Kimi Raikkonen: the driver debates
Are Kimi Raikkonen's 2008 title chances over? He doesn't think so.
Kimi Raikkonen, the reigning world champion, is the final F1 racer to come under the scrutiny of our driver debates series and.
With four races left to run Raikkonen is in serious danger of losing his title: he could even fall out of championship contention in Singapore this weekend. What’s gone wrong for Ferrari’s number one in 2008?
Another Hakkinen?
In many ways the two Ferrari drivers have confounded the expectations of them this year: but while Felipe Massa has often exceeded them, Kimi Raikkonen hasn’t always lived up to them.
When was the last time we saw a reigning champion remain with the same outfit and same team mate, yet struggle to beat his team mate as often as Raikkonen has often done this year?
The Belgian Grand Prix showed us Raikkonen at his best. The conditions on the opening laps were made for him: where the McLaren has been the best car on a heavily wet track this year, the Ferrari has excelled in drying conditions. Raikkonen found more grip than Massa did; and unlike Lewis Hamilton he didn’t overstep the mark. He brushed Massa aside on the first lap, motored past a stationary Lewis Hamilton on the second tour, and led most of the afternoon.
But glimpses of such form from Raikkonen have been rare in the second half of 2008, although he started the season with wins in Sepang and Catalunya. It seems the opposite of what happened last year, when he enjoyed a clear up-swing in performance in the middle of the season.
Part of that is down to reliability problems: the broken exhaust in France, the engine failure in Valencia. But those are not the only reasons why he’s scored only 22 points in the last nine rounds.
It is often said of Raikkonen that he lacks the application in matters such as testing and post-race debriefs that his predecessor, Michael Schumacher, was legendary for. Raikkonen’s steely, quiet persona in front of the media probably exaggerates an impression that he does his best work in the cockpit and leaves the technical stuff for others to worry about. But there’s no doubt that, at present, the F2008 is presenting the Ferrari drivers with technical and driving challenges that Massa is doing a superior job of responding to at the moment.
In some ways Raikkonen reminds me of Mika Hakkinen, who could dominate races in the manner of Schumacher, but had other days when he just didn’t figure.
Starting with Sauber
Like Massa, Raikkonen got his F1 debut courtesy of Peter Sauber’s team (one year before Massa, in 2001). It’s amusing to look back at Autosports from seven and a half years ago and read stories of Max Mosley huffing and puffing about how this youngster, with a mere 23 race starts to his name, was not ready to race in F1 yet, and should spend his first few races on probation before getting a full super licence.
Raikkonen’s immediate ease at the wheel of an F1 car quickly eclipsed the presumptions of Mosley and many others in the F1 paddock. The following season Raikkonen was in a McLaren, leaving behind a very put-out former team mate Nick Heidfeld (who had previously enjoyed McLaren’s backing).
He was twice championship runner-up with McLaren in 2003 and 2005 (when his manager believes he should have picked up his first two world titles) and he was due a title when he bagged one for Ferrari last year. But this championship success has not, as many expected, ushered in an era of Raikkonen dominance.
Despite not carrying his late-2007 form throughout 2008, and despite Raikkonen seeming to care just as little for the celebrity of being an F1 driver as he always has, he and Ferrari have re-committed to each other until the end of 2010. Whatever Raikkonen’s problem is this year, it clearly isn’t a great concern to Ferrari. They could easily have signed another world champion – Fernando Alonso – in Raikkonen’s place.
Fastest laps
Another curiosity about Raikkonen, and one that has been mentioned on this site several times, is his propensity for racking up fastest laps. He’s set 34 of them in 134 starts, more than any other driver, bar Prost (41 from 199) and Schumacher (76 from 248). This year alone he’s scored nine fastest laps in 14 starts, many of them races where he otherwise didn’t figure.
What does this tell us about Raikkonen? That he’s a quick driver who’s had unreliable cars? That’s he prioritises race setup over qualifying pace? Or, as he once suggested, that he occasionally gets bored during races and entertains himself by nailing the fastest lap?
As mentioned earlier this week there is now a debate in the Ferrari camp about whether all its efforts for the end of this year should go to Massa, who is 20 points ahead of Raikkonen. Stefano Domenicali said:
The fight for the two titles will be very close. Kimi and Felipe met president [Luca] di Montezemolo who made it very clear that, as usual, Ferrari’s simple target come the end of the season is to win both titles. Both drivers will be working towards this target over the remaining four races, knowing that, as always for the Scuderia, the good of the team comes first.
Is this Ferrari’s way of saying Massa’s their man now? Raikkonen said: “Only when I no longer have a mathematical chance will I be totally at the service of the team.”
It would surely be madness for them to rule Raikkonen out of the championship now hunt after he came from such a long way back to win last year’s title.
Share your thoughts on Raikkonen’s qualities of a driver – and chance of retaining his title – below.
Read more about Kimi Raikkonen: Kimi Raikkonen biography
This concludes the driver debates series on active F1 drivers. The series will return during the off-season to look at some great drivers of past Formula 1 championships.
NDINYO said on 26th September 2008, 10:22
Yep, that it takes luck and FIA not being on your back.
Chamika said on 26th September 2008, 12:44
Hmm..I’ve been reading all the previous posts and can’t resist a response. Being a Kimi fan (who believed in him till the end in 2007 when others were writing him off)I am also surprised about his form. I don’t want to agree or disagree whether he’s ‘the fastest driver’ in F1 because unless he races the others in the same car, you can’t really compare can you? But I do think he’s very fast and I don’t think he’s over-rated. Even the best comperes who have lists of data at their disposal have said over and over that Kimi has remarkable talent. But I do agree that his attitude gets in the way sometimes. Then again, I don’t think he is dull at all!! Oh no, I love listening to Kimi speak. He is so different to others who keep on talking and talking. THe fact is, we all are different. While I like Kimi’s style another might not. So what??? Don’t put him down just because you don’t agree with it. We all have a right to have a favorite!!
Chamika said on 26th September 2008, 12:47
I for one will not be interested in F1 if Kimi stops racing. Mass is too temperamental- really good on some days and really bad on others (remember him spinning at least 5 times in the wet?!). Plus he’s too intense. Hamilton is breaking the driver’s code of conduct whenever possible. I used to admire the guy but now he seems totally desperate. I mean, if everyone drove like that, we’ll have one pile up after another. Alonso and Heikki are much better disciplines drivers.
antonyob said on 26th September 2008, 12:51
yeh i agree CHamika, Kimi is dull but worthy. ALonso is alot more exciting to watch. But how dare Lewis take risks, what does he think this is? a competition?
antonyob said on 26th September 2008, 12:53
btw- no one doubts Kimi is fast but can he race? I think his race craft is poor, hes blindingly quick on an empty track, for sure the quickest. But him or Ham in traffic, id back Ham 9 x out of 10
ukk said on 27th September 2008, 1:57
he’s fast, he has the gift, but he’s not feeling the need to win. and he’s not thinking about the car at all. does this make a great driver or just a fast one?
another myth about kimi – his coolnes. see him when cameras are not on him: bangs the steering wheel, pushes people, makes faces. he’s got emotions and lets them out, but he’s also building that iceman image so he controls himself when needed.
Paige said on 27th September 2008, 7:29
2005 was when I came to the conclusion that Raikkonen was undoubtedly the best. Yes, McLaren had the quickest car on the grid, but it wasn’t THAT much quicker than the Renault. There are two instances in particular that literally made me jump from my seat:
1) Monza qualifying. Raikkonen outqualified both Alonso and Montoya when he had 5-6 laps more fuel than them on board. I don’t care how good the McLaren was: when you pull out something like that, especially when it’s over your teammate who has a reputable record in F1, then you are bloody awesome.
2) The outside overtake of Fisichella going into turn one at Suzuka. That’s one of the greatest overtakes in F1 history. Period.
Kimi Raikkonen’s DNA was programmed for a Formula One race car. He may just have more natural ability than any other driver in F1 history. In fact, I’d argue he does.
As for his partying: it adds greatly to his appeal. I’m sure we all wish we could drop our trousers and get into the act with a stripper at a club. ;)
sharan said on 2nd October 2008, 11:58
i think everyone is going hard on kimi this year coz he is the world champ………. if we look at the year as a whole its been a bad year for kimi….. but if we look at the first four races…….. then kimi dominated………. even though he did didnt have a clear run in the first race….. he proved why he was a world champ……….. after that its been a whole lotta nonsense………… the mistake by ferrari in monaco…….. the hit from behind by lewis…….. the exhaust breaking off at magny cours…… he lost a total of abt 20 points there……… then you look at the qualifying probs he has faced during the year……… how much of this has been raikkonen’s fault?????? maybe at two grand prix’s where he made a mistake on his hot lap……… and after all that…… the king had to relinquish his position at spa……. he could have easily made it four in a row……… until lewis cheated and overtook kimi……….. i would like to add again…….. CHEATED………. by now kimi is abt 20 points behind lewis……… then in singapore………. massa makes a stupid mistake………. the whole race overturns and lewis is two places ahead of kimi……… kimi has to finish ahead of lewis to have any chance in for the title………. he crashes…….. i agree its his fault but whats he supposed to do…….. sit there and take fifth……… or do something…….. he did…….. and now with three races to go… its almost over but i would like to ask one question……… if kimi had finished in monaco without the stupidity frm ferrari……. if massa would have stayed to help kimi in france when his exhaust broke [i'm sure if Schumi was there that would have been the case!!!!!] and if lewis hadnt hit him frm behind in the pits and overtaken him illegally at spa…………. he would have had abt 30 points more than what he has now………. the ferrari is bad in the rain, unlike when schu was around…….. i agree that schumi was god in the rain………. but if he had this car then even he would have had to work his socks off!!!!………… as far as kimi’s racing ability is concerned jus go ask Schumi or Alonso, who have stated publicly that raikkonen is the best opponent they have ever had……… now i ask one question……. HOW MUCH OF THIS HAS BEEN RAIKKONEN’S FAULT????????……….. that should answer the critics………..