ZitatKimi Räikkönen: “The nice thing is that it starts so late”
After a challenging Indian Grand Prix, our Finn heads to the scene of his first race victory for Lotus F1 Team fired up for a strong result
How’s the feeling heading back to the scene of your 2012 race victory? Kimi: You just approach it like any race. I had a good result there last year, but I had a very boring race there the first time I visited in 2009. I’d prefer to have another good result, but you don’t know how strong you’ll be until you get to the circuit.
What do you think of the Yas Marina? Kimi: It’s a great place to go. The circuit is connected to big entertainment centre and you’ve got all the boats moored next to the circuit. There are often a lot of passionate fans watching the race and for me the hotel is walking distance from the track which I like. It’s also good to race at a circuit where you have had a strong result before.
Anything else in Abu Dhabi that’s good for you? Kimi: I like to be on a familiar time zone so you can wake up normally and do everything in the expected order. That’s one of nice things with this race; especially with it starting so late.
What do you think of the circuit itself? Kimi: The facilities are second to none. The track layout makes it really challenging for overtaking as there are not too many places to pass. You really have to qualify well to be at the front and get a strong result from there. There are many corners, you need good overall downforce and grip, plus the car has to ride the kerbs very well too. It’s a track where you really hope to get everything nicely together during the whole weekend. When you succeed with that, it’s a good place to race. I have had one very boring race being stuck in the middle group and then one great race fighting for the victory at the top. I know which I prefer.
Your race in 2009 wasn’t one of your favourites then? Kimi: That was a boring one I can tell you! I finished back in twelfth position and there was nothing I could do about it. Those sorts of races are not the best.
How did it feel to take your 19th win in Abu Dhabi last year? Kimi: I was very happy for the team; myself also obviously, but mainly for the all the crew and everyone at Enstone. It was a hard season so the win was well deserved for everyone and just what we needed. It was something great for all the fans who have continued to support me and the team too. For me, it was just another win on the list. It’s great of course because it had been a few years, but the wins before were very similar; we didn’t have the best car, but we fought hard and still won.
How does the evening race timing influence the race? Kimi: An evening race means I can get up later! Having a mixture of day and night makes a different challenge from circuits that we see anywhere else. We start with the sun and finish with the lights. It’s different, interesting and spectacular for the fans to watch too.
You’ve had some great races where you’ve moved up the order superbly; what’s the key to overtaking in Formula 1? Kimi: You cannot plan it beforehand. Often an occasion comes suddenly and you have to jump on it immediately. Sometimes you get it right, sometimes not. More often nowadays you have to sit for quite a while behind somebody to work out where you can do it. Sometimes you just have to wait to see if the guy in front makes a mistake or if his tyres are finished quicker than yours; that’s when you do it.
How was your Indian Grand Prix? Kimi: We tried something different with a one stop strategy and it didn’t work, but we didn’t lose anything by making a late second stop over running the normal two stop strategy. I had a brake problem for all of the race where they were overheating, and this got worse in traffic so I couldn’t overtake.
What’s your target for Abu Dhabi? Kimi: A race like last year would be good, rather than the one I had there in 2009.
ZitatEric Boullier: “We’ll give the other teams some headaches”
It was another strong result for the team in India – albeit with a little drama along the way – leaving Team Principal Eric Boullier buoyed by the positives heading to Abu Dhabi
How well placed is the team coming into the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix? We are pretty well placed to continue fighting for podiums and aiming for that valuable second position in the Constructors’ Championship. Our car – the E21 – continues to impress no matter what the circuit, and that we are still able to make improvements to it so late in the season is a real testament to all the great work that goes on at Enstone. We’ll keep fighting hard until the end of the season and we’ll give the other teams some headaches.
It was a good points tally for the team in India? We scored well, but it wasn’t a perfect performance as we messed up Romain’s qualifying and Kimi had a brake problem in the race. These are two areas we need to address, but on race day everyone performed brilliantly. Romain had a very strong drive and managed to conserve his tyre performance right to the end. He was fast despite having to nurse his engine, and being on the podium was a good reward for the whole team. Obviously it was disappointing that the tyres couldn’t last long enough for Kimi, as being third and fourth would have been an amazing result for the team and very useful in the Constructors’ Championship, but he managed his car’s brakes well to take a solid points finish.
Was there an issue with team orders in the race? Romain was two seconds a lap faster than Kimi at that time, so it was not even a team order. By asking Kimi to let Romain pass, we just made the obvious choice, as Felipe [Massa] could have stolen our podium. With hindsight, this radio message could have been sent in a less emotional way. There was a lot of tension, a lot of potential technical problems, and some of the words that flew around were simply not appropriate. I know that quite a few people were surprised and I can only apologise for that on behalf of the team. It won’t happen again.
Romain continues to be impressive on track; where do you think his upturn in form has come from? Romain has moved to another level since the German Grand Prix in many areas. His confidence is strong and he’s not affected by setbacks as much as he may have been previously. Certainly in India, we as a team made the wrong call with his qualifying strategy and he ended up in seventeenth on the grid. The Romain of old may have let his head drop, but we saw in the race that he drove in a very intelligent and measured manner; even when we started having engine problems. It was a very impressive performance. Also, as a team we have a very good handle on our car, the most recent updates such as the long wheelbase are working well, and the mid-season change to the tyre specifications by Pirelli also seems to have benefitted him.
Abu Dhabi was the scene of a great win last year; how far has the team come in the last twelve months and can it win again this season? Another win in Abu Dhabi would be fantastic and if Kimi could do the same again it would be a superb result. In a year we’ve made good progress. Our understanding of this year’s car and our design development processes are coming on well. We brought out the long wheelbase version of the E21 to prove a new method of assessing and evaluating our design development path, and this has proved to be a success. This is very good news for the future; especially as we look ahead to such significant changes in 2014. We head to this year’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with a strong car and we’re in a position where both our drivers are performing very well at the moment, so anything could be possible.
ZitatAlan Permane: “We have potential to be even stronger in Abu Dhabi than last year”
After a somewhat eventful Indian Grand Prix on the Lotus F1 Team pit wall, Trackside Operations Director Alan Permane looks ahead to the challenge of Abu Dhabi
The team scored its only race victory of 2012 in Abu Dhabi; what was the secret and is more of the same possible? Kimi put in a fantastic drive and was able to capitalise on Lewis [Hamilton’s] retirement. Similarly to our current E21 chassis, last year’s E20 managed its tyres extremely well and it happened to do so particularly well around the Yas Marina Circuit. With that in mind – added to the fact that Pirelli have been a step more aggressive in terms of tyre allocation this season – there’s no reason to suspect we can’t have a very strong weekend again here.
What’s the secret to this tyre management? It’s part of the entire design philosophy of the car. It's something we've worked very hard on over the past few years, but certainly not something we’re going to be making common knowledge! Of course the flip side of this comes at circuits where the tyre allocation is perhaps a step too hard, in which case we struggle to switch the rubber on and our strength becomes a weakness. The aim, of course, is to build a car that is effective in either circumstance, and I think that’s where Red Bull are so strong.
What’s required from the car at the Yas Marina Circuit? You need a car which is capable of doing two things that aren’t complimentary of each other. You want a setup which is fast down the straights and supple over the kerbs, but also gives responsive change of direction for the chicanes and good grip through the slower second gear corners towards the end of the lap. It’s a fine balance to find between making time down the straights or through the twisty bits. Of course, this compromise must also factor in the tyres as running less downforce can be kinder on the life of the rubber in some circumstances, but at the same time a higher downforce setting will help avoid the fronts sliding on corner entry and the rears spinning up on exit. Having the medium and soft compound once again – as per last time out in India – will be a challenge I’m sure. Making the soft tyre last in the heat of Abu Dhabi will undoubtedly be tough.
Does a twilight race provide an extra challenge? It doesn’t really affect us in all honesty. We need to keep one eye on track temperatures as they will start to drop away as darkness falls, but the drop-off is not particularly significant. We usually see ambient temperatures of around thirty degrees and this doesn’t change dramatically even in the evenings so it won’t be a problem; particularly with the tyre allocation here.
What’s the latest about Romain’s engine problem in India? We’re working closely with Renault Sport. The issue seems to be a repeat of the one we faced in Singapore where a leak in the pneumatic system caused a loss of air pressure. Fortunately, we know exactly what we have to do to fix it and Romain’s engine has gone through the correction process put in place after Singapore. Our engine partners are also checking – and double checking - every single race engine at Abu Dhabi to ensure that the same problem does not reappear.
Tyres are a hot topic once again; what tools do we have to prevent things like graining and blistering? The teams don’t really have much to defend against graining in all honesty. You can set the car up to be more protective of whichever front tyre will suffer the highest stress – the right front in Abu Dhabi’s case – but that will simply delay the onset rather than completely eradicating the issue. The Yas Marina Circuit doesn’t have the same style of long corners as seen in India or Korea, so we’re unlikely to see the same levels of graining this weekend and it should be the same scenario in terms of blistering.
ZitatAnalysing Abu Dhabi – An Engineer’s Guide to the Yas Marina Circuit
The Circuit
Turn 1: The first corner is medium speed – taken at around 130kph – leading into the high speed Turns 2 + 3; both of which should be flat out in qualifying and only giving the drivers something to think about when they are on heavy fuel loads.
Turn 2: A defining corner for setup. You need sufficient front wing to eradicate high-speed understeer here, which defines how much front wing is used overall as the remaining corners around the track can all use less than that required for this corner.
Turn 5: One of the bigger braking demands on the circuit; down from around 300kph.
Turn 7: A second gear corner taken at around 70kph, strong engine pickup is vital out of Turn 7 for a good entry onto the circuits’ longest straight.
Turns 8 – 9: Arriving at the end of one of the longest straights in Formula 1 – with maximum speeds of around 320kph – heavy braking down to second gear and around 80kph is required for Turns 8 – 9. The kerbs are used aggressively through this combination, so a soft car is beneficial.
Approaching Turn 11: Another long straight with top speeds in excess of 300kph leads into a second heavy braking zone for Turn 11. The Turn 11 – 13 sequence requires good change of direction from the car.
Turns 11 – 21: The final sector is all very low-speed with a lot of second gear corners; reminiscent of a street course. Seeing the cars dive under the brightly lit Yas hotel is one of the greatest spectacles of the year.
The Car
Rear Wing: The more recent circuits – Suzuka, Korea and India – have required a high-medium downforce level. While the Yas Marina continues this trend, it also factors in a need to maintain good speed on the long straights while maximising grip in the low-speed final sector.
Front Wing: Turn 2 is the crucial corner for determining how much front wing is used. More front wing is required here than for any other corner, so you need sufficient front wing to prevent excessive understeer at Turn 2 without causing too much detriment elsewhere.
Suspension: The kerbs are more pronounced than seen at some other tracks, in particular Turns 8,9 and through the last sector. A soft car which rides the kerbs well helps here, but it’s a trade off between having a soft car which will ride over the kerbs and one which is stiff enough for the driver to have a sharp change of direction which is necessary for the chicanes – 8-9 and 11-13.
Brakes: There are reasonable braking demands, especially into Turns 5, 8, 11 which have quite high speed approaches to the low speed corners. Temperatures will need to be monitored as will wear; these are not likely to be an issue, but more attention is paid to them here than at other tracks.
Engine: The day to night schedule makes ambient conditions vary significantly and grip levels, tyre warm up and air pressure will change. The engine needs to respond to this new set of parameters, so careful engine management and flexibility is crucial.
Tyres: The consecutive allocation of the medium and soft compound Pirelli tyres should not present too many issues, with both tyres likely to suit the circuit – opening up the potential strategy permutations.
Rev Up: Emaar strengthens international brand outreach as ‘Official Partner of Lotus F1 Team’
Lotus F1 Team is a formidable force on the Grand Prix circuit, bringing pride to its racers, organisers, and partners. From the likes of Renault, Total, Microsoft Dynamics, and burn, the team has truly elevated brand outreach to a different level.
Complementing Lotus F1 Team’s mission is global property developer Emaar Properties PJSC, who much like its partner is committed to making milestones having created iconic projects such as Burj Khalifa – the world’s tallest building – and The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination.
Emaar has joined forces with Lotus F1 Team as ‘Official Partner;’ marking its first high-profile endorsement of motor racing and following on from the team’s triumph at the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix with Kimi Räikkönen.
Mohamed Alabbar – Chairman of Emaar Properties – said: “Formula 1 racing brings man, mind and machine in one exciting journey quest for perfection. The minute attention to detail, the passion and commitment, and the determination of every participant to push the boundaries are values that have also set Emaar apart, as we challenged accepted norms to develop world-class projects such as Burj Khalifa and The Dubai Mall.”
“Our partnership with Lotus F1 Team – a remarkable outfit with impeccable credentials in the racing world – is therefore a perfect fit with our own values. As they race at Formula 1 World Championship circuits across the world, we are truly honoured to extend our support to Lotus F1 Team while also engaging with our international clientele and further defining the global identity of our brand.”
Clear and Rexona to host exclusive Lotus F1 Team Meet & Greet
CLEAR and Rexona – Official Partners of Lotus F1 Team – are set to host an exclusive press event for the team prior to this year’s 2013 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
The press conference – which is set to take place onboard the Jasmin Yacht at the Yas Marina on Thursday 31st October – will give media attendees a chance to meet the Lotus F1 Team drivers, as well as hearing their thoughts on this year’s season.
CLEAR Men & Rexona Men’s partnership with Lotus F1 Team reflects a strong synergy between Formula 1 and the winning impact that high efficacy, high precision, high performance brands like CLEAR Men & Rexona Men can offer.
In conjunction with the Lotus F1 Team partnership, Unilever has just announced a global CSR initiative ‘Helmet for Heads,’ whereby hair care brand CLEAR will be making a positive impact on and contributing to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety [2011-2020], managed by the Road Safety Fund.
ZitatInside Line: The Latest News from Enstone
Stockinger on Song With the World Series by Renault 2013 Championship season now complete, collective testing got underway last week at the Circuit de Catalunya with Lotus F1 Junior Team driver Marlon Stockinger dominating the second day of proceedings at the Spanish circuit.
Having placed inside the top ten during the morning session, the young Filipino star then comfortably set the fastest lap of the day during afternoon running to wrap up his first season in the category on a high note. Looking ahead to 2014, the Lotus F1 Junior Team driver has his sights firmly set on continuing his strong recent progression:
“It was a pleasure to test with the championship winning team, even if we had a few problems to deal with. It was a perfect day; the team gave me a fantastic car. Judging by the gap we had on the others and the way we improved over the day, it would be great to sign up for another season together next year.”
To keep up with Marlin’s progress, head to the Lotus F1 Junior Team section of our official website -> http://bit.ly/1gmIyR4
ZitatLooks Who’s Talking: Social Media in Action
Spotlight On… Competitions As you may recall, we offered one lucky fan the chance to hitch a Formula 1 taxi ride with us at the Circuit Paul Ricard in our latest [and possibly greatest] online competition to date; the #UpForAFreeRide prize draw! Here, the delighted winner of that contest – Lasse Lipponen – gives us a taste of his once-in-a-lifetime experience…
How did you feel when you received contact from the team to say you'd won the draw for the free Formula 1 taxi ride? I could not believe it; I thought it was some form of a hoax. But as it sank in I was giggling to myself for the rest of the day! On the Monday evening over a few pre-dinner drinks, it all started to become a reality; to be there at Paul Ricard – a circuit I’ve always wished to visit – I was over the moon! I can tell you, sleep did not come easy that night!
Talk us through your experience, how did your day unfold? The next morning I woke up early, raring to go. The first briefing session prepared me for going onto the track in the Formula Renault. I had a repeat on safety, a guide of the race lines, what to do if we spun, and then some information on braking, clutch and throttle technique. Then we were on the track for our first run! The cockpit of the Formula Renault is a tight fit for my 6 foot, 15 stone frame. We learned the race lines and the low driving position of the Formula Renault really changed the perspective of what you imagine it would be.
What was the experience like being in the car? For the first time I could feel the aerodynamic lifting force trying to lift my helmet off as we got up to speed on the straights. As the session progressed I became more at home in the Formula Renault, although it’s not something that you can quickly get used to!
How did the Formula 1 car differ to the Formula Renault? The Formula 1 car was incredible; it’s a vicious beast that commands respect, and I tend to err on the safe side! The way the drivers handle these cars is incredible; the reflexes as they catch the car slipping on a damp track, the speeds they take the corners, the unbelievable force during braking. It was pure adrenaline! I felt like “We’re going to brake now… now we have to brake… oh, so you don’t have to brake at that corner …” it was just spectacular! Not the most comfortable ride of my life, but definitely the most enjoyable.
What was the highlight of your day? And what memory will you keep for the rest of your life? The people, team and guests alike. I got to feel like a part of the team for a full day and met some very interesting people. Of the events, the Formula 1 ride is one thing I will never forget. The experience I had must be any fan's dream; getting to know your favourite team and experiencing some high octane, adrenaline packed racing fun in the process.
Oskari Saari @OskariSaari 16m Ilmeisesti kovai Kimi-huhuja liikkeellä. Ettei ajaisi enää Lotuksella. Ainakin pitää lehdistötilaisuuden radalla tunnin päästä. #mtv3f1
google translate is killing me....
Apparently, Kovai Kimi rumors go. No longer driving a Lotus. At least hold a press conference on the track in an hour.
I also hope this Kimi-not-driving a Lotus is just a rumor
Thanks to Ely
quote@f1zone: Romain: "As a man, I don't really know Kimi. He's with me as he is with you." #f1 @f1zone: Romain: "As a driver he's quick and to have him as a team-mate has been good to learn from him" #f1
@f1zone: Vettel: "On a personal level, Kimi does talk to me! I don't know what I do different [to Romain]"
Vettel: "He’s one of the most straightforward guys I’ve met so far. I expect a lot that he’s always very honest. Since I came to Formula One, he’s always ready to help, even gave me lifts for a couple of times early on, so… I get along with him."
1) The Holy Drinker is still really angry with Lotus and decided to land in Abu Dhabi at the last moment to avoid any confrontation with the team leaders.
2) It appears that Raikkonen is angry and not only because he hasn’t received the money he is entitled to according to his contract.
3) Ferrari, who obviously have nothing to do with anyone in the club, they advised Kimi to avoid a dramatic break up with Lotus by skipping the remaining three races.
4) The lawyers told the Blond that it serves him if he races, because that way he won’t be accused of breach of contractual obligations (by those who haven’t… ahem ahem) .
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Wed Oct 30, 2013 7:20 pm
Again....
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Ja!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
