Comments on: Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa disagree on traction control

By: Anthony

Anthony — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:06:24 +0000

I think Kimi has a fantastic attutude towards racing (let’s not forget it’s a professional blood sport)… he is a true racer who naturally takes responsibility for his own actions. It’s a very honest way of living and I wish more people thought in the same way. What he had to say was very simple; if a driver doesn’t like an aspect of the sport then they shouldn’t be taking part. It wasnt really a dig at Massa, just a general comment to people who think like him. Racing drivers should accept the danger and race because they want to go faster than anyone else, it’s a way of life and if some of them can’t accept that they should give up.

By: Melanie

Melanie — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 12:09:14 +0000

I agree with powerline I think Finns like dangerous sports in general, and they like winning in the face of adversity with honour and bravery.

Lets face it Kimi has always been brave in racing, like his stunt at Eau de Rouge in 2002. Or the way he past the most cars at Fuji, and his snow mobile racing.

Obviously Kimi loves the danger, Kimi is a old school driver and he embodies what F1 used to be, even he himself has stated he was born in the wrong era.

So I conclude that, Kimi was just being honest as usual no mind games involved. He himself properly just doesn’t think it is going to be more dangerous. No digs at Massa, it seems more like someone is trying take a dig at Kimi again.

By the way since has traction control become a safety devise? With the run off areas drivers are safer then ever, there wasn’t even many dnf’s at Fuji this year.

And why is it that some people assume that drivers with safety concerns (DC, Massa), have a more valid claim or argument, then Kimi and Heikki? Kimi is world champion if doesn’t have any issues, then I for one believe him.

By: Powerline2007

Powerline2007 — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 03:26:33 +0000

I suppose the Finn drivers will view the banning of TC in F1 in a more positive light than drivers from tropical countries like Massa.

The Finns have been involved in winter sports, e.g. ski jumping, which in many ways is like driving without TC.

So culturally, dangerous sports have always been the Finns cup of tea.

By: Cooperman

Cooperman — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:31:33 +0000

F1 Racing this month has a large section on December’s testing and reports that Massa seems to be taking longer to adapt to life without it than most.

In Massa’s earlier career in F1 at Sauber he was known as wild and prone to throwing the car off the road – could it be that Ferrari’s Traction Control systems are what’s been calming his driving style? 2008 could be a disaster for him if this is the case.

By: Michael K

Michael K — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 13:59:28 +0000

Well, I don’t think Kimi took a swipe at anyone, he just replied to a question with his honest opinion. He’s one of the very few drivers who said that he would be up for racing on the Nordschleife with an F1 car if a race would take place there. I don’t think he tries to say he’s harder than anyone else, he’s probably just not really afraid and has lots of trust in his own abilities. In the end it is the driver himself who decides where the car goes and how fast it should go.

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 08:44:35 +0000

I bet if Kimi was to drive an old F1 car (lets say slicks and turbo)today, he would say it was more fun. He does not call himself James Hunt without reason).
Shouldn’t everyone have some fun at work?
So the “old days” were better.

By: George

George — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 17:18:17 +0000

I’m with you on that score Kieth. Today’s drivers train like animals as opposed to partying like animals 30 years ago. Can’t say it’s better, it’s just the way it is.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 15:26:42 +0000

I’m going to be controversial here, Number 38, and ask how much of that was that the cars were harder to drive, and how much is it that today’s drivers are better trained for the physical demands of racing cars?

By: Number 38

Number 38 — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:55:08 +0000

“You need to be awake more of the time”……. interesting words. Ever notice when the top three pull into parc fermee and pop out of their cars, hardly a drop of persperation ……….. I remember Mario Andretti alighting from his Lotus (that would be the late 1970s for our younger readers) looking physically drained. No power steering (is that a driver aid?) hand gear change, no finger tip paddles (is that another driver aid)? A wrap of duct tape around his throttle foot (the throttle was cable and spring operated, no electronic ‘drive by wire’ in those days (is that yet another driver aid)? Yes….. F1 has changed. but for the better?
Traction Control was a driver function, not a device in/on the car.

By: Keith Collantine

Keith Collantine — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:27:58 +0000

The two occasions I remember him banging in a late fastest lap last year were at Hungaroring and Istanbul, both occasions when he was in second place, felt he couldn't overtake, and said he was bored: Raikkonen: "I was bored"