quote

---

ov.20 (GMM/Inautonews.com) Ferrari insists it was aware of the extent of Kimi Raikkonen’s back problems when the Finn was signed up for 2014.

The deal was announced in early September, which was before the Singapore grand prix, where Raikkonen admitted he was taking pain killers.

And the 2007 world champion, who is replacing the Williams-bound Felipe Massa, is currently recovering from surgery that has forced him to miss the last two races of the season for Lotus.

Asked by the British broadcaster Sky if Ferrari knew about Raikkonen’s problems, which reportedly date back a decade, boss Stefano Domenicali laughed: “Of course we know the situation.

“With the specific situation of Kimi there will be no problem at all,” he added.

However, former F1 driver David Coulthard has revealed that the latest “joke” in the paddock is that, given Romain Grosjean’s increasingly impressive performances, “Ferrari have signed the wrong Lotus driver”.

The Scot, though, is not convinced the joke has merit.

“Let’s not forget that in their two years as teammates with equal opportunity, Raikkonen has been in front of Grosjean in the championship, and he is going to finish there this year despite Raikkonen missing these last two races,” Coulthard, now a television commentator, wrote in his BBC column.

“So Grosjean deserves credit where it’s due based on the here and now, but world champions deliver over an entire season, and Grosjean has yet to do that.”

Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso says he is finally back to full power after his back problems, having struggled through the Austin race weekend with headaches and dizziness and admitting he was “tired” afterwards.

“I finally returned (to) training without back pain,” he told his Twitter followers, adding a photo of a hotel treadmill session.

“Recovery completed. Happy!” the Spaniard added.

http://www.inautonews.com/ferrari-says-r...em#.Uoxra-L9VLp

---

Awesome story!

Quote: WHATEVER wrote in post #1385

---

It is an awesome story!

But what also caught my eye, is Catherham signing a senior engineer from Lotus! If important people from Lotus are willing to go work at Catherham, what does this says about Lotus situation?

---

http://www.motorsport-total.com/f1/news/...t-13112113.html

quote

---

Lopez : "A single question has triggered Kimi gate"

Genii boss Gerard Lopez tells for the first time all background of the payment farce of Kimi Raikkonen - Was it a chain of misunderstandings?

The case of Kimi Raikkonen has bothered formula 1 for months. Opinions differ even with the fans: one understand that he skips media appointments, doesn’t put up being told on the radio in a drastic way to let his teammate pass and finally undergoes back surgery two races before the end and thus lets his team down. The reason: The 2007 World Champion has received no salary this year from the ailing Lotus. Others find his behavior unprofessional despite all circumstances.

But what really went on behind the scenes? Was it justifiable for the most popular Formula 1 driver of today to expose his team in public, after all there are also other pilots whose teams are behind with the salary payments? 'Motorsport-Total.com' has tried to get to the bottom of the case - and sought after the view of Genii boss Gerard Lopez. "This is the first time that I will explain all coherences," he says. "I'm really tired of it." The Investment Company of the Luxembourger is the owner of the Lotus racing team and therefore also responsible for the finances.

Lopez asserts: Relationship to Raikkonen is intact

He clarifies that his relationship with Raikkonen despite the turmoil of the past few weeks, which has especially harmed his team, is still intact. " Kimi is my friend," asserts Lopez. He displays a message on his cell phone: " Take it easy ... four to six weeks ... then there is a re-examination ... All the best for the last two races." That’s what Raikkonen has written to him as Lopez asked him how there could have arisen so much dynamite between Lotus and the star pilots in the media could.

But that's not enough. When the 34 -year-old had made up his decision to leave Lotus and signed with Ferrari he became quite aware of what environment he will give up. " He called me on the day of signing the contract," said Lopez recalls. "With regret. Whether he still regrets or not, does not really play a role. He called me because he knows that he never gets such an environment like this. That is a fact . Never again."

Had Raikkonen enormous privileges at Lotus?

So Lopez alludes to the enormous tolerance , which the team from Enstone has met with Raikkonen. Supposedly, the winner of the season opener in 2013, even smoked a cigarette at a team briefing or had a drink - his behavior was always tolerated by team boss Eric Boullier .

Even in dealing with sponsors Raikkonen drove his team reportedly livid. Shortly before a video shoot for a shampoo sponsor he is believed to have cut his hair short. "It was not easy," sighs Lopez , but adds: "We have contracts, and we can not talk about certain things. "

He goes one step further: "Kimi is difficult," he says. And indirectly confirmed the rumors that are in the paddock. "We have offered him an environment where not only sometimes the limit has been reached, but he has exceeded some limits in the truest sense of the word. We have accepted that, because he has given us much in return. Others drivers who also give a lot do not get this freedom. In this respect probably we are something special."

Payment at the end of the season: Was it all agreed?

But that Raikkonen actually hasn’t got any money may also be considered as something special. Since it is not surprising that the winning driver of Espoo is peeved. Lopez is ,however, quite puzzled by the behavior of Raikkonen , Lotus publicly exposing Lotus and thus causing a image damage - a hard blow, especially in times when a team struggles to survive.

For the Genii manager, the situation is identical to the previous year, when his driver did not produce a media fuss . "We have agreed to explore the development of the car and to pay him at the end of the season," he explained. Background: according to the information Genii always adds money at the end of the year and use it to pay down the debt of the team. This strategy they have grown accustomed to in order to be able to fully concentrate on the performance during the season.

Raikkonen himself has agreed to this approach. This year according to Lopez they went even a step further in the development to actually fight to the world championship. "He has never said that his salary was the most important thing but that the team performs well and he has a competitive car," Lopez looks back on the discussions before the 2013 season, where the two were absolutely unanimous in its view. "There was no written agreement about it, but at least we had verbally agreed to it," he refers to the delay in salary payment .

Lopez: topic has been hyped by the media

But then things got out of control. When negotiating contracts they couldn’t agree, because initially Lotus let the option run out and proposed another contract model. Background: Since the team from Enstone underestimated themself in the last year and wanted to motivate the then lethargic applicable Finn, a contract with enormous success fees was agreed in 2012. This came in hindsight very expensive to the team. Raikkonen did not accept the new offer from Lotus and went over to his former team Ferrari.

"Maybe our offer was not good enough," Lopez admits. "But from that time many things were taking place in public. " According to the Genii boss Raikkonen has large share for that happening: "If he does not get paid and you ask him if he was paid, he says no. Other drivers are there wiser. And so, an internal affair which was identical to the situation in the previous year, likely turned into one of the biggest stories of this formula 1 season."

Even with the media he goes to court. "Sebastian Vettel became superior world champion, we knew that in advance, Red Bull teamed up easily - so you have to find stories somewhere else and ' Kimi-Gate' was the big scandal. And yet everything is the same as last year - except that he was asked this question and he answered the question honestly, what he could have done aso in the previous year but no one has asked him the question."

How Lopez put out the fire

The thing took its course , before even Bernie Ecclestone intervened . The Briton heavily criticized Lotus and said that he would be prepared to withdraw Raikkonen's salary component of Lotus' TV money so that he gets his money. In Abu Dhabi, as the Lotus driver stayed away from the media event on Thursday, they finally agreed .

"We sat down together and said: ‘We should not leave the matter to the journalists. What should we do? When should we pay you?’ And that was it, " Lopez gives insight . You have now agreed to a payment scheme. And this is no different than last year." And Ecclestone had nothing to do with it, says the Luxembourger. So all sunshine and roses?

Lopez defends Permane radio message

Hard to say because the race before even the TV viewers had been witnesses that cracks had opened up in the relationship between Lotus and Raikkonen. Raikkonen was asked by chief engineer Alan Permane in the final stages of the Grand Prix of India to "get out of the fucking way" because team-mate Romain Grosjean could drive much faster with fresher tires. Raikkonen remained stubborn, let it almost come to a collision and later explained this by saying that the team also had not come to an accommodation in regard to his salary.

Lopez is of the opinion that this story was hyped. "You can not imagine what Romain had to listen to last year when things were not going well," he refers to the numerous collisions in which the Frenchman was involved." Come on! We are not in kindergarten here. The pressure is great, and there are good results at stake."

Lotus proud of Räikkönen era: belied critics

And then there's Raikkonen's peculiar character, which also played a role , according to Lopez. "He's at one part the Iceman , a funny guy , but he can also be very tough on the other side," he describes his driver. "And if you tell him that he should make room because someone wants to overtake then this doesn’t go down well with him. "

Despite the unfortunate events Lopez looks back now with no regrets and bad blood - and especially without feeling guilty - to the era Raikkonen. "Ferrari has not taken him back when he was still driving rallies," he is proud to have helped the pilot to a successful comeback.

"The people who have now signed him - and others - have said that he is too fat and not motivated, that he was never really motivated that he is not working hard and formula 1 has evolved since his departure," Lopez says . "It's a very good feeling that we have proven to make the right decisions. We have given him a car with which he can fight for victories . I'm sorry that he is going but I am glad that Ferrari had to come in and take one of our drivers."

---