10/01/2007
NEWS STORY
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Today, high in the Italian Alps, Kimi Raikkonen made his debut appearance in Ferrari red, when he attended the first day of the Italian team's annual press get together at Madonna di Campiglio.
Sporting the legendary Cavallino Rampante on his bright red jacket, the Finn was asked how he felt.
Clearly eager to get off on the best possible footing with his new team, the Finn did something that it took his predecessor (Michael Schumacher) several years to do…
"First I say some Italian maybe…" he began, "bon giorno a tutti," he continued, much to the delight of the Italians present. "It's a nice feeling. It's the first time as an official Ferrari driver. I've been at the factory but it's different here, very relaxed, and I think everything seems to be as I expected."
You've been to the factory, met the engineers, what were you impressions?
Kimi Raikkonen: "I was at the factory a few times at the end of the year, seeing the people, making a seat and meeting with the engineers and then I went to the test to see how the people worked, because every team works a slightly different way and I think it was very positive. It will be much more positive to go for my first test because I will have been there and seen how every one works and what they do. I was very happy that I went to the test to meet the people and see how things go because it's going to help me a lot and give me some idea how things go. It was just a good feeling in the team and easy people to work with.
What are your objectives for 2007?
KR: I guess it's the same every year: we try to win the races, the championship. It's too early to say yet how it's going to go. I haven't even driven a metre with the car, everything's going to be new but I think everything will be fine. We are going to work as a team and try to get a good result every weekend.
You look in good shape, have you worked out a lot over the winter; what have you been doing?
KR: I was at home at Christmas taking it easy at home. I haven't had much else to do most time that you have for those things and I don't know if I've done more or less, I don't count it, I do what I like to do and I think I'm in good shape and that's the only thing that matters.
How big is the pressure for you to replace Michael?
KR: I don't feel any pressure because when I went to McLaren it was a similar situation and it was early in my career. Of course, when you move teams people are always comparing you to the previous driver, who in this case was Michael, who was also the main guy in Formula One for many years. It's normal that people are expecting and comparing me but I don't feel it, I just do my own things and work on my own way. I think it's going to take a while to get used to how the team works and also how I work so I don't really feel pressure for that.
The people are behind Ferrari, do you realise this?
KR: Yes, of course, Ferrari in Italy is a big thing. There's a lot of expectation from the fans, from the public itself, but like I said, this is the same story. I just do my best and hopefully it's enough and people are expecting many different things but I'm not going to be changing my way or working and other things and there will always be people who love you or hate you and you do your best and hopefully everybody likes you. People said it was going to be difficult with Ferrari because there's a lot of pressure on everyone. For sure it's than it used to be in other teams but I don't see any problem with that.
You enter this championship with a car that you don't know at all, that was created and projected without your technical support. Do you think that will be a problem for you at all?
KR: No, I don't think it will be a problem. As I said, it's too early to say how things are going to go because I haven't driven at all. OK, they are always different cars from McLaren but in the end I will have enough time to get used to it and I'm 100 percent sure there are a lot of good people who are designing and building the cars so there's not an awful lot in. But for me, who has just joined the team, I've been to the factory looking around, having the seat fitting and giving my ideas whether I want to change something or not, so I think it will be OK.
Have you noticed any initial difference from McLaren in terms of environment, relationships with the team?
KR: When I first went to the factory and for the test the atmosphere is different, is very good, more like a family feeling, even people are working as hard as they can, doing their best, it's very relaxed and the people are easy to work so I was very happy and that's really what I expected and what I heard before, so I only have positive things to say. For sure, it's very different from McLaren, for me, it's only going in a positive way, so it's been very pleasant.
When do you plan to first drive for Ferrari and why aren't you going to be first to drive the new car?
KR: It hasn't been decided. I think the first test will be at the end of this month, but I think it depends on the weather. I think Felipe will drive the new car at Fiorano.
Will Bon Giorno be the only words or are you going to learn Italian, and secondly, you know McLaren well, do you believe that Fernando can be quick and competitive immediately and do you think they can challenge immediately for the championship next year?
KR: I know some other words in Italian, but I think that when you are working with Italian people, you pick up words in Italian. I'm not going to go to school to learn it because that's not why I am here. Of course I have picked up some words when I was in karting in Italy but now I'm not starting from zero.
As for the McLaren question, it's very difficult to say, if you look what happened to us last year after 2006. Things can change so quickly in Formula One. I think this biggest issue has always been the reliability. I think it will be a difficult story this year because everyone is on the same tyres which will bring everybody closer so it will be interesting.
Do you have an opinion about Felipe as a driver, and if you are worried that he will do the first test in the car?
KR: I know him a little bit, I know him as a driver but I don't know how quick he will be or how quick I will be against him but we have a very good relationship even though we haven't worked together for every long. That way he's very good, easy to work with, a nice guy so I think we will have good fun this year and next year and I'm not worried if he's doing the first test with the new car, basically the shakedown, the first days. It doesn't change anything. I need to start from somewhere and I'm starting with last year's car so we see how it goes.
Starting a new season, what is the biggest difference compared to starting a new year with McLaren?
KR: It's a new team so basically everything is different from the past. I think the most interesting thing will be the first time I drive the car, to find out how different it is, is it different or not. Of course the team is working a different way, but I think the most interesting thing is the new car, to have the first laps and to get the feeling how it works.
It will be the first World Championship without Michael Schumacher. Will it be easier or more difficult because of the same tyres?
KR: Of course it is the first year without Michael. I think a lot of people are missing him. This is sad but it's normal that people leave Formula One and different people come in, so I don't know if it's going to be easier or not. There's always going to be fast guys around so it will be hard to win races, championships.
On the same tyres, I think it will probably be hard to know which way is the best way throughout the weekend, and how to use the tyres in the best way. It will be interesting to see everyone on the same tyres.
What do you think Michael Schumacher can give you and the team and when did you first hear the word Ferrari?
KR: I cannot remember. I guess when I was young watching some Formula One programmes on TV, or in Finland maybe.
About Michael, I don't exactly what his part will be in the team, but for sure they will use his experience and knowledge in different things and he has a not experience in the team and on the technical side, so he will give his help when it's needed. I haven't spoken to him since we finished the season, so it's too early to really say how the relationship will be between him and drivers.
Kimi, Michael has always been number one in the team. How do you see your position?
KR: It's the same as it was at McLaren: both drivers get the same car, the same equipment and it just depends on the drivers and engineers which one will be quicker but there is not a number one or two.
Did you know already, when you signed the contract with Ferrari, that Ross and Martinelli were leaving the team, and are you worried about all these new people at Ferrari. Also, would it be disappointing for you if Michael tested the Ferrari, even just once, in 2007?
KR: I don't know if he's going to test or not. I think it would be useful if he's going to test, because he has experience from last year's cars and all the past. When I signed the contract, I didn't have any idea who was working for the team or what was happening, but even though the key people have left, there will be new guys who have the experience and knowledge to do the same thing. I'm new in the team and there are new people with new positions but I don't have any doubts that it will affect the team in a bad way.
Do you think that the same tyres for everybody means that the skill of drivers will be more decisive than ever next year? Also, in the old days, Ferrari was a point of reference for everyone; what is Ferrari for a driver of your generation?
KR: It's always been the main team. It didn't matter whether they were winning or not. Everybody knows that they are a legendary team so it's always been in everybody's heart or mind, so in that way it's a very special team to be in.
I think the new tyres mean that the cars will be sliding a bit more It will maybe bring the skills more for the drivers, but as I said, it's too early to say on the driving said, because I haven't driven anything with the new car or the new tyres, so when I have done the first test it will be much easier to talk about those things.
Could you give us some information regarding what Michael said to you last year?
KR: I spoke to him about different things but I didn't really talk to him about coming to Ferrari or ordinary things, so I haven't sat down and spoken to him about coming here or how things will be in the future, or what his position will be. Maybe we can speak about those things at some point, but I haven't really done so yet.
Rightly or wrongly, there is a view that perhaps you have to make some sort of adjustment about how you go about your work, your attitude, training, approach to Formula One. Someone at McLaren suggested that that might not fit in with the way Ferrari do things. Is that a fair judgement about you as a driver, and do you feel that you do have to make adjustments to prosper at Ferrari, especially as the man that you follow was a 24/7 professional Formula One junkie, almost?
KR: I don't know what McLaren has said or what they think. I don't know how they can say things when they don't know how things are at Ferrari so I'm not going to change my way. It's been working well enough, it's the way I do things, I don't think that even if I had changed my style, how they wanted to do things, it would have changed results because in the end the problems wasn't really how I do my training, or what I do in my private life.
At McLaren it was more the car wasn't lasting the race or was not quick enough. I don't really mind what they say. I think I am going to do things my own way. Of course, we need to work together as well as we can. We need to change the way we work together; I am not Michael Schumacher and the team doesn't expect me to be. They know that I work a different way and we just need to find the best and most effective way to work together. I don't seem any problem with that. When I was at the test, what work I saw was nice and easy going, much easier work that it has ever been in Formula One. People always said it was going to be very difficult with Ferrari, but from what I saw, it's been the complete opposite, so I only have good things to say about, so I don't see any problems between me and the team and how we work together.
Kimi was it a special feeling to pull on your red clothing for the first time, and which colour do you prefer, red or silver?
KR: I think red is more warm for sure. It's very like, I like the style of the team, with everything. Of course it is a bit special to wear the Ferrari clothing for the first time and the racing suit is new and exciting. It's always nice.
To check out our Madonna di Campiglio picture gallery, click here