Thursday press conference from Barcelona
Q:Kimi, do you agree with Montezemolo when he says it might not be good for Ferrari to have Fernando Alonso as your team-mate?
KR: (Laughs) It’s better that I don’t say anything.
Kimi Raikkonen: I am pleased with this first day of testing. We did the work we needed to do and had no problems, this being probably the most positive thing. The balance of the car is good, even if there is always room to improve and its handling was also good on both types of tyre. As usual on Friday, it is hard to judge where we are up against our rivals and I think we can expect a very close fight. The new nose? We wouldn’t use it if it didn’t give us a little something extra!
Keeping the momentum – Kimi Spanish preview
I have raced many times in Barcelona. It’s always very challenging circuit, but this time going there feels even more exciting than usually.
Obviously I prefer being the leader from the chaser I used to be almost every season. Keeping all the others behind me in the race would mean keeping them behind in the championship, too.
My approach is to keep pushing 100 percent, like the whole team. The things change very quickly in F1, so it’s important to get the maximum amount of points possible for every Grand Prix. There is such a long way to go.
We all in the team are in good shape. My own part of the last week’s test was not that good, but it doesn’t matter. I think we should have speed enough for the weekend. All looks good.
I expect Ferrari to be very competitive at Barcelona. But it’s going to be close between the top team. All the teams have updates for the first European race, which makes it more interesting.
We have won last two races and that makes our competitors to attack even harder. I really like racing in Europe. We don’t have to travel that long and all the energy is saved for the weekend itself. Traditionally the realseason starts while coming back to Europe.
For me it’s just great. Never before I have been able to start the European season in such a good position.
I have won once in Barcelona. Obviously that is my best memory from the Spanish Grand Prix. Actually it’s also my only podium there, so I really look forward to clinch a good result from Spain, too.
Barcelona is such a circuit where you have to get everything exactly right to be at the top. All the teams have tested many times at this circuit so to get an advantage is not very easy. The set up is crucial as the track changes with the wind and temperature changes.
Last week’s test did not give the clear picture how it is between the top teams for this race. We have made a small step forward. But it’s hard to judge things in testing with all teams trying different things and running various levels of fuel.
We know we have had our ups and downs in the first races. Now I expect Ferrari to keep it up in Barcelona like it was in Malaysia and in Bahrain.
During the break I’ve been training and just chilled out with my friends and family in Switzerland and Finland.
It was great to see my pal Toni Vilander to win the opening race of FIA GT series for Ferrari. I follow keenly Toni’s season and it felt good to see him go so strongly in the wet Silverstone circuit. Well done!
Day 1
1. Massa Ferrari (B) 1:12.182 97laps
2. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:12.721 100laps
Day 2
2. Massa Ferrari (B) 1:11.662 81laps
3. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1:11.850 108laps
Day 3 1. Raikkonen Ferrari (B) 1.11.189 88laps
3. Massa Ferrari (B) 1.11.831 96laps
300円貯金します。あの、テストはあんまりがんばらなくていいんだよ…＞キミたん
ウィリアムズ、期待出来そうですね。
*更新*
コーナーをひとつ作ったので、興味のある方は白い方のサイドバーからどうぞー
キミの最大の見せ場はスタートと、あの非力なマクラーレンでジェンスの追撃を防ぎきったことなんじゃないかと思います。優勝とか、表彰台とかそういうのを期待するレベルじゃない。LTの中の人がalmost in a different raceと表現したけれど、ルノーとフェラーリ以外は別のレースになってるんだから、その他のメンバー中でのトップは5位なんだから(2人リタイアしてくれないとまず表彰台まで絶対に辿り着けない)、キミは今日も精一杯ベストを尽くしてくれたんだと思います。だから今回はサブタイトルanother raceにしようと思ったんだけど、あの鮮やかなスタートと終盤の粘りにit’s Kimi!で。
1 Fernando Alonso(ESP) Renault
2 Michael Schumacher(GER) Scuderia Ferrari
3 Giancarlo Fisichella(ITA) Renault
4 Felipe Massa(BRA) Scuderia Ferrari 5 Kimi Raikkonen(FIN) Team McLaren Mercedes
6 Jenson Button(GBR) Honda Racing
7 Rubens Barrichello(BRA) Honda Racing
8 Nick Heidfeld(GER) BMW Sauber
9 Mark Webber(AUS) Williams F1
10 Jarno Trulli(ITA) Toyota
11 Nico Rosberg(GER) Williams F1
12 Jacques Villeneuve(CAN) BMW Sauber
13 Christian Klien(AUT) Red Bull Racing
14 David Coulthard(GBR) Red Bull Racing
15 Tonio Luizzi(ITA) Toro Rosso
16 Tiago Monteiro(POR) MF1 Racing
17 Takuma Sato(JPN) Super Aguri
– Christijan Albers(NED) MF1 Racing
– Scott Speed(USA) Toro Rosso
– Ralf Schumacher(GER) Toyota – Juan Pablo Montoya(COL) Team McLaren Mercedes
– Franck Montagny(FRA) Super Aguri
とにかくスタートが素晴らしかった。トヨタ2台の間を堂々と通って、プロもかわして、4つ順位をアップ。フィジコのスーパーチームプレースタートと同じくらい、ほめていいスタートでした。
終盤ジェンスがどんどん迫ってくる中、ラップタイムもジェンスの方が速かったりしたんだけど、落ち着いて5位を守った。赤いパーツが明らかに飛んでってたのに、よくリタイアしなかったなぁ。エンジンも例の新スペックの2戦目で完走だし!
そのくらいかな。皮肉だけど、キミが来年迷っている3チームの中で、フェラーリとルノーが絶好調。キミならフェラーリでも、兄さんくらいの活躍が出来るだろうから、これは移籍に心が傾いちゃったかもね。ロン兄貴、いくら引き留めてもクルマで結果を出してくれなきゃさー。個人的には先週突然ルノーの話が出てきたので、ルノーいいじゃん!行っちゃえよ!(フィジコには気の毒だけど)コバライネンとフィンコンビとか組んじゃえよ!って感じ。…眉毛は沈没船のように沈みゆくマクラーレンをどう思っているんだろうか。早く決めすぎたんじゃない?
■モンちゃん
昨日の予選のミス(給油時トラブル、タイヤが冷えてしまったのに換えなかった)、チームを批判してたみたいだけど、そのイライラを引きずったままレースに出たんだろうか。あのストップも、スピンの仕方が最高に悪かったし(出ようとしたらタイヤが空転してて、マシンのお腹が縁石にひっかかってた)どうも流れが悪い。セバスチャンは歩けるようになって絶好調なのになー。
■ほか
先生10000周おめでとう!完走もおめ。
眉毛がチェッカー前に両手放しとか左右に振ってみたりとか、そのまま誤ってバリアに突っ込めとか思っちまったぜ。嬉しくっても、チェッカー後にして欲しいわ。やなかんじ!
トヨタ同士討ち。あれはラルフが強引だわー。
フィジコいい仕事した!
2006 SPANISH GRAND PRIX RACE REPORT KIMI RAIKKONEN
“A rather uneventful race for me. I made a good start where I managed to get up from ninth to fifth and that was all the progress I was able to make. It was simply not possible to keep up with the Renaults and the Ferraris this weekend and we will spend the time before the Monaco Grand Prix looking at ways to improve.” JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
“I made a dreadful start off the line and lost three or four places but managed to gain some ground again in the first corner to end up 11th. Then I don’t know quite what happened but I lost the car and got stuck on the kerb and that was it. The strategy we were running meant that I carried a lot of fuel and I think with the ways things were looking we could have scored some points today. Overall a difficult weekend for us but we will continue testing this week and then look forward to the Monaco Grand Prix.”.
マクラーレンはどうしちゃったのか予想してみる。(三択) 1.特に理由も無く地味だった。
一番タチが悪いやつ。一生懸命やってるのにどこを直したらいいのかよく分かんなくて、メカニックも開発陣もお手上げ。セッティングもどうしたらいいのかよく分かんない。ドライバーはイライラしているのでアタックも集中出来ず、悪夢のスパイラルへ突入。 2.本当に遅い。
走っても走ってもセッティングが決まらない、タイヤ選択を間違った、など明確な理由があって遅い。この場合キミかモンがズバッと原因を話してくれるはず。 3.また懲りもせず重タンである。
「僕らには強力な戦略があり、明日のレースではコンペティｔ（ｒｙ」のコメントが出る。そして決勝は混んでいて走れず、もしくはスタートの事故に巻き込まれるなどして、「トラフィックに巻き込まれペースが上がらｎ（ｒｙ」や、「スタート時僕は○○の幅寄せを交わしてインをなんたら…でもダメだった」などのコメントが出る。
さてどれでしょう★ミャハ★
1 Fernando Alonso(ESP) Renault
2 Giancarlo Fisichella(ITA) Renault
3 Michael Schumacher(GER) Scuderia Ferrari
4 Felipe Massa(BRA) Scuderia Ferrari
5 Rubens Barrichello(BRA) Honda Racing
6 Ralf Schumacher(GER) Toyota
7 Jarno Trulli(ITA) Toyota
8 Jenson Button(GBR) Honda Racing 9 Kimi Raikkonen(FIN) Team McLaren Mercedes
10 Nick Heidfeld(GER) BMW Sauber
11 Mark Webber(AUS) Williams F1 12 Juan Pablo Montoya(COL) Team McLaren Mercedes
13 Nico Rosberg(GER) Williams F1
14 Jacques Villeneuve(CAN) BMW Sauber
15 Christian Klien(AUT) Red Bull Racing
16 Tonio Luizzi(ITA) Toro Rosso
17 Scott Speed(USA) Toro Rosso
18 Tiago Monteiro(POR) MF1 Racing
19 Christijan Albers(NED) MF1 Racing
20 Takuma Sato(JPN) Super Aguri
21 Franck Montagny(FRA) Super Aguri
22 David Coulthard(GBR) Red Bull Racing
もうね、モンちゃんが第2ピリオドでサヨナラした時も、キミも結構ヤバイ位置にいたから本当に手に汗握りまくりで、休憩になった時に第2ピリオドで落ちないかハラハラしなきゃならない今のポジションにがっくりした。解説も、「マクラーレン」なんてモン落ち以外殆ど喋んなかったし。キミは2回アタックして、1回目は前にトヨタがいて抜いたからロスするのは分かるんだけど、2回目も対して変わらないタイムだった。
S1 22.6 S2 30.7 S3 23.0 1:16.473
S1 22.8 S2 30.1 S3 22.9 1:16.015
あーあもう、前はカコイイタクシードライバーだしその前はトヨタレーシングスクールだよ。
っていつも通り書いたんだけど、他のクルマに引っかかっｔ（ｒｙなんて言い訳が出来るくらいの速さはあるのか?!
■本当はもっとマクがマシな結果だったら書きたかったこと
・先生さすがです
・ニックすごい。第2ピリオドの終盤は大体、BMWがトップ5の誰を喰うかって争いになってる。
・赤牛のオモシロプレスリリースも絡めて大感謝祭がすっとんだ話とか書きたかったけど書ける気持ちじゃねえよウワアァン!!
2006 SPANISH GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING KIMI RAIKKONEN
“We are not where we want to be. I was blocked on my first flying lap in the last qualifying session and then the next run was not a great one. We seem to be lacking qualifying pace, but will see what we can do in the race tomorrow to improve our positions as our race pace is better than our qualifying speed.” JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
“I’m really disappointed. There was a problem when I came in to get my car refuelled and my tyres lost a lot of heat, and we should have changed to a new set. However these things happen and whilst they are frustrating we must now focus on the race tomorrow and see what we can do.”
2006 SPANISH GRAND PRIX FRIDAY PRACTICE KIMI RAIKKONEN
“Following my regular meeting with the engineers yesterday we decided that it would not be necessary to run in the first session this morning. I was scheduled to complete two timed laps this afternoon which I did. So an easy and trouble-free start to the weekend.” JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
“I merely did an installation lap with my new engine this morning and then a short run this afternoon to evaluate our options for the weekend. My left mirror came loose and I had to pull it off, but no problem. So far so good, and I look forward to the rest of the weekend.”
2006 SPANISH GRAND PRIX PREVIEW KIMI RAIKKONEN
“Over the weekend at the Nürburgring the car was definitely improving, and I am looking forward to getting straight back on track in Spain, to try and continue to find more pace. The Circuit de Catalunya is a very quick track, not in the same way as say Monza that is all about power, it is because there are a lot of fast corners that keep you flowing the whole way round. This does mean though that you can lose a bit of downforce when you are close behind another car through the quick corners and this can make it quite difficult to pass. The aerodynamics of cars are tested the most here, so set-up is crucial. This can be quite tricky as it can be quite windy on track and something that worked really well in the morning doesn’t always work as well in the afternoon.” JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
“It wasn’t the best race for me in Europe, but that is racing and you have to move on. There has traditionally been quite high levels of tyre degradation at the Circuit de Catalunya, this was less last year with the resurfacing, but over the course of the past twelve months it has returned to being fairly abrasive. With all the super fast corners there are big loadings on the tyres, so tyre wear is still a consideration, particularly the front left. We have worked hard with Michelin in preparation for the race, and final selection between the prime and option will be our main focus in the early part of the weekend. I have tested at the Circuit de Catalunya for seven days since the start of the year, providing useful data. The Michelin tyre selection process for the race started in early April when we were testing at the track and we completed it at Silverstone a couple of weeks ago. Overtaking here is not easy and to do it having good traction out of the corners is a must, there is one chance, as you can slipstream along the main straight and then try to overtake at the first corner.”
TEST REPORT BARCELONA – WEEKLY SUMMARY JUAN PABLO MONTOYA
“We’ve done a lot of good work this week, there have been a few problems with the wet weather and a couple of small glitches with the car, but generally it has been a productive week. It has also been quite cold here in Barcelona, which means that you aren’t getting the full performance, and also everyone is testing different things. So it is difficult to compare the performances of the teams testing here during the week.” KIMI RAIKKONEN
“I feel that we have improved a lot over the last few weeks, we are continuing to develop the car to find the speed and reliability that we need and we are moving in a good direction. We have covered some really good distances this week in Barcelona, but we need to keep pushing as there is still work to be done.”
TEST REPORT BARCELONA – DAY FOUR KIMI RAIKKONEN
“It is really good to be back testing and it is great to see what the team have done with the new car. Because it was my first day in the MP4-21, most of the time was spent with me getting used to it and then starting to look at different set-ups. My first impression of the car is positive, but I will need more track time to find out how great the potential really is. Also we could not run all morning because of the cold weather, but even so we put in a good number of laps and drove over 300km.”
