Kimi Raikkonen to race in NASCAR

F1 Fanatic round-up

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In today’s round-up: Kimi Raikkonen is looking at racing in NASCAR.

Links

Top F1 links from the past 24 hours:

Raikkonen set for NASCAR (Autocar)

"I’m really looking forward to get there to familiarise to the world of NASCAR. I have been following it for a long time. I know, it’s a very tough and open top racing series.”

Lewis Hamilton sees fight with Fernando Alonso as new ‘Senna v Prost’ (The Guardian)

“I will always think that my nemesis and my closest rival will always be Fernando. Just because of my history, when I started out. I see him as my Prost, if we were [Alain] Prost and [Ayrton] Senna. If you were to say ‘choose a driver’ [that I would like to be] I would clearly choose Ayrton. And maybe I would put him as Prost.”

Just how fast is the Red Bull? (BBC)

“There is nothing to suggest the raw one-lap pace advantage of the RB7 in Melbourne is not very real.”

Mark Webber interview (F1 Fanatic on YouTube)

David Coulthard: now for a showstopper at Malaysian Grand Prix at Sepang Circuit following Australia (Daily Telegraph)

“I didn’t think it was a classic Down Under by any means, although it wasn’t a bad race. Crucially, I saw enough in it to suggest that we could be in for some brilliant races elsewhere.”

Brawn blames set-up for poor weekend (Autosport)

“We had a very messy weekend. Cars these days have got a lot of interesting systems on and we had a job keeping everything running, which means that we haven’t done the fundamental work of getting the car balanced and finding the right set-up. It has been a disappointing weekend and we should have been able to do better than we achieved.”

Follow F1 news as it breaks using the F1 Fanatic live Twitter app.

Comment of the day

This comment from Mateuss on why so many people voted for Sergio Perez as Driver of the Weekend made me chuckle:

This is very unfair, everyone is voting for Perez because most of the readers are Mexican and this is a Mexican site… No, wait, that’s not right!

But on a serious note – I was truly stunned by his performance, at one point he set purple sector two and I thought ‘his tyres are going, he must have cut the fast chicane’ but he kept replicating the times and was often on the pace with the leader, putting in lap times similar to people on three stops, I am still amazed by this.
Mateuss

From the forum

Take a look at the 2011 Australian GP overtaking data for review.

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Happy birthday!

Happy birthday to Lee!

On this day in F1

Carlos Reutemann scored his first F1 win in the South African Grand Prix on this day in 1974.

Here’s some footage of the race:

Author information

Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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229 comments on “Kimi Raikkonen to race in NASCAR”

  1. Kimi…Kimi…Kimi…

    1. Some shake n’ bake with Montoya, perhaps?

      1. LMAO. Ze dynamic duo from formula ouu (Sacha Baron Cohen style)

      2. McLaren 2005 / 2006 all over again. Let’s hope they don’t crash in the same way as Indianapolis!!!

        1. Haha, they could even crash at Indy again!

        2. Williams4Ever
          31st March 2011, 16:15

          They won’t as long as Jenson Button is not squeezing them off road (as he did in 2006).

      3. Juan-Pablo, a fast ex-Mclaren employee.
        Kimi, a fast ex-Mclaren employee.
        Lewis, a fast Mclaren employee….

        See where I’m going, maybe one day?

        1. I dearly hope not, he’d be wasted on NASCAR. Kimi and JP also have one other common trait, they where both incredibly lazy, thats the attraction of nascar to them. Kimi barely has to turn the wheel in NASCAR. Ideal! (for those with a sense of humour deficite, that was a joke)

          1. Williams4Ever
            31st March 2011, 16:23

            Now that Martin Whitmarsh has been flexible on how the driver’s train offseason, has anybody seen Jenson-Vs-Lewis. While Jenson(and his partner) were doing triathlons in Hawaii. Lewis has returned with softer mid-section. As much as I don’t like it being F1 drivers its just not about raw speed and sheer talent. It involves lot of disciplined Lifestyle and Lewis is bit suspect when it comes to that discipline, especially now that Uncle Ron is not breathing down his neck…

            I am with Calum on Lewis to Nascar thing. Lewis has closer ties with US given his celebrity GF and other friends…

      4. hahaha, best comment ever…

        can someone please dub the shake and bake lines over this commercial??

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiomuRm41YI

        Shake n Bake!

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLF31AY25so

    2. I’m really looking forward to get there to familiarise to the world of NASCAR. I have been following it for a long time. I know, it’s a very tough and open top racing series.

      Well thats a long winded way of saying I’ve blown all my money.

      1. wait… NASCAR isn’t open top? the cars have roofs!

        1. He’s clearly never watched it. If he found F1 boring just think what he’ll be like in NASCAR.

          1. He probably thought he was getting involved in Indycar! That would explain it..

          2. LOL, I would really like seeing a correction tomorrow, stating he was meant to go to INDYcar racing!

          3. I was a Kimi fan at one point of time, but now I just think he is just an idiot. I thought he left F1 because he loved Rallying, now it just seems like he doesn’t know what he is doing. And his apparent lack of motivation to race in F1 will make sure he can never return to this sport. His career is pretty much over..

          4. This why I think Kimi is great, he doesn’t care what others think, he just does what he wants. He is his own man. NASCAR is not an easy series to run in, it’s more than just turning left. Good luck Kimi.

          5. What a waste of a talent. This is stupid.

          6. actually after reading the second half of Crash.nets article on it, it seems this is still just a possibility, no way defenitive.

        2. i assume he meant that the nascar series a tough and open competition, just poor wording on his part

        3. I think he meant “tough and open” as in “difficult and anyone can win” and “top racing series” as in “one of the best”.

          So to avoid confusion it should really say:

          “I know it’s a premier racing series with tough, open competition”

        4. He will start competing in the TRUCK series. So roofs… and big cabins.

          1. AND room to store your tools!
            (and help your friends move on the weekends)

          2. I’d watch out for Nelson though!!!!

        5. tough and open (coma) racing series

          1. Phildo, your inadvertent typo made this even funnier!

            coma series!!
            NASCAR does lull me into a coma indeed
            great stuff

      2. ‘open’: close high action racing – anyone can win on their day.

        ‘top racing series’: as in the highest available league of Oval racing.

      3. Guess thats it.

        here’s a nice plea of just why it would not be agood idea for Kimi.

    3. I was wondering what your comment would be!:)

    4. I’m happy to hear that curse of Montoya to Kimi :P

      1. I reckon he’s gone to America so he can get bigger portions of ice cream

        1. Ben & Jerry’s is nicer in America.

    5. The (Bud) Iceman cometh.

  2. Happy birthday Lee!

    I’d love to watch Kimi race some cars, but I don’t think that’s motivation enough for me to suffer through watching a NASCAR race.

    1. Thats pretty much what I thought. Nascar is just too boring and artificial, but on the other hand, Montoya and Kimi really battling it out hard on track would be fun. Hope I’ll find a good source for race summaries with nice footage. The 15 minutes of WRC you can get here are pathetic enough (not because they are short, but also bad editing and commentary).

      Also Hami promoting himsef as modern Senna again still doesn’t feel right to me, but its interesting what he is saying. Hope we can see some good battes between those two again in the future and hopefully they wil be for victories, not just for RB leftovers.

      1. right on. kimi is the exact opposite of nascar, so i hope he makes his money and bails out. also, wrc has all but disappeared from american tv since speed became the nascar channel. i think it can still be found on an obscure channel occasionally.

        and hamilton is way out of line comparing himself to senna. hubris goeth before a fall.

        1. The whole ‘I’m a modern day Senna’ is one of the main reasons why i cant stand Hamilton. I know he’s a good driver and all that jazz but i cant stand the man.

          Comparing yourself to your hero’s and trying to emulate them…children have a name for that; ‘play time’

          1. Yeah, I was really warming to Hamilton then he had to go and call himself Senna. His comment about Vettel was pretty insulting as well (probably by design). I’d love to see Rosberg or Schumacher up there with Vettel thrashing the McLarens and Ferraris this year.

          2. Exactly, Lewis is really outdoing himself with stupid comments these days.

          3. I think my eyes rolled so far I can see my brain…

            I await your use of an actual quote where Hamilton says he is the new Senna or as good as him. Don’t take too long, I have to go on holiday in 3 weeks.

          4. I don’t think he’s comparing himself with senna, I think it’s that he is comparing his rivalry with Alonso as the Prost vs Senna thing, not hat Alonso is Prost an he is Senna

            He said “I see him as my Prost, if we were [Alain] Prost and [Ayrton] Senna.”

            That’s how I see it

          5. If you took the time to read the article, he was comparing his rivalry with Alonso to being a modern day equivalent of Senna-Prost. Nowhere did he say “I am Senna” but rather in this hypothetical equivalency, he would be more like his Brazilian idol than the mercurial Frenchman.

            I have heard Seb talking about challenging Schumi’s 7 world titles. But I know the difference between the conditional, i.e. it would be great… and the present… I am the greatest.

            If you draw conclusions without reading the article then don’t be surprised if you’re very wide of the mark.

          6. @Icthyes: Stay that way for the next three weeks (kidding)

            If he’d stop saying stuff about Senna every couple of weeks, probably people would stop aswell. Compared to Senna, Hamilton is a nice boy. Alonso seems closer to Prost AND Senna than Hamilton considering their ruthessness and no compromise way of working towards success which is fine for people like them and (vintage) Schumacher and such (makes them sometimes look like giant a-holes when rose tinted glasses are being taken off but I quite enjoy those characters). It remains to be hoped Hamilton won’t become that way.

            And if there was a driver he could choose to be, why wouldn’t he pick Lewis Hamilton?

            (its 4 in the morning so, people, don’t always take everything I say with a pinch of salt)

          7. I did read the article, and while it’s perfectly plausible that it’s not how he intended it to sound, he does insinuate that he’s the modern day Senna. If he were simply speaking of the rivalry, he could have worded it very differently without that insinuation.

          8. He says that if he were asked to choose who he would want to be he would definitely say Senna. What’s wrong with that? You know, most successful people in sports (or elsewhere in life, too) model themselves after someone they emulate. F1 drivers get asked god knows how many hundreds of questions about themselves – it’s unfair to dump on them when their answers seem a bit self-involved.

          9. Senna: One of the fastest drivers of his generation, most notably associated with McLaren who often was often a “love him or loath him” character.

            Hamilton: One of the fastest drivers of his generation, most notably associated with McLaren who often was often a “love him or loath him” character.

            …is one way of looking at it. ;-

        2. oh dear god, posters on planet f1 are already spewing out this rubbish and now people here start too! Hamilton is not comparing himself to Senna- he has himself admitted that Senna was something else altogether- he is merely saying that he considers Alonso to be his nemesis in the way that Prost was to Senna.

          He does not make comparisons in skill, character or ability, nor does he advertise himself as a modern day Senna. What he does advertise is that he would LIKE to be a modern day Senna- Senna is his hero. Lewis has self-belief which often others perceive to be arrogance, failing to realise that his self-belief is the product of beating everyone their is to beat in his short career. Alonso recently stated in an interview that Hamilton is the fastest driver on the grid, adding further proof that his confidence is entirely credible.

          The only thing i think Hamilton is guilty of is a little naivety in his failure to recognise that a lot of what he says can easily be misconstrued, particularly by those with an agenda focused on his humiliation. I have seen many quotes of his twisted and reproduced over the internet, ignoring the context in which they were made, and the manner in which they were given. You only have to look at primary sources to see that Hamilton is a genuinely chilled out guy who is just loving life and trying to be the best. Lewis tends to be like marmite, and therefore many secondary and tertiary sources tend to manipulate his words to fit their manufactured stereotype of a spoilt, privileged brat who is unconditionally convinced he is the best thing to ever happen to F1, pandering to a typically sadistic audience who cant seem to stand seeing the kid succeed (A number of these jealous and petty individuals seem to have a penchant for the colour red).

          I make no bones about it, I am a “Hamilton fan boy”, but probably only because I judge him off primary sources and talent, rather than jealousy and warped secondary views. Yes, he does have a habit of talking without thinking, but only because when you strip what he says right down, what he has ‘actually’ said is innocent and honest. Its like the whole Red Bull soft drinks company thing again- Lewis wasn’t being derogatory (as many haters gleefully interpreted), he simply said that as they were not a pedigree manufacturer, he did not know what their long term plans in the sport were, and that whilst they were in the sport he believed that the proven might of McLaren and Ferrari would be able to react to their current domination. People need to read what he actually says, rather than what they want him to say! Gonna stop, ive gone on far, far too long, but it just pees me off how his words continually get warped and he continually gets jumped upon.

          1. + 10 million. Couldn’t have said it better myself. And US_Peter, who are you trying to fool, ruminating about ‘beginning to warm to him..’ Thats a load of you-know-what, if you were to judge the quote objectively you would find that what he intended to mean was totally different from what you took from it.

          2. cheers Sam, glad someone is as sane as i am ;)

          3. Exactly what I would have written! :)

          4. The funny part is that Lewis thinks he still is one of the top two drivers in F1 (that had to be the case for him wanting to see Alonso as his Prost), he is more like a Mansell for me right now. Win a 2nd WDCs and maybe you can still try to create a direct rivalry with Alonso. Right now I think Alonso’s main rival is Vettel and obviously that was the case in 2010. BTW, Vettel has a bigger chance to win a 2 WDC than Lewis, so Vettel is the real modern Senna.

          5. Yeah he does think a lot of himself, first he has a condescending tone on how Red Bull is just a drinks company, and how Seb is nothing without his car. The he becomes he self proclaimed new loved by all legend – Senna, making Alonso the eternal villain – Prost.

            I think Hamilton has head stuck way up his own ***, cannot wait for him to get a good solid beating on track this year by Fernando and the ‘not so worthy’ Seb.

          6. @Todfod,

            Sorry, but your post is a great example of how to start off with false premises and then build up a whole pattern of ideas that sound logical – except that they have no relation to reality. 1. Hamilton never said “just a drinks company”; 2. who exactly thinks Prost is “the eternal villain”?; and 3. when did Hamilton say Vettel was “not so worthy”?

          7. @maciek. Maybe yo need to give the articles another read.

            1.He did say that Red Bull didn’t have the racing pedigree of Mclaren, and he doesn’t know how long they will remain dominant as they are just a drinks company. (not a premise… A FACT.. read his quotes to confirm)

            2. Lewis always considered Senna as his hero, and in his own head thinks that he is the modern day ‘Senna’, therefore, he tags Alonso as ‘Prost. Not like there is anything wrong with Prost, but Lewis would always want to think of himself as the legend with tremendous amount of skill & adulation of the fans. (Maybe this isn’t a fact.. but it is an awfully indicative of how full of himself he actually is.)

            3. The fact that he compares himself and Alonso to Senna & Prost, and compares Vettel to Mansell.. but then goes ahead and says that Vettel is a ‘not as good’ version of Mansell just shows how much he thinks of him. (This is also quoted by him in the last interview… and is also a FACT and not a premise)

            I think you need a better check on reality before offering advice to others.

          8. @Todfod,

            I’m glad you’ve posted this, because when I compare your original statements to what you’ve just objectively reported here, it’s fairly obvious that your first post was a one-sided exaggeration of what Hamilton is reported to have said – no? All the statements you’ve just mentioned are not nearly as inflammatory as what you suggested earlier.

          9. Nice one ads. I think it’s definitely marmite though as you say, the people who are listening don’t want to and the ones that do already know.

          10. @ Maciek

            http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2011/mar/21/red-bull-lewis-hamilton

            Todman is pretty much bang on the money. I don’t know whether to blame Lewis himself or Simon Fuller for these stupid comments.

            That said, when you were the one responsible for bringing Earth Dreams to F1 you can really only go one way.

          11. Lots of arguing over semantics here. He said what he said.

          12. 1.He did say that Red Bull didn’t have the racing pedigree of Mclaren, and he doesn’t know how long they will remain dominant as they are just a drinks company. (not a premise… A FACT.. read his quotes to confirm)

            Yet all of that IS true, Red Bull is a drinks company and their sports activities is a (albeit very successful) marketing exercise – there is no guarantee they’ll stick around if the results stop coming. I don’t think you could say that about Ferrari or McLaren, both of whom exist primarily to race.

            2. Lewis always considered Senna as his hero, and in his own head thinks that he is the modern day ‘Senna’, therefore, he tags Alonso as ‘Prost. Not like there is anything wrong with Prost, but Lewis would always want to think of himself as the legend with tremendous amount of skill & adulation of the fans. (Maybe this isn’t a fact.. but it is an awfully indicative of how full of himself he actually is.)

            So what, he’s a very successful racing driver – who I might add has to take a lot of stick from the press and certain sections of the F1 fanbase – if he didn’t have the level of self-belief he has then I don’t think he’d have gotten to where he is. I would be very surprised if Alonso, Vettel, Schumacher et al all had the same level of self-belief.

            And I would like to say how lucky you are to have spent so much time in a 1-to-1 situation with Lewis Hamilton, as surely that is the only way you could have reached this conclusion – I mean you wouldn’t base your opinion of someone purely on what you see in the press, would you?

            3. The fact that he compares himself and Alonso to Senna & Prost, and compares Vettel to Mansell.. but then goes ahead and says that Vettel is a ‘not as good’ version of Mansell just shows how much he thinks of him. (This is also quoted by him in the last interview… and is also a FACT and not a premise)

            Okay firstly, what is wrong with Mansell? But for a little more luck he could have been a 3 times world champion.

            Secondly, I would support anyone who says that Vettel isn’t on the same level as Hamilton and Alonso. He has shown consistantly in the last 2 years that he struggles to win when he’s not starting on pole – and he did have the best car last season by some margin and still only just managed to get the title. Can you honestly see Alonso making such hard work of it?

            Thirdly, are you familiar with sports psychology? Vettel is Hamilton’s competitor, Hamilton knows that Vettel has a stronger car and so is trying to give himself a psychological edge…it’s only the same as what boxers do before a prize fight.

            I think you need a better check on reality before offering advice to others.

            I think that is very good advice that you should take yourself.

          13. There’s one problem with all of this. Prost wasn’t the villain. Senna was.

          14. @Adrian J. I dont think Lewis needed to give his expert opinion on the racing pedigree and future plans of Red Bull, nor did he have to give the current drivers on the grid his own ‘legend labels’, and he didn’t need to tell the press that Vettel is a lower rated version of Mansell. If he makes statements like these he is going to get criticism from people, its a part and parcel of making stupid statements to the press.

            We can go on arguing about this for ages… but I’m tired. So I’m going to agree with you by saying that he just said what he said in absolute honesty and humility.

        3. I think you should get off your high horse and read the damn article again. Hamilton says, “If you were to say ‘choose a driver’ that I would like to be, I would clearly choose Ayrton.”

    2. I agree, Happy Birthday Lee.

      And Kimi, are you sure about this?

      My first thought on it was, that Kimi realized he was not going to win any WRC soon and money was running out so why not try NASCAR?

      I would have loved him to show the Indy field a nice drive instead. Its cheaper than Nascar and has more road courses.

  3. That BBC article on Red Bull is pretty interesting. I wonder if they’re right about how hard it is on tires and that be the true reason they didn’t run KERS in Melbourne. If they don’t get on top of that other teams will be beating them in some races on pit strategy, making fewer stops. Sounds like they need some pointers from Sauber, if Sauber can even figure out how Perez did his miracle 1 stopper.

    1. Did anyone watching on TV notice Perez overtaking Vettel to unlap himself? A small cheer went up around the circuit when it happened, and I found myself chuckling too!

      1. I didn’t and I wish I had.

      2. I didn’t notice that, and watched the race twice. I’ll have to watch again and see if SPEED made any mention of it.

        1. Perhaps it wasn’t shown on TV. It wasn’t on the super-screen, but every time they came past, Perez was getting closer to the back of Vettel before on one lap, he was ahead! :P

          1. I think he was shown on TV to be close behind Vettel and he surely did get past as he crossed the line in front of Vettel.

            But I don’t think they actually showed how Perez got past.

          2. I saw him, it was on corner 11. At the time I thought it was Button taking Webber!

            The Saubers and Maccas aren’t entirely dissimilar at speed.

      3. I know he was doing the fastest lap of anybody after he changed to softs, so must’ve happened then I guess. Too bad we didn’t see it.

      4. I would assume that Vettel was taking care of his tyres and wasn’t too bothered about someone unlapping themselves…though he might have been a bit miffed about them setting a fastest lap as I understand he likes to go for the hattrick (Pole, FL & Win)

      5. Checked again and on the lap Vettel pitted, Perez overtook him. It was at the fourth to last corner (the one where Hamilton and Webber crashed last year). Perez was stuck behind Vettel a long time, both on softs, but Perez on fresher set. Vettel started struggling with the tyres, and Perez took him down there, Vettel didn’t really fight much as he knew Perez wasn’t a contender.

        It was un-lapping too, Vettel was a lap ahead at that point.

        1. Is there a video of it? :)

  4. Gotta say i’m a little disappointed in Kimi, he should stick to rallying, or at least give it a fairer shot. He had a good weekend and so far is a major improvement on last year. However, this could all be hot air so let’s wait and see.

    And I think Lewis is talking out of his backside.

    1. He will race on NASCAR only when the WRC allows him to do it. At least that is what I read somewhere else.

      1. Well that makes sense I guess.

  5. Oh man people are going to bitch about that Hamilton quote. But I see this is very light hearted, a bit of fun, and probably people will get the wrong impression seeing it written down like that.

    Seems Kimi is wanting to experience a bit of everything in his racing career. Which is admirable, a shame still though as it’s now even more unlikely he’ll return to the sport we all love.

    1. Oh Keith! Mateuss made the quote, not Sergio Perez! Ha :P

    2. Oh man people are going to bitch about that Hamilton quote

      Ironic, given how famous the ‘”If” is “F1” spelled backwards’ quote is, a lot of people will be ignoring that “if”. I wonder why people don’t have better things to do then make up things that annoy them.

      1. Apologies Icthyes, not sure if I follow. Are you saying you’re in favour of my comment or not in favour? :P

        1. I’m in favour :)

  6. Thanks Keith!

    Also, Hamilton needs to stop it with this Senna stuff, be your own man for crying out loud!

  7. from watching the onboard version of the race, I saw a plastic bag on Hamilton’s front wing! would this have hindered car performance at all?
    http://img16.imageshack.us/i/vlcsnap2011032919h38m07.jpg/

    1. this bag remained here for most of the race and part of it tore off too.

      1. This is illegal !
        I am afraid Hamilton has to be disqualified !

    2. That plastic bag looks very much like a movable aerodynamic device.

      Can someone not design an illegal component and disguise it as debris picked up during the race? Perhaps some roadkill downforce hooked onto the front wing during a pit stop?

  8. I don’t know why Mark does this, but I have noticed it quite a few times now. When speaking to unfamiliar people in the Media, he speaks in very short sentences; and speaks as if he is speaking to someone from a far off land that doesn’t speak a word of English. Very strange.

    1. Yeah I have noticed it too. In this video the way he was speaking was almost as if English is his second language, kind of reminds me of how Valentino Rossi or some of the other Moto GP riders who speak English as second, or third language speak English.

      Maybe he is purposely trying to speak slower to give the journalists who speak English as a second language a better chance of understanding him.

      One thing I have realised having seen guys like Hamilton and Alonso interacting with fans at the Australian Grand Prix, is that without media around they are a lot more friendly than they come across in interviews. Maybe drivers are so afraid of saying anything to the media, in case the media takes the comment out of hand, like everyone is with the Hamilton / Senna comment.

    2. He naturally has a very strong Australian accent; I don’t know if he’s been told to try ‘tone it down’ for the sake of being understood, although I think it’s ridculous, if anything he sounds like a South African who doesn’t really know English all that well.

  9. love ’em or hate ’em, those 1974 cars are FUNKY

    1. Hate ’em. Definitely the worst era of F1 cars in my opinion. They look like some kind of mutant go kart with an alien periscope sticking sky high. The proportions are all wrong.

      1. I think they look funny. With their periscope air boxes and rudimentary bodywork.

        And seeing the cars sliding around is very nice.

        1. I agree about the sliding. Wish we saw a bit more drifting in modern cars from time to time.

          1. That’s what I love about the new Stig, he sure does love to drift !

    2. I think they look awesome. Ok, so technically they’re pretty hideous, but there’s something really cool about that.

  10. I was truly stunted by his performance

    Hopefully you’ll re-grow Mateuss! :D

    1. C’mon now David A, pick on someone your own size.

    2. I of course meant stunned, this is where the ‘Edit’ button would come in handy.

  11. The BBC article…yes, it is possible that Red Bull really do have that speed in hand. It’s also very possible it was a) exaggerated in Australia and/or b) won’t be there come Malaysia.

    The experts should have learned last year from taking the first race at face value and applying it to future ones. Can we just see before we bow down before the might Newey and blow all our savings on another Red Bull championship?

    1. Pretty interesting what Hamilton has to say about Vettel though. The new Mansell…I suppose in this scenario that’s the role he’d fit into. I mean, if you compare Hamilton and Vettel, they share the same qualities whereas Alonso is a different breed; Senna and Mansell were more similar to each other than they were to Prost.

      And a nice bit of mind-games to boot too – you know, that thing people were praising Horner for at the weekend ;)

      1. If Hamilton is Senna, Vettel is Mansell, Alonso is Prost…what about Button? Piquet? Oh no…

        well, I think Hamilton is Senna, but I should place Button to Prost’s place.(although I don’t rate him as much as Prost). then Vettel to Hakkinen(well, he’s much trouble maker than Hakkinen though), Alonso to Schumacher, Webber to Mansell…Massa to Piquet?

        Well, I’m just kiding. Hamilton is not anyone else. Others are all the same. I understand why people want to link themself to legend but it’s useless.

        1. McLarenFanJamm
          30th March 2011, 8:55

          Please find the part where Lewis says “I AM Senna”… any time, I’m waiting… no? thought not.

          It’s both funny and frustrating seeing people twist Lewis’ words to fit their own agendas. If this was any other driver on the grid, nobody would question it, but because it’s Lewis, people react like he’s just driven over their 10 week old puppy.

          The closest he gets is saying that if someone gave him the choice, he would like to be Senna. It’s hypothetical.

          1. Hahahaha. Clearly you haven’t seen the FIA gala video from a few years back then.

  12. Michael Griffin
    30th March 2011, 0:52

    That COTD has made me say the following:

    Sergio Perez will be a world champion.

    1. y’know maybe Sergio and Kobayashi are more akin to a Prost/Senna matchup in terms of driving style now that I think about it.

  13. seeing petrov on the podium made kimi regret not looking for that renault seat. now he wants some tarmac racing

    1. My thought exactly!! To think that he basically had a chance of both those Renault seats but opted for Nascar?!?

      To me racing is about breaking balance, apex precision, acceleration timing and alternate race line overtaking. Since none of the above apply to Nascar I cannot consider it racing at all!

      The cars statically go around at a constant speed and if it wasn’t for the tarmac sliding swiftly along beneath them it would be exactly like watching a turtle race!!

      1. That’s the best summation of NASCAR I’ve ever read.

      2. Right on, Poul! Well stated.

      3. actually you described exactly what NASCAR requires.

        Braking Balance: At most tracks, Determining where and how to brake is a crucial part of being quick.

        Apex Precision: Hitting the Apex on an oval is even more crucial than on a road course because an oval is all about momentum

        Acceleration Timing: Being able to accelerate from mid corner off before anyone else is exactly what makes you fast in NASCAR because once again it is all about keeping your momentum up.

        Alternate race line overtaking: This is actually the only was to pass in NASACR. You can try the high side of the corner, but you will be slow in the center of the corner through the apex and faster down the straight. If you go low and take an early apex, you will be quick in the corner but slow on the straight.

        Don’t knock and criticize something you obviously know anything about. Its a lot more challenging that what meets the eye. People complain that its just going in circles, and only left turns. Does it matter? F1 goes in a circle too, they end up in the same place they started, they just happened to make some right turns along the way. It is most definitely racing.

        1. Thank you, sheesh, I won’t deny that Nascar doesn’t have its share of faults, because it most certainly does, but the amount of venomous hate directed towards it just doesn’t make sense to me.

          Do I wish there were more road courses? Yes. Do I wish the races were shorter? Yes. Do I wish the cars had more modern technology? (fuel injection, come on) Yes. Do I wish the cars more accurately resembled the “stock cars” they are based off of? Yes. Do I still enjoy NASCAR? Yes.

          There is not a single form of racing out there that does not have boring races, bad drivers, inane rules, and any number of grievances that could be brought up. I was almost put to sleep by a MotoGP race last year, and F1 in Abu Dhabi was not the greatest thing I’ve ever seen, but I don’t condemn these sports for not being amazing every single time I view them. I still love them.

          I may be getting off point here, but what I’m trying to say is I love racing, of all kind. As long as its fast, I’ll watch it, and NASCAR fills a different niche in the racing world. Oval tracks are not found very often in most racing venues, and they are a thrill to watch at times from the great Daytona to the little Bristol track.

          I’m not demanding that everyone enjoy NASCAR, I’m not even asking that everyone even really like it, all I would like is if people would stop saying it takes no skill and is not even racing. The simple fact that so many drivers from other forms of racing have given it a shot should be enough evidence that the sport is challenging/intriguing enough for even those who have driven the best. Its different, that doesn’t make it wrong.

          1. yo were bored by a motogp race? wow, every time i’ve seen one it had more action than a whole season of f1.

          2. That one in Qatar I saw the other day wasn’t, it was rubbish and the field was tiny.

          3. Haha MotoGP at Qatar was pathetic…

          4. That one in Qatar I saw the other day wasn’t, it was rubbish and the field was tiny.

            I guess I’m glad I deleted it from DVR without watching it then.

        2. Everything Nascar requires…. but in very limited amounts compared to diverse track racing! You have only a single corner layout to concern your apex precision with and never, ever a diverse series of corners at which perfection in one impacts the next and so forth. Braking and acceleration is minimal since top and max speeds vary only slightly. I really don’t see any alternate race line overtaking as it seems to happen fully outside or fully inside or by line changes during the corner – and as you say – is just a matter of momentum.

          Sure, let’s call it racing. Just like Bieber qualify as “music” while I require my music to have diversity like Coltrane, Forbidden and Rachmaninov.

          1. Anyone who listens to Coltrane, Rachmaninov AND Forbidden… is A-OK in my book…

          2. THanks Stubie! :-)

  14. NASCAR: international refuge for wayward drivers

  15. Anyone going to actually read the article?

    I see him as my Prost, if we were [Alain] Prost and [Aryton] Senna. If you were to say ‘choose a driver’ [that I would like to be] I would clearly choose Ayrton. And maybe I would put him as Prost.

    My emphasis of course. I’m probably boring the pants off of everyone with this stuff but can we concentrate on stuff that’s actually true?

    1. Truth: Keith is not actually a human, but a robot designed by a group of F1 fans by the 80’s and does not need to sleep, eat or drink AND can continue to operate 24/7 off of an odd perpetual motion machine involving a solar panel and a computer monitor.

      1. fans by the 80′s

        *OF the 80’s not by

        1. surely you mean ‘from the 80’s’? lol!

      2. Actually, he does need to drink.

        Essentially, he’s the racing version of Bender.

        1. If I had to deal with the comments section on here, I’d need to drink too.

      3. Joey-Poey, that’s just total, off the wall craziness. True facts clearly show that Keith is a long-term project run by an as-yet-unidentified top F1 team to develop the android drivers of the future by cunningly extracting secret data from the most knowledgable sources – us.

        1. the most knowledgable sources – us.

          Haha now that IS ridiculous!

    2. Well, it still doesn’t make me like Hamilton more or think he’s much more than a modern commercial product, kind of Beckham style doll.

      Of course almost every driver (maybe Prost apart) asked about his favourite driver would choose Senna. So that’s simply unoriginal and not worth mentioning.

      But what’s interesting and annoying in this is comparing Alonso to Prost. So Hamilton himself is the good guy and Alonso is the bad one, Darth Vader to Hamilton’s Luke. First the ‘drinks company’, now this. So who’s next? Is he now going to throw veiled affront at Schumacher now? Who’s his next target?

      1. Is he now going to throw veiled affront at Schumacher now?

        He did that last year:

        Lewis Hamilton doesn’t want Michael Schumacher’s “tainted” legacy

      2. The insinuation that Prost equals the bad guy is in your head only – just because you interpret something one way, it doesn’t mean the speaker meant it. Hamilton may well have just meant that Prost was always there to challenge Senna, and was a different kind of driver – he was the only one who got consistently close to him, although Mansell did some years (hence him bringing Vettel in as the Mansell of the theoretical group).

        If someone is asked a question it is stupid to criticise them for answering it honestly, as if they brought it up without prompting.

        But hey, I’m probably wasting my time; the Hamilton haters aren’t going to bother reading something properly in case it doesn’t give them ammunition to rant about him, or they will purposely misunderstand it and then get angry about something that exists only in their head.

        I stopped reading Planet-f1 because of the comments like these, I think I might have to stop reading the ones here too. Apologies if I am being melodramatic!

        1. You don’t know what’s in Hamilton’s heart, either. But I think I can criticize what he says, regardless of the question being stupid or not.

          And bearing in mind that your suggestion might just not been directed to me, but I have to write that I’m not an Hamilton hater nor ‘write driver name here’ hater. I don’t hate people unless they are true atrocious monsters, and I don’t understand how one can hate an F1 driver. I feel pity for those who do so.

          1. I know that I don’t know what is in Hamilton’s heart – I said:

            “Hamilton may well have just meant that Prost was always there to challenge Senna…”

            I wasn’t claiming to know what he was thinking, just what my interpretation is.

            Of course you can criticise his words, but your criticism was:

            “So Hamilton himself is the good guy and Alonso is the bad one, Darth Vader to Hamilton’s Luke.”

            You aren’t criticising his words because he never said he was the “good guy” to Alonso’s “Darth Vader”, you are criticising what you have concluded the words mean.

            Yes, using the word ‘hater’ was lazy and excessive for a sporting blog comment post, but I took your reference to Hamilton of being a ‘Beckham style doll’ to suggest a certain dislike and dismissiveness of a former world champion, and I used it as a quicker way of saying that.

  16. I know, it’s a very tough and open top racing series

    Eh?

    1. Probalby “open top” as in “not just the top 2-3 teams competing for wins

      Not too sure of that though, the championship is pretty much contested and won by a few teams for years now.

    2. Maybe “open” as if it’s reasonably easy to participate in? I understood it that way.

  17. I’m not much of a Nascar fan, but Kimi’s possible foray into that series hammers home the point that professional race car drivers are more open minded about where they compete than some of their fans are. Money talks, of course, but I’d doubt that Kimi is hurting.

  18. This is great news. It was Montoya that got me watching NASCAR again. It would be fantastic to see Kimi there too.

  19. I’m finding it very hard to believe Kimi would have anything to do with NASCAR.

    He is loving his rally and doing well so far this year. Getting better and better all the time.

    I’m hoping this is some mis-reporting and it’s a test only just as some sort of folly.

    It helps when you have your own team though.

  20. If you were to say ‘choose a driver’ [that I would like to be] I would clearly choose Ayrton. And maybe I would put him as Prost.”

    It doesn’t really seem to me like he’s comparing himself to Senna, it’s more of comparing his situation or relationship with Alonso to that of Prost and Senna.

    Might be a bit immature, but it’s harmless all the same.

  21. This is an apostasy. This is like leaving go Karts to go wheelbarrow racing.

    1. Ahhh… but there’s more room on the side of a wheelbarrow for sponsor’s logos. :)

      1. Ahh true NASCAR is essentially that. Advertising at speed. I guess Kimi is tired of all the fitness thing and is content to just have his pot belly holding on to the steering wheel while he takes a bite out of his cheesburger.

        1. Don’t forget the ice cream!

          1. True true I was searching for that and wondering were he placed it. I guess they race with cup holders small enough to fit an ice cream cone.

    2. MacademiaNut
      30th March 2011, 4:33

      Nascar is “Step on the gas, turn left” racing. Kimi will be absolutely bored behind the wheel.

      1. Only if you want to end up scraping along a barrier constantly.

      2. MacademiaNut… Apprently you know nothing about stock car racing.

        1. MacademiaNut
          31st March 2011, 4:59

          Thanks Snobeck for the reminder.

  22. After reading the Guardian artcle, I was left wondering how Lewis was apparently answering questions but the article was a narative. Which leaves me to conclude all his comments were not in the proper context. It is obviously a question and answer session, so why deny the readers the exact text of what he was being asked.

    1. Essentially that a straight report of a media Q&A session doesn’t give the paper an ‘angle’ to write the article from. “Hamilton claims he is the new Senna” attracts the attention more than “Hamilton answers some questions – mentions Senna”, even if you can see from some of the comments here that people will not bother to read all the words and just decide that the headline is the full story.

      I like most things about the Guardian’s sports reporting, but motor sports is poorly represented and often ruined by sub-editors (and apparently some journalists)with little understanding of what an article is really about.

  23. Prisoner Monkeys
    30th March 2011, 2:49

    Hamilton might see his rivaly with Alonso as a modern-day Senna vs. Prost, but right now, I bet Alonso considers Vitaly Petrov to be his biggest problem …

    1. It does seem to be working out that way…

    2. LOL.

      Interesting how Hamilton does not really give Vettel much credit. I guess he doesn’t hold with stringing the start-finish drive away racing style in much regard then.

      1. McLarenFanJamm
        30th March 2011, 9:03

        I’m sure if Lewis had a car capable of giving him a lights to finish victory he’d give it more credit ;)

        As it is, I do think Vettel is one of the fastest drivers on the grid. I’d just like to see him in a car that isn’t capable of getting pole at every race and seeing if his racecraft is actually good enough to work his way through the field.

        1. The man won in a Toro Rosso. Rain or no rain, that is one of the greater drives in recent history.

          1. Glad im not the only one who hasn’t forgotten about that :)

  24. Kimi got bored of crashing against trees and rocks, so he’s turning to NASCAR.

    Where a man can really crash as many men as possible and “it’s good for the show” that way.

  25. Interesting the red bull article. So vettel ran kers in practice and webber didn’t! Does that mean webber was actually quicker than vettel before maybe a chassis fault?

    I rate Hamilton very highly, if I was a team manager I’d take him over vettel every day of the week! He was only comparing himself and alonso in an epic battle, not saying he was the new senna! But in my mind he’s pretty close! What do you think he would have done in a red bull last year? What do you think seb would have done in last years mslaren? All the drivers are epic in their abilities, but hamilton and alonso are in a different league! I’m a webber fanatic, and personally don’t see vettel being better than webber! Infact webber experience makes him better!

    1. I think they just compared the cars running with each other to see weather it was worth running KERS.

      Personally I would expect Red Bull chose not to run it for double reason of not seeing it give them a 0.3 advantage per lap over distance AND having worries about reliability.

  26. Gaston (@golarrazabal)
    30th March 2011, 3:31

    Hamilton’s comments on Vettel = sour grapes, hmm?

    1. Id call them mind-games

  27. MacademiaNut
    30th March 2011, 4:31

    If you think Kimi was bored with some of the races in F1, wait until he is behind the wheel in Nascar races. 400+ laps on average and the race pretty much decided by who gets the best draft in the last few laps is not that will suit Kimi’s style.

  28. OH Kimi come back to F1.

    I think Lewis is Senna, Vettel as Prost because this tow have had some fantastic battle in the past & off course in the future.Alonso may be Mansell.

  29. No, no, no! Kimi should go to Indycar if he ever chooses to come stateside! @$^#%^&^! Though I love F1 the most, I consider Rallying to be the coolest form of motorsport and it really fits Kimi, he should atleast go to Indycar which is actually exciting, especially with the big regulations shake up they will have next year!

  30. Raikonnen, I’m a big fan of you but.

    When Raikonnen left the F1 he said: “every lap is just the same, I need some variation!” and he got it in rally, but now. In NASCAR every track is actually the same!!

  31. Kimi, no. Just no.

    Am I the only one having trouble with the idea of a Finnish NASCAR driver? I mean, the Finns are all about driving quickly on loose, slippery surfaces and great car control. To see one of them in NASCAR where both those skills mean nothing is just wrong.

    I hope Ferrari and Mercedes can get their cars working the way they want in Sepang. We really don’t need to see a re-hash of 2002.

    1. On a side note, isn’t it nice to see so many sponsor logos on the Saubers again?

  32. Actually that is a pretty nice write up by DC. I think the DRS did about what is should do. Help cars get close and stay close to enable an exiting all lap battle going on for several laps.

    That Massa vs. Button battle was a very nice test of what is possible. If only it had been for the lead!

  33. Kim and Rally – that was something I understood. But Nascar? Then again, I believe it’s cashcar, isn’t it?

    I guess true racers are restless souls, like Schumacher coming back, because he needs the thrill.

  34. That is a very weird choice from Kimi i would say. To think that F1 is boring because the corners are just the same is understandable, so to leave and go rallying instead makes sense. Especially for a fin. But then to move on to NASCAR? How are the corners there not the same? Kimi was bored in F1, how can he not be bored after going left.. left.. and then left again for 500laps or is it 200? I don’t know anything about NASCAR. Is it 500 miles over 200 laps or something like that?. I am not going to hate on NASCAR, but i just don’t understand how it is more fun to go left all the time then it is to go left and right with different types of corners for around 60 laps. The ovals at least must bore him to death.

  35. i would still think kimi would be better then massa any day plus he a ex world champ….massa is good but kimi is excellent

  36. I know Hamilton was asked the questions but it does seem funny that the day I get my copy of R1 Racing inside of which he says he never compares himself to Ayrton here’s this.

    I don’t think they’re like Alain and Ayrton if I’m honest. The history may be similar; young gun arrives at Mclaren and the more experience champ moves out and and eventually lands at Ferrari after a ferocious rivalry but when it comes to how they drive and personality wise I think they’re quite different.

    Personality wise the pair of them can be quite spoilt and immature but in very different ways. Whenever there’s something wrong with the car or strategy Hamilton won’t hesitate to blame his team from the cockpit however when Alonso’s in that situation he usually has quite a philoswophical approach. Alonso though gets very worked up when it comes to himself and how he feels he is being treated. I think he puts more pressure on himself and is desperate to prove he is good enough (which I think is mentally more akin to Senna) while Hamilton seems more at ease with himself but not always the tools around him.

    When it comes to a GP weekend I think they’re different further still. Ayrton was blindingly quick in qualifying which is a trait Lewis has to a slightly lesser extent but he could think. Senna was an absolute master at reading the track conditions and would have thrived at races such as Aus and China last year but who was it who won? Jenson Button. Hamilton isn’t yet on the same level when it comes to tactics but it could well be an experience thing. Also, I think Lewis is a bit more of a racer than Senna was. He just goes out is ridiculously quick and will over take absolutely anything similar to Mansell.

    Prost was ultra smooth but Fernando is quite aggressive even if he does look after his tyres well too. Prost’s biggest let down was his qualifying whilst it isn’t Fernando’s strongest point either his raw pace is still very impressive. Hamilton generally had the upper hand in qualifying but it was rarely by much at all in a car Fernando didn’t like (I’m not making excuses I’m just trying to show Alonso can deliver on a Saturday). Fernando doesn’t have any real weakness over a race weekend.

    Maybe then these days they’re more like Schumacher vs Hakkinen or going further back Piquet vs Mansell. Really I just think it’s pointless comparing them to past drivers because in many ways they’re so very different. I don’t see why anyone would want to look at the past with rose tinted glasses either because this is the most competitive field of racers since the 60s perhaps with very unique characters which is fantastic in this PR age. To be honest, if anything they remind me of two classmates I knew at school and one was very naturally gifted in maths but struggled in other subjects while the other was quite good at every subject but not the best and was incredibly jealous of his friend for how easy maths seemed to come to him. That’s the best comparison I can think of for them not taking past drivers.

    Also, I’m a bit sad at Kimi’s move. He seems to be going through a mid life crisis where he knows exactly what he doesn’t want but can’t quite work out what he actually does want to do.

    1. I agree with all of this. Brillantly put Steph.

      1. Thank you very much Dan! :)

        1. A very nice essay on these guys and the field in general. Great point about Lewis and Alonso and these school kids!

          1. McLarenFanJamm
            30th March 2011, 11:03

            +1 – very eloquent and spot on about the two of them.

            Although, I don’t think Lewis was comparing himself to Ayrton as such, he just said if he could choose a rivalry it would be theirs and he would be Ayrton because he idolises him.

            As for Kimi, I think it’s all about the $$$, but that’s just me.

          2. Thank you guys! :)

            Although, I don’t think Lewis was comparing himself to Ayrton as such, he just said if he could choose a rivalry it would be theirs and he would be Ayrton because he idolises him.

            Yeah I agree it was probably just the journalist who asked the questions and Hamilton gave the answer.

            I still don’t think with Kimi’s it’s about the money. Fair enough Kimi was paid more to not race in 2010 by Ferrari than if he had signed with Mclaren but he could have came back in 2011. F1 is swimming in cash aqnd longer term staying there would have gave him a lot more than going to the quiet life of WRC. I honestly think he’s just bored.

    2. Steph, your analysis is great, but it misses the point. It is the right answer to the wrong question.

      1. Thank you! What question? There was a little comparison to their rivalry being a bit like Ayrton and Alain which was prompted by the interviewer so I thought I’d have a ramble and take it a little further. I didn’t mean it to sound like Hamilton thought they were exactly like the former champs or anything :)

  37. i can just imagine Kimi reviewing the pacenotes with his engineer… mainstart, medium turn left, straight 200, medium left, long straight, medium left, straight 200, medium left, long straight, medium left, straight 200, medium left, long straight, medium left, straight 200, medium left, long straight, medium left, straight 200, medium left, long straight, medium left, straight 200, medium left, long straight, medium left, straight 200, medium left, long straight, medium left, straight 200, medium left, long straight, medium left, straight 200, medium left, long straight, medium left, straight 200, medium left, long straight,

    1. Lol, just add in a pace note for ‘crash’ and you’d have it on the money

  38. Reading through the comments here I’m moved to say:

    For someone who never says anything stupid or controversial, Hamilton does get “misquoted” an awful lot.

    1. Lol! Just unlucky I guess :P

    2. Spot on ;)

    3. Shouldn’t that make you wonder if there is a deliberate attempt to undermine the man himself. Lets face it no other driver has his comments passing through tooth comb and ending up deliberately scrambled, as Hamilton. Obviously he is the only “outcast”, and successful also, amongst the F1 field, it is always easy to have a go at him.

  39. Two things on this Kimi news. First, the best you can say is that at least his decline is less sulky than Jacques Villeneuve’s. Second, I think that NASCAR gets a good bit of knee-jerk flak it doesn’t necessarily deserve. I’m not going to argue that it’s the purest form of racing, but I’ll wager that barreling around banked ovals in tight packs of super-powered bumper cars at the very least takes some guts.

    1. Don’t know what you mean by ‘sulky’ but since F1 JV has nearly won Lemans, has gained some Nascar experience, and is absolutely on fire at Nationwide races at venues such as Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal…an absolute blast to watch him go…and he’ll be back in some races in 2011…yup he hasn’t yet secured a full-time Nascar ride, and his attempt to start his own F1 team failed, but he is far from sulky, and is simply out there trying to race anything and everything he can get his hands on because he loves racing…he would not consider that he is any kind of decline…

      JV is far closer to rides such as in Nascar than KR is…KR has done one thing since F1, that being rallying…JV has been racing in different series around the globe…

      1. Hey now, don’t get me wrong, I was a big fan and hail from Montreal just like the man himself – I’m always ready to defend his decline with BAR; it was a hot-headed move which he thought would snub the F1 establishment that just didn’t work out for many reasons. But the fact remains that at one point his boisterous attitude turned into something more petulant and did him no favours.

        1. Can’t say I agree but glad to hear you were a fan…

  40. McLarenFanJamm
    30th March 2011, 12:21

    I was ranting about Kimi on twitter yesterday (purely because I want to see him succeed, of course) and questioning why he doesn’t attempt Indycar instead?

    I don’t think it would be too difficult for him to get a fairly decent drive there (given that he is an F1 world champion) which would give him a good shot at winning races. All the drivers have the same equipment after all. Go out there and win the Indy 500 (I make it sound so easy) then from there he is only 1 leg away from completing the Triple Crown.

    Le Mans, in my opinion, is a much better form of “tin top” racing than NASCAR, and I see no reason why Kimi wouldn’t be a success in LMS (other than perhaps being able to stay awake long enough to complete a stint).

    Do modern drivers just completely disregard the Triple Crown?

    1. I absolutely agree with your post. If memory serves I did once read an interview with Kimi where he said he’d be interested in Le Mans but since then I’ve heard absolutely zero about it. I wish drivers did try for the Triple Crown but with schedules it’s usually very hard but Kimi does seem like he has the perfect opportunity to go for it.

      1. Agreed. A modern day triple crown would be very impressive considering how much more specialized all the cars and series have become since Graham Hill did it back in the ’60s and ’70s. Kimi’s one of the gets positioned people to do it. The way I see it, conquering F1 should be the first step as it’s the hardest to get in to and the most demanding. Indy and Le Mans come second and third, though not necessarily in that order.

        1. Yes, yes, yes!! I’ve long been wanting Montoya to attempt it after winning the Indy 500 and Monaco, he’s won the Daytona 24, so Le Mans could be done.

          Kimi could do it as well, he’s an F1 WDC, a Monaco winner, I wish he’d do Le Mans and then atleast consider Indy over Nascar.

  41. Kimi going to NASCAR?
    Lulz…
    this must be fake ‘cuz one quote had Kimi saying he was “excited” about the move…

    when have we ever seen Kimi excited?

    ;)

    jokes aside, good luck Kimi…
    although we would love to have you back
    6 WDC’s on the grid?

  42. I haven’t heard what ‘in’ Kimi has in Nascar but I do know this…there’s probably 100 guys closer to racing in that series who have some experience in it but just not the sponsorship backing nor the available ride…so unless KR has a huge in like Montoya had with Chip Ganassi and Target stores, just saying you are looking at Nascar means nothing…get in line buddy…there’s far more experienced drivers struggling to get into that series as it is…

    Not saying it wouldn’t be fascinating to see, and the money certainly is as good as it is for F1 drivers, but there’s a huge learning curve and a bunch of guys who are so engrained in the series that they are damn hard to beat…

    I say the odds of seeing KR in a Nascar car are slim to none, unless he somehow has some big backing and a ride, and I would like to know who that is with…

    1. Ice Man 1 Racing- a truck team in partnership with Foster Gillette, formerly of Richard Petty Motorsport, with a view to moving on to Nationwide, then Sprint Cup.

      1. Ok, so he has something in place, but ‘with a view to moving on to Nationwide, then Sprint Cup’ is far from actual deals and actually racing on the track, and puts him in amongst many drivers with the same ‘view’ but no permanent ride.

        KR may get his foot in the door, but many already have it there, or have had it there, only to find the door shutting…

        Bare minimum, KR is years away from any success in Nascar…I won’t be holding my breath…

        1. Kimi has submitted an application to drive to NASCAR. That’s the only thing “official” as yet, so far as I know.

          1. Fair enough…would be interesting to know how interested KR really is, and why…unless I’ve missed something, this is the first time I have heard of KR’s Nascar asperations…where did this come from?

            I really can’t see him there, not that he couldn’t come to North America and do something under the right circumstances (never say never?), but I really wasn’t associating KR as someone with any significant desire to race in Nascar, nor in NA in general, other than the Canadian and US GPs, and he has no apparent ties to anything in NA really…is he really wanting to move his life to NA? Perhaps. Stranger things have happened I guess.

  43. Keith, while I respect your hard work with this site – welldone.
    But Im slightly dissapointed that you allow the topic comments descend into utter chaos.

    As a media man – you yourself know that many in the media inc the bbc have referred to RedBull many times as ‘a fizzy-drinks company’.

    Im sure you can understand that Lewis’ comments as usual have been taken way out of context and he hasnt said anything different to what the media have said in the present/past.

    It seems like you are just sitting back and letting people get too carried away with their resentment towards Lewis. Theres alot of nasty things being said and I would hope that you would discourage personal attacks and behaviour like that – I wish you could spaek out and condemn these sorts of inapropriate comments.

    Lewis has not used the words: ‘JUST…a fizzy drinks company’ – I mean….RedBull are a drinks company…and it IS true that RedBull do not have the racing history/pedigree as ferrari, mclaren and williams.

    -Nothing Lewis has said is untrue. And we all know that Lewis was not trying to berate RedBull – It was more about how embaressing it was for the likes of mclaren and ferrari to be beaten by a drinks company, and that will spur them both on to pull back the domination.

    Its obvious that Lewis is not the media’s favourite character…maybe because he doesnt waste his time sucking up to the same media who are quick to stab him in the back, by taking them out for steak dinners every year just so that he can get his new media friends to sprinkle plenty of sugar on top of any articles about him.

    Lewis gets bashed left, right & centre. Hes been bashed for not having a manager – then when he does get a manager – he gets bashed for that too. Lewis gets bashed for ridiculous reasons like ‘Hes too media-trained’, but then when Lewis speaks from the heart – hes labelled ‘arrogant and should learn to play the team game’. And then Lewis gets bashed for wanting to support his loving brother’. ALSO just because Lewis is dating a very sucessful stunning girl with a fantastic career – you all think he wants to be too much of a celebrity?
    Well a bit of breaking news for you all but Lewis was still a massive celeb way before Nicole showed up. All these drivers are celebs! Lewis’ family get bashed, his girlfriend does too, his father as well & disgustingly his brother too.

    Its all well out of order – you know it – we all know it.

    But you just sit back and allow many to exaggerate & twist the stories without setting the record a little straight. Would this happen if it was jenson who said those words? NO….my guess is that his stories would be given more attention by the journos to specific words which would help ‘bail him out’ from being bashed in the same way – the journos would stick up for him, probably to guarentee a seat at this year’s ‘Jenson’s Dinner party for the journos’, who knows?

    Keith, can you confirm or deny that plenty of media outlets and journos have also referred to RedBull as a drinks company?
    Brundle, EJ, DC, Johnathon Legard & jake humphries have referred to Redbull as ‘a fizzy drinks company’ too.

    Keith, can I ask what are your own personal opinions about Lewis?
    -Also who are your favourite drivers on the grid and why?

    -And can you confirm that when a driver tries to scratch the backs of the media, the media return the favour by being more nice about him? In other words….’you scratch my back & I’ll scratch yours?’

    …If only our british media can be totally impartial and support the phenomenal talent Lewis is – we as a country should be proud that we have a potential world sporting legend. But that doesnt seem to happen, its unpatriotic & bang out of order.

    Keith please set the other journos an example by sticking up for Lewis – You know he meant no ill feeling over it, his words have been twisted and exaggerated to make him look at fault.

    BTW…I expect this comment to be ignored, but have a small hope that you will answer as you do seem to be alot more down to earth and appreciate your fans.

    Thanks mate.

    1. You’ve asked me a lot of questions in a very long comment there. Suffice it to say I don’t think everyone would share your view of a “totally impartial” media that “supports the phenomenal talent Lewis is”.

      I haven’t got a favourite (or least favourite) driver or team, nor do I feel this comment thread has “descended into utter chaos”.

    2. Sounds like you are asking Keith to forget freedom of speech and become biased to suit your own opinion…

      Supasix-1…rather than asking for censorship and the squelching of freedom of speech, I suggest you simply formulate a solid and concise argument that counters those opinions you disagree with, and leave it at that, having had your say, your ‘one vote’ just as everybody else should be allowed…

      You are obviously passionate about LH and would like to defend him…I have only admiration for that kind of passion, as I have had it for Gilles and Jacques Villeneuve…just don’t forget that everyone is entitled their opinion and not everyone is going to be fair or going to agree with you, and you may sway some people toward your way of thinking with reasonable arguments and some you will never convince…that’s life, and thank goodness we don’t all think and act the same…how boring life would be if that were the case…

  44. Can anyone imagine Kimi coming out with, “The NumbersixythreeMrGoodwrenchM&MsCheeriosHomeDepotPennzoilGoDaddyIcemanoneChevrolet was just perfect today”? I think the American sponsors are going to have to make some allowances.

    1. Good point…even just based on KR’s monotone speak he wouldn’t exactly be a Nascar team’s first choice in terms of representing the teams’ many sponsors…and that’s a big factor in Nascar…

  45. fair enough Keith.

    Thanks for your reply at least – You get huge respect for giving a response…it is appreciated and I apologise for the length of my comment – Suppose I just wear my heart on my sleeve.

    I just see a massive difference in responses (im sure you yourself see this quite clearly) to when other drivers do or say something….and then when Lewis says something.
    Its not very often we as a country get a huge talent who could potentially become one of the world’s best sportman, and its a shame that he gets unfairly treated the way he does (many examples i.e. movin to Switzerland…when most other drivers also live in tax havens) – His family and loved ones also get regularly attacked

    Anyway cheers and keep up the good work on F1 fanatic.

    1. SupaSix-1…good comment in response to Keith…please see mine above…I think you could look at it this way…if LH wasn’t a WDC, wasn’t in F1 on a top team, wasn’t considered one of the best, his comments wouldn’t even be considered let alone reacted to…some people may be ‘attacking him’ because they see him as that much of a threat…he is big news, he is a headline maker and that can bring some controversy for all top athletes when they make comments…the media is just waiting to jump on anything and everything…better that than nobody caring about anything LH has to say, no?

  46. True Robbie.

    Actually thinking back to Japan 2010 in the pre-race build up with Lee, DC & EJ. They did say that Lewis did get an unusual ammount of critisism but that was more due to him being regarded as the best…and its always the ‘best’ who get scrutinised/critisized more because those who bash find it very difficult to accept.

    I never want to see freedom of speech curbed. But some of the vile comments especially beating down on the guy’s family or loved ones is well below the belt and needs to be condemned..whether the subject is Lewis or any other driver – Its still the same.

    Anyway as for kimi – he is entitle to do what he wants so if Nascar is where he wants to be – then fair enough. I was just under the impression that he was planning on staying a little longer in rallying. Is it a case of kimi not sure on what he wants to do hence the quick change or does he want to race in as many classes whilst he still can? – only kimi knows and whatever suits him is fine…goodluck.

    Apparently before kimi even goes into the Sprint cup…hes starting off in TRUCKS – A bit weird to imagine him in a pick-up.

    1. Fair comment…I think not only is LH British as is much of F1, he’s a WDC who has been viewed as having been coddled by RD from a young age, there has been some controversy at Mac while LH has been there, some of it from LH himself, and none of that should give anybody the right to run down his family and loved one’s…those who do that just show their own stripes…

      Regarding Truck racing…it has become pretty common for the likes of KR or anybody very new to Nascar racing to start off in Trucks and Nationwide…both offshoots of Sprint…it gives them track time and experience at this discipline before throwing them to the wolves on the top-level Sprint circuit…

    2. Well SupaSix1,
      I don’t believe for one moment what DC and EJ say about Hamilton being the best so he must get all this level of criticism.
      The level of criticism being directed towards Hamilton borders on character assassination.
      And I believe it all still comes down to race.

      He must always be seen as having more flaws than the average “normal” F1 driver. It doesn’t occur only in F1, almost every other successful black personality, goes through the same treatment.
      I mean he won a championship, the first by a British driver in about 11 years, he didn’t get to see the Queen. But Jenson won a championship and was honoured. Do we now say Jenson is more English than Lewis?

      1. I agree with you to an extent, but Lewis did get to see the queen. But I do find it funny how Jenson is so coddled by the media and some of the British motorsport fans everywhere, while Lewis always faces an uphill battle PR wise.

      2. I don’t think it’s fair to those who genuinely feel Lewis isn’t the best to say it’s because he is black.

        Lewis is a great talent but because of that (like with Fernando, Schumi and Seb) he gets a lot of media coverage and not all of it can be good. After he won his title in 08 he was massively praised but then in 09 the media were quick to blame him for the lack of performance and not the car. That just shows how fickle the British press are. JB often gets praise because he seems like a nice guy but many times his wins last year were hguely criticised for being “lucky” so I think with all due respect, you’re only showing one side of the story. I know it must be frustrating when you see criticism of Lewis but generally in the UK sporting world I’d say he’s thought of in a very high regard.

        1. I can’t say Lewis gets more static because of prejudice. I don’t see it. However, I suspect that many of those who do have some racial axes to grind are kept quiet by his obvious top talent.

  47. Boys thats know dought lewis hamilton is the firstest driver on the grid, as he said may be alonso may be the closest. Imagine if lewis was the one driving the RB he whould have won the championship by the 10th race, its just he never had a quick car but he is the man next to sena in this era.

  48. Oliver – where have you been?

    Lewis did get honoured by the queen when he won the championship – thats why he has MBE after his name.

    I think you are taking this to another level.

    Robbie…yep I havent anything agaisnt the truck series. Its just trying to picture kimi in a pick-up truck that makes me chuckle but good for him. Truck series is usually the feeder for the sprint so its a good place for him to start.

    1. No I’m not. It was a none F1 lady who asked me why after seeing Button’s reception. Well I had no answer. But be that as it may it is of no relevance to why Lewis gets mauled often. But if you think back to another driver who seemed to get bad press often, it would be Montoya, especially during his time at Mclaren.

  49. So nascar now gets two of the most exciting drivers of the past ten years, Räikkönen and Montoya. Something isn’t right about that.

    1. Hope they’ll fight in the same way as Brazil 2004 / 2005, as opposed to USA 2006! Chances are unless there’s an internet streaming I probably won’t watch NASCAR.

      1. Have only freeview so same for me, wouldn’t mind taking look see if it’s any use. Shame F1 can’t keep likes of these guys.

  50. Will Kimi use number 8 or 70 in Nascar as he has done in Rallying, or will he use a slightly more random number? Anyway good luck with that venture!

  51. Excellent. Lucked out in F1, couldn’t cut in in the WRC and now has descended to the big money machine of NASCAR. How sad. Now he has to learn from drones like Michael Waltrip and Dale Jr. Oh, and perhaps Nelson Piquet Jr. can teach him a thing or two. Welcome to the sewer of racing Kimi, you earned it.

  52. I am not so sure. Montoya’s good relationship with Chip Ganassi certainly played a massive part in him getting his NASCAR drive. Raikkonen does not have those kind of connections, and you need good people on your side. Look at Dario Franchitti, he could not find enough sponsors to back him in NASCAR back in 2008. A triple IRL champion and Indy 500 winner, not exactly a rookie driver still wet behind the ears. I seriously feel that Raikkonen would be making a huge mistake going to NASCAR, end of story.
    As for Hamilton, he is just playing the usual mind games. Ofcourse Vettel and Red Bull are Hamilton’s biggest concern, as they are everybody elses’. Anyone who witnessed the Australian Grands Prix could see the dominance of Vettel’s performance, and the strengths of the Red Bull. The impressive aspect about Vettel was his self assurance, his confidence. He knows he has the car every other driver wants, and is not going to waste the opportunity to use it.
    Alonso will always be linked with Hamilton due to the events of 2007, but that is four years ago. Secondly, and more importantly for Hamilton, McLaren have had two seasons in a row in which they have underachieved. As others have already stated, there are plenty of drivers out there who have won a F1 world drivers title. To win it multiple times is far more difficult.
    My criticism of Hamilton is that he talks a good fight, and as long as he delivers that is all well and good, but he hasn’t delivered in recent years for numerous reasons. I find it embarrassing when he compares himself to Aryton Senna, a driver who still held the record for F1 pole positions ten years after he was killed. A man who won three championships, and over forty races, in ten years. He is simply in a class that only a few drivers, Schumacher included, are in.
    Hamilton and Vettel both still have a long way to go before they even can be mentioned in the same breath.

  53. NASCAR, Kimi and Lewis is Senna. The three best ways to make commentators go crazy all in the one deliciously presented round up.

    Keith, are you giving the whole “troll” thing a shot per chance?

    1. Can’t blame me for the news, Mike!

  54. NASCAR, the series for F1 rejects.

    1. That may say as much for the negatives of F1 in their eyes as you want to imply about Nascar…these drivers still want to race but have no ride in F1, so they go to a series with less politics and backstabbing, more transparency, more stability in the rules, and all for equal or greater money…

  55. Kimi just made his debut into Nascar and already he is seemingly not enjoying it.

    http://jalopnik.com/5806620/the-ten-funniest-things-kimi-raikkonen-said-in-his-nascar-nationwide-series-debut

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