequent and said "hi, I'm Kimi", some one would club him like a baby seal and tell him the gay bars are accross town.

Kimi doesn't really mean anything, just a name...

Jeff,

Hope you have changed the bars you are using???!!! :)

Practice at Spa was interesting yesterday. One frgging car goes out for a lap and promptly kisses the guardrail.

Hope the qualifing and race tomorrow is a bit more exciting!

JoeA

And as if to prove the point, Kimi took the win at Spa yesterday! He probably has no chance at winning the driver championship but I'm gonna root for him anyway!

Poor Montoya got the shaft...

Actually, global warming is F-1's fault. The hot grid girls...:D

JV is toast...his time is past, he's not very fit, BMW won't hang onto him, Massa is outperforming him at every stint, too much baggage with his manager Pollack and his tainted history at BAT/BAR. I think you'd be nuts to sign him at this point.

Kimi is an outstanding driver, but a tad overrated. Alonso is 24, better fitness, cool under pressure too. Remember, its not all about the McLaren as it was Kimi that cooked his front tire and blasted the suspension with 1 lap to go at the Nurburgring handing Alonso the win and the points lead...

I predict if Jenson Button has to obligate his contract and go to Williams it will be another ho-hum year for him too...Cosworth engines in a new Williams and a team looking for traction (literally). Webber hasn't had a stellar season but good considering the car...

And Ralf Schumacher...hello? Anyone else think he's overpaid at $23m a year...?

I think I alluded to that a few posts up... :>)

Mike