Kimi Raikkonen

[Mabbx]

Is it me or is their very little discussion on Kimi's performance since the start of the season ? The fact that he has just come back to F1 and I think doing very well considering, a great position in qualifying yesterday and some great battles today, although his tyres run off at the end, and you see or hear little about him during the race. Is this a ploy from the media to ignor him as he is not great at communication !!! Can't be very good for Lotus Renault's publicity ?

[Life Saab Itch]

Mabbx said:

Is it me or is their very little discussion on Kimi's performance since the start of the season ? The fact that he has just come back to F1 and I think doing very well considering, a great position in qualifying yesterday and some great battles today, although his tyres run off at the end, and you see or hear little about him during the race. Is this a ploy from the media to ignor him as he is not great at communication !!! Can't be very good for Lotus Renault's publicity ?

I had him as man of the race up until his tyres went away.

Like Alonso, I think he can flatter an average car.

[williamp]

the problem with kimi is that those who love him feel he should be spoken about all the time. And hanging into his very word. Those who feel he is overrated feel he gets far too much airtime and forum time, and shouldnt we talk about the performance of Grosjean as well coz he finished in the points and is just as/more/less impressive then Kimi

[ph123]

Agree completely with the o p.
Fabulous race, great result (was 'Schumacher' hurt ...))), what fun
and Kimi played a significant part, I thought brilliantly,
in his Lotus or Renault or whatever it is ...
surely the media guys were asleep
is it payback for his reticence to say anything to anybody ... ?

[heebeegeetee]

Kimi's a great driver while he's interested, but that isn't always.

On a personal level though I think he's an ahole as far as the fans are concerned, and I think he's just in the sport to take what he wants and give nothing back.

[Crafty_]

Ultimately Grosjean did a better job today - similar strategy but he held on to the tyres. The only blot on his copybook was his little off, if it wasn't for that he'd of been mixing it with the red bulls as he was only a couple of seconds behind them. At one point he was on worn tyres and matching Kimis pace just after his second stop.

Kimi lost loads of time with that stupid attempt to go round the outside of Webber after his first stop. Lewis did the sensible thing, got to the inside and ran away, Kimi should of tucked up right behind and followed him through but instead he tried to get round the outside and lost over 5 seconds to Lewis.

The guy has skill obviously, but half the time I don't think he can be arsed. This "trademark" of setting fastest laps near the end of a race does nothing to impress me - I'd rather see that halfway through the race when it can actually do some good.

He's good but stupidly overhyped.

[superkartracer]

[SlipStream77]

superkartracer said:

+1

[Codswallop]

I like Kimi and think he's a great driver, but agree that his attitude is rubbish at times. Was still sad to see him drop off at the end like that. Great race otherwise

[zac510]

Oh no, quick delete the thread, somebody has broken the code of the conspiracy to ignore him.

[Mabbx]

I think Grosjean had the pleasure today of running at the back of a heavy mid field in relitivly clean air not needing to defend too much or over-take, hence his tyres were under no forced enviroment, so made up natural places towards the end. A thinker/player some may say ??? This is also his first finish, but I am sure he will improve. Kimi however, when ever the camera cut to him or the cars around him mainly, he was either hunting someone down or defending like a mad man. Allways in turbulant air - great fun to watch, and with his P4 yesterday on the grid, nothing was said from the media about how great his comeback is ?? I absoluty agree that Kimi's attitude to the fans is poor, but when he is interviewed he obviously ignores all the media training he has had and tells it like it is - how refreshing. I love it when he is on camera and you can see that the interviewers hate intervieing him not knowing what he is going to say next ! Again, maybe this is the reason he is getting little media attention ??

[_dobbo_]

heebeegeetee said:

Kimi's a great driver while he's interested, but that isn't always.

Something that everyone who has worked with him totally disagrees with. Fill us in on your inside knowledge that is more valid than Whitmarsh Newey et al?

[slipstream 1985]

kimi doesnt have experience of the tyres dropping off though does he?

[dtrump]

heebeegeetee said:

On a personal level though I think he's an ahole as far as the fans are concerned, and I think he's just in the sport to take what he wants and give nothing back.

For me he comes across as a very normal guy who likes to have fun.

So what if he doesn't crave the 'how do you think that went?' questions with obvious answers just there to fill in time between actual racing.

What exactly do you need him to give back?

[John D.]

slipstream 1985 said:

kimi doesnt have experience of the tyres dropping off though does he?

Now he does. It was fun watching him try to keep it together.

I agree simply inexperience of current tyres was his down fall yesterday.

[heebeegeetee]

_dobbo_ said:

Something that everyone who has worked with him totally disagrees with. Fill us in on your inside knowledge that is more valid than Whitmarsh Newey et al?

The Whitmarsh/Newey that didn't want to keep him?

dtrump said:

For me he comes across as a very normal guy who likes to have fun.

So what if he doesn't crave the 'how do you think that went?' questions with obvious answers just there to fill in time between actual racing.

What exactly do you need him to give back?

For me, nothing, but clearly the fans do like to see/meet the stars, and it's their money that's funding his lifestyle (it's all of ours money, possibly).

I don't think any normal guy would be so arse-holeish about it.

From what I've heard, Kimi comes from a very lower class/chav/almost underclass background, and that he basically doesn't know how to behave. I've no idea how true this is but I'd be interested to know more.

[spogxy]

heebeegeetee said:

Kimi's a great driver while he's interested, but that isn't always.

On a personal level though I think he's an ahole as far as the fans are concerned, and I think he's just in the sport to take what he wants and give nothing back.

Bah!
He's easily the coolest driver out there, and I've seen him signing autographs for fans same as the rest of them.

As far as personality goes, did you not see him on Top Gear, he was really good fun. I'd have a night out on the lash with Kimi any time, doubt I could keep up with him though [hic!].

[heebeegeetee]

spogxy said:

Bah!
He's easily the coolest driver out there, and I've seen him signing autographs for fans same as the rest of them.

I hope you took pictures, you could probably sell 'em on ebay.

[Vocal Minority]

I would argue he was only deemed driver of the race due to his track position, which was generated by making one less pit stop than the majority of those around him, which he paid for as his tyres went away from him.

I think strategy deceived to flatter to an extent.

I agree with what was posted above about people who love Kimi want him talked about constantly. But that goes for all fans of top drivers. Why do the media hate Jenson/Fernando/Lewis/Kimi/Schumi so much is a fairly common and largely interchangable bleat.

[Munter]

John D. said:

slipstream 1985 said:

kimi doesnt have experience of the tyres dropping off though does he?

Now he does. It was fun watching him try to keep it together.

I agree simply inexperience of current tyres was his down fall yesterday.

I thought that. He didn't have last years experience, and was probably not expecting the drop off to be quite as big as it is.

If he does similar in another race then pointing and sniggering may be in order. But this was only his 3rd race on the new style rubber.