94 replies to this topic

[tarmac]

http://www.mtv3.fi/u...2010/01/1027949

"The car wasn't bad. It had very little traction. Ok, it was very hard to drive but i liked it more than the 2008 car. I didn't have much problems with it. Fisichella instead got 10 years older in fiver races".

[Jackmancer]

Freedom of speech is too much subdued in Formula 1, that's why we think these quotes are hilarious. Kimi tho.

[bogi]

Posting in epic thread.

[Risil]

Interesting quote, behind the sarcasm.

Old drivers don't like testing, or adapting to new cars; which was good for Fisi, 'cause he never got the chance.

[Monad]

I believe that was exactly his problem. Old drivers can't adapt easily to new cars and Fisi wasn't a top driver to begin with which made things even harder.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks as they say.

[Sammyosammy]

Naah, that wasn´t said in a negative tone pointing to Fisi. He must have only ment the frustruation of Fisi when trying to adapt the car..?

[Bishy]

I believe that was exactly his problem. Old drivers can't adapt easily to new cars and Fisi wasn't a top driver to begin with which made things even harder.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks as they say.

Let's see if this applies to Schumi come March...

Classic Kimi

Edited by Bishy, 05 January 2010 - 11:48.

[Gilles4Ever]

Please keep to the topic at hand

[Mungo Fangio of the Year]

On topic? Hmm, I do agree that Fisi has looked lot older after joining Ferrari. Maybe it's that 10 years that Alonso brings?

[Risil]

Let's see if this applies to Schumi come March...

Classic Kimi

Don't forget Fisichella was put in a legendarily ill-handling KERS car with no testing. Badoer hasn't been that slow in the past, and Schumacher himself turned down the opportunity. A full winter of testing with the World Champions is a much more favourable proposition. Clever Schumi.

[Simon Says]

I believe that was exactly his problem. Old drivers can't adapt easily to new cars and Fisi wasn't a top driver to begin with which made things even harder.

You can't teach an old dog new tricks as they say.

Such as Grosjean in a car without KERS. Fisi's pace was almost as good as Kimi in some races so no idea what Kimi is saying about himself then

[craftverk]

Exactly what I have been saying. People were calling it a dog for no apparent reason other to make Raikkonen look better than he is.

Edited by craftverk, 05 January 2010 - 12:32.

[Superbar]

http://en.redbulleti...gazine_archive/

You can find the PDF with the full magazine and Kimi interview on the above link. Good read by the way!

The quote is slightly different from the OP:

Question: "The 2009 Ferrari must have been really difficult to drive when we see how badly Giancarlo Fisichella struggled when he stepped in for the enjured Felipe Massa. Not to mention Luca Badoer"

Kimi answer: "The car wasn't bad. It just didn't have enough grip. It was hard to drive but I liked the 09 Ferrari more than the 08. I didn't cope too badly. But it made Fisichella age 10 years in two races!

Edited by Superbar, 05 January 2010 - 12:38.

[seahawk]

And now imgaine you are en engineer working for Kimi:

Eng.: Kimi how is the car?

Kimi:Better than last year. Well it has no grip and handles like a dog, but I like it.

[One]

No none sense answer I must say, the engineers genius should be able to find out what it means to have a car which has no grip anywhere!


Interesting,... in F1 Kimi's comments were never as funny as this...


I am becoming more enthusiastic about his switch...

[Dragonfly]

Typical Kimi
And I like what he's said.

[harrows]

Exactly what I have been saying. People were calling it a dog for no apparent reason

The absense of updates for almost HALF the season isn't a good enough reason?

[J2NH]

The absense of updates for almost HALF the season isn't a good enough reason?

Something I never understood. When, in the last 20 years, have Ferrari EVER given up at the beginning of a season?

[Lantern]

Something I never understood. When, in the last 20 years, have Ferrari EVER given up at the beginning of a season?

They've never had a car that was so behind with such testing restrictions and driver limitations in the development dept. More testing restrictions than the driver knack for development but it didn't help.

[craftverk]

The absense of updates for almost HALF the season isn't a good enough reason?

does that make it a dog? because I didn't hear people whine and complain about how terrible of a car the F60 was before Massa's accident, interestingly enough

[Gilles4Ever]

Something I never understood. When, in the last 20 years, have Ferrari EVER given up at the beginning of a season?

I would guess the lack of a car developed around the multi level diffuser and "holey" floor would have had a lot to do with it.

[Hairpin]

I like this one:

Q: "Are you a good co-driver?"
A: "No. Iv'e been a co-driver to Tommy Mäkinen once. I have complete confidence in him, but I would not like to repeat the experience. Maybe I'll sit alongside Loeb during a test. I don't think he'd do the same for me."

From the same Bulletin

Edited by Hairpin, 05 January 2010 - 13:29.

[rko281]

does that make it a dog? because I didn't hear people whine and complain about how terrible of a car the F60 was before Massa's accident, interestingly enough

I do remember Massa complaining about it, and like Kimi said, about the grip.
In a press conference when Vettel complained about the fact that he doesn't have KERS, Massa said that he would exchange anytime his KERS with the grip that the Red Bull car had. Before the accident, he spoke a lot about the problems that F60 had.

Neither Massa, nor Kimi said the car was a dog. This term is used in the forums

[craftverk]

Neither Massa, nor Kimi said the car was a dog. This term is used in the forums

exactly what I'm talking about

[J2NH]

They've never had a car that was so behind with such testing restrictions and driver limitations in the development dept. More testing restrictions than the driver knack for development but it didn't help.

No doubt, but initially they stated it would require a new transmission and the "fix" would not come until the middle of the summer and then it just never came. Resources devoted to KERS probably didn't help either but I was struck at how un-Ferrari like the teams attitude was.

The downside to a lack of testing is you better get it right the first time.

Kim:

[harrows]

does that make it a dog? because I didn't hear people whine and complain about how terrible of a car the F60 was before Massa's accident, interestingly enough

Yes it does. And yes, people did complain because a car that goes out in Q1/Q2 is hardly a rocketship.

exactly what I'm talking about

Hamilton or Alonso don't call their car 'dogs'. I assume their bitter fans are just over hyping them too.

[rko281]

Yes it does. And yes, people did complain because a car that goes out in Q1/Q2 is hardly a rocketship.


Hamilton or Alonso don't call their car 'dogs'. I assume their bitter fans are just over hyping them too.

This just made me remember that radio when Hamilton said about the car : "freaking boat"

[Risil]

This just made me remember that radio when Hamilton said about the car : "freaking boat"

The man has a way with words sometimes.

[Anssi]

http://en.redbulleti...gazine_archive/

You can find the PDF with the full magazine and Kimi interview on the above link. Good read by the way!

The quote is slightly different from the OP:

Question: "The 2009 Ferrari must have been really difficult to drive when we see how badly Giancarlo Fisichella struggled when he stepped in for the enjured Felipe Massa. Not to mention Luca Badoer"

Kimi answer: "The car wasn't bad. It just didn't have enough grip. It was hard to drive but I liked the 09 Ferrari more than the 08. I didn't cope too badly. But it made Fisichella age 10 years in two races!

The German version says in five races but the English version says in two races.

Edited by Anssi, 05 January 2010 - 14:59.

[alfsboy]

I always think that when a driver of a certain standing "disses" another driver it usually hides their own fears and shortcomings ..

[Risil]

I always think that when a driver of a certain standing "disses" another driver it usually hides their own fears and shortcomings ..

If it was a diss. Kimi didn't say Fisichella's a useless driver, he was just taking on a job that required more time and effort than he could give... Delivered in the kind of irreverent and jokey manner that people often use in the real world, where sentences aren't checked over by a department to make sure they don't offend any of the people who sign the cheques to pay for going racing.

[Anssi]

I don't think Kimi was dissing Fisichella. I think he is just acknowledging the fact that Fisichella didn't get to grips with the car and that is by Fisichella's own admission.

By the way Kimi said consistently throughout the season that the car just lacks overall grip but the balance is good. The balance of the 2008 car was not as good for him. So in this respect the 2009 car was better for Kimi. You could say the second half of the 2009 season proves it. Once development of the car had been stopped Kimi was back to the performance level we have been used to seeing from him in many of the years before he joined Ferrari and in the second half of the 2007 season.

[Aubwi]

Interesting comment. He's clearly joking about Fisichella. He might be trying to imply that Ferrari really was very bad, without actually saying it. I don't think there is any other way to explain Fisi's sudden enormous drop in performance.

[Dragonfly]

Interesting comment. He's clearly joking about Fisichella. He might be trying to imply that Ferrari really was very bad, without actually saying it. I don't think there is any other way to explain Fisi's sudden enormous drop in performance.

I don't have doubts that Kimi is saying exactly that

[Trust]

Exactly what I have been saying. People were calling it a dog for no apparent reason other to make Raikkonen look better than he is.

Here we go again.
Massa bearly get through Q3 in Hungary, so it means at that point the F60 was loosing to its opponents.
Don't know who is calling it a dog, but it was BAD car. And it was surely less handeable than others. His comment says all.

[Buttoneer]

If it was a diss. Kimi didn't say Fisichella's a useless driver, he was just taking on a job that required more time and effort than he could give... Delivered in the kind of irreverent and jokey manner that people often use in the real world, where sentences aren't checked over by a department to make sure they don't offend any of the people who sign the cheques to pay for going racing.

I agree - he was definitely not making any kind of disparaging remark about Fisi's ability to drive but rather how much effort and experience was required adapting to the car.

[Seanspeed]

I don't think Kimi was dissing Fisichella. I think he is just acknowledging the fact that Fisichella didn't get to grips with the car and that is by Fisichella's own admission.

By the way Kimi said consistently throughout the season that the car just lacks overall grip but the balance is good. The balance of the 2008 car was not as good for him. So in this respect the 2009 car was better for Kimi. You could say the second half of the 2009 season proves it. Once development of the car had been stopped Kimi was back to the performance level we have been used to seeing from him in many of the years before he joined Ferrari and in the second half of the 2007 season.

Yup.

I bet Fisi would just laugh about it if he heard it, too.

[craftverk]

Here we go again.
Massa bearly get through Q3 in Hungary, so it means at that point the F60 was loosing to its opponents.
Don't know who is calling it a dog, but it was BAD car. And it was surely less handeable than others. His comment says all.

and how would he know that? how would you know that? have either one of you broken into any of the other teams garages and took their cars out for a spin without anyone knowing?

[Sammyosammy]

and how would he know that? how would you know that? have either one of you broken into any of the other teams garages and took their cars out for a spin without anyone knowing?

Last season wasn´t their first season in business. They propably were the ones to say if the car is ok or not. Without jumping any other team´s car

Edited by Sammyosammy, 05 January 2010 - 16:50.

[Mauseri]

I always think that when a driver of a certain standing "disses" another driver it usually hides their own fears and shortcomings ..

Comments like these are why Kimi seems to enjoy more out of F1.

The yellow internet media, together with the yellow forum posters, always manage to find a negative twist of any comments. Why cannot people just voice their opinion, without the need of trying to find political agendas or whatever out of the comments

Edited by Bianchimont, 05 January 2010 - 17:19.

[primer]

The car had very little traction according to Kimi, but since he has not driven the 09 cars from other teams we cannot conclude that this was a deficiency with the Ferrari F1 car. It is possible that even with the 'low grip' it was one of the better cars in grip department on the grid.

[craftverk]

Last season wasn´t their first season in business. They propably were the ones to say if the car is ok or not. Without jumping any other team´s car

it doesn't work that way, unless you have driven in a different 2009 car you really cannot say which car is worse for definite

[SAFC09]

Kimi might come across as boring - he probably is a bit, but he sometimes comes out with a few gems

[DEVO]

Something I never understood. When, in the last 20 years, have Ferrari EVER given up at the beginning of a season?

When they saw the benifits of what Honda did, but I agree Ferrari is Ferrari for a reason and last year was pathetic.

[Trust]

and how would he know that? how would you know that? have either one of you broken into any of the other teams garages and took their cars out for a spin without anyone knowing?

Easily. People from paddock said it all. James Allen knows because he asked engineers from Ferrari.
Anyway, it is easy to compare.
Fisichella was driving Force India and he is a good driver(not the top). And if the cars were similar he would adapt for once in those five races. Kamui didn't drive neither and still did it.
I don't say only Kimi can drive it. Alonso, Hami, Vettel etc. could also but to be on pace they would need testing.
Just that.

[Menace]

And now imgaine you are en engineer working for Kimi:

Eng.: Kimi how is the car?

Kimi:Better than last year. Well it has no grip and handles like a dog, but I like it.

[Menace]

The car had very little traction according to Kimi, but since he has not driven the 09 cars from other teams we cannot conclude that this was a deficiency with the Ferrari F1 car. It is possible that even with the 'low grip' it was one of the better cars in grip department on the grid.

Right.

Thats why Massa said he would exchange the KERS power for the grip of Red Bull F1 any day.

I love it how some of you think. You have basically made your conclusion that Kimi can't be a fast driver that was complementing the car, so therefor the Ferrari must have been a rocket ship and the only reason it didn't win more was due to the drivers.

Edited by Menace, 05 January 2010 - 18:15.

[Menace]

it doesn't work that way, unless you have driven in a different 2009 car you really cannot say which car is worse for definite

I am 100% certain that the other teams can make very educated opinions on the varying grip levels of their competitors.

[Gilles4Ever]

I am 100% certain that the other teams can make very educated opinions on the varying grip levels of their competitors.

Yes, it's very easy actually, when a car drives away from you out of a corner its safe to assume it has better traction than you do.

[craftverk]

Right.

Thats why Massa said he would exchange the KERS power for the grip of Red Bull F1 any day.

I love it how some of you think. You have basically made your conclusion that Kimi can't be a fast driver that was complementing the car, so therefor the Ferrari must have been a rocket ship and the only reason it didn't win more was due to the drivers.

And why Hamilton said he would spray the Brawn silver and drive that instead.

You cannot compliment a car in F1.

Looking at your history and signature it's you who cannot comprehend Raikkonen not being able to 'compliment' the car.

I am 100% certain that the other teams can make very educated opinions on the varying grip levels of their competitors.

Exactly, the keyword is opinion. Congratulations!