Here it comes, as I promised, the whole thing, translated. Excuse me for any typos, was quite a massive chunk of text, I think you will understand anyway.
The Saturday of 28 september 2002 was the start of the weekend that went to history as the one which resulted in Forza Motorsport’s first real inside portrait of a great Formula One world champion. The conditions for our meeting did not however start with my role as Forza Motorsport’s journalist, but with my other proffesional role as main supplier of transports for the Finish department of Canal Digital F1-transmissions. The fact that I got to spend a lot of time with the two-times champion however results that I have a lot to share, and Forza Motorsport readers are of course priority since know of our evening papers cares to treat F1 with the dignity it deserves. Mike also shared a lot of information during Finish broadcasting that can be of value to know since it is about a subject whose conditions few know more about than Mika. That is why I would like to point out that the questions asked here are not mine but the entire gathering of questions from our editors and some of the most interesting questions that came up during broadcasting. Many of them are included because they enlight F1 not only from a driving perspective and brings up details we have taken for granted, but not really understood the whole width of. A more detailed presentation of Mika and his career comes at a later occasion because here I am supposed to restrain myself to observations regarding a F1 race from a driving perspective. It is of course difficult not to be influenced by Mika's view and perspective. But who is better suited to talk about modern F1 than one who has experienced some true peaks in his career, but also have seen the other side of F1 and still be able to live and tell about it? Mika is also one of the few drivers who remembers how it was sitting on the grid in Monaco with his hands taped for protection and keep the one hand steady on the gearchanger over practically the whole lap while world was zooming by in speeds close to 300 km/h. Add to that the fact that Mika is the driver from later years who have had most experience of racing against Mikael Schumacher, about which he gladly spoke during the weekend. Possibly one can even argue that Mika in a way can be seen as one of the greatest of all times since he two years in a row succeded in bringing home the Championship of the man today called the best, and who actually up to the US Gp 2002, even challenged for a third title, despite him, like Kimi and JPM and more drivers today, face an uneven struggle against their material at hand. His view might even surprise?
US GP Qualifying .
Question: You won US GP one year ago and we have looked at the pictures from that day for 10 minutes now. How does it feel?
Mika: The emotion is highly positive when I see this situation with cars driving around the race track and for certain, in a way, it would be wonderfull to participate, but on the other hand is that a chapter I have left behind in my life and there are new drivers out there who are talented. Kimi is a good example of this, and he now carries the blue-white colours with great enthusiasm on what is coming in the future. And honestly I am very nervous right now.
Question: We have this year seen McLaren not evolve in the same speed as for example Ferrari. Did you sense already last season that the distance to Ferrari would grow furher?
Mika: I guess I had some feeling about that and there were a few small signs that indicated this, because I also know that you do not do miracles over night. At the end of the season we were pretty long distance behind in qualifying, so I understood that it might be not be possible to get an advantage this year. Though I had expected that during the season the gap to the top would have diminished, but the development has for some reason not been what it should have been. Of course nowadays, competition in F1 is very fierce, and of course this indicates this as well
Question: This phenomena that teams spend more and more time in the pits before doing the first try, and as a result then gets stressed in the last 5 minutes and is hampered by traffic and therefore seldomn does a better time, how does that feel for a driver? Is is even a request from the driver to have it that way.
Mika: Yes and no, it is a very tricky situation, but of course, depending on weather situation and other things-it is seldomn best to be one of the first drivers out, so you wait out other cars to clear the track. But I have never quite understood the thing about all going out at the same time at the last minute when everyone then goes max not seldomn someone spins with a yellow flag as result. I have of course even myself been troubled by this, and I have never enjoyed it very much. It will, however be very interesting to see, whether both Kimi and David goes out in the absolutely last minute of qualifying. It makes me a little upset and I can think for myself that it isn't particularly clever. It is a bad tactical move, but I don't want to criticize the team too much, because it can depend on a lot of factors for doing the things. Anyway, the longer you wait to let the driver go out, the more it takes from your concentration. It is a difficult situation.
Question: While we are discussing concentration, what thoughts go through a drivers mind sitting in the car with helm and gloves on and waiting and often under hot conditions?
Mika: Often we know before qual what the plan is, that is you for example has planned to go out after 20 minutes and can for those minutes keep yourself in an air-conditioned room, or quietly in peace gather your thoughts and concentrate on the task at han, so you don't need to sit in the car and wait without knowledge when it is time. Of course, the more you wait the more nervousity grows and with that the risk of doing small mistakes during the driving. It is in other words not so good to wait too long.
Question: When you are out driving, how loud does the engine sound?
Mika: What? Jokes aside, of course it sounds a lot, but when you drive at full throttle on track you have the engine in the back, and the exhaustsystem, and these lead ways the sound quite a long distance from the driver. You are also equipped with earplugs that are very good shaped and the helmet on the outsid, so it is less than you could think. If you wouldn't have that earprotection, you would probably though, not be able to be in the car.
Question: A track like Indianapolis, with its long oval and curvy inner circuit, must be immensely tough to find a good set-up on?
Mika: In a way it isn't. The most difficult with this particular circuit is the fact that it is incredibly slippy in the middle section. That tempts a lot of drivers to use a lot more wing to increase grip there and then you immediately lose speed on the straight. You have to do big compromisses and it is important that the drivers keep his patience if you want to find the optimal lap here. The best place on the track is turn 11, where you have to begin power on and keep full all the way to the first corner. Unfortunately we never got our car to work so good there. Kimi makes first run with spare car.
Question: How much does it disturb you to use the spare car?
Mika: It surely influences the lap times to go with the spare car. I don't think you have exact the same parts in the spare car and of course it affects the driver mentally quite a lot. The thing is to block these types of feelings. The fact is that since the cars are not completely alike, you can feel everytime you turn in to a corner that the car does not turn in the way it should, or maybe even better. DC makes a fast lap. Question: Now Coultard goes out. Can you tell us how the car behaves? Immediately in first corner, without me seeing anything special. Mika: He went to wide there....
Question: Did he brake to late?
Mika: A little... Second turn..... Mika: Here it looks ok...third bend....Mika: No, the car does not want to turn in and it is not much to do about it. David of course does his best ,to gain grip up front and he certainly does not want a care that is loose. At the same time David's time from teh first sector appears and he is more than six tenths behind. Mika: I suspect a little that they both on Kimi's and David's cars try to make the car a little softer to get more mechanical grip. In combination with less wing. Which seems to be quite true, since David improves on his second run and is only 4 tenths behind pole.
Question: You mentioned David's driving style a moment ago. Would you like to compare their driving styles? Which set-ups do you they prefer?
Mika: Yes, I just mentioned that David have a very difficult time driving a car that is loose in the rear. I also think Kimi to a similar degree can drive a car that is more loose. He seem to control that a lot better. It is of course not an ideal relationship, but if you don't get the car to behave as you like, you have to accept that and adjust and drive with what you are having. I think we can read that from this year's results as well.
Question: If you compare your own driving styles with David's, are the differences similar to the relationship Kimi - David, or were you closer in terms of driving style?
Mika: No, it is correct, we had a similar situation.
Question: When a car has been started up in the pit, most people concentrate on the guy with the computer, why is that?
Mika: You wait for temprature and pressure values to be correct. If you go out on track with an engine that is too cool it can break immediately. McNish and Montoya brakes too late.....
Question: An important thing on all cars is of course brake balance?
Mika: It is immensely important with brake balance. You usually get it from measuring temprature from breaks in different corners. Of course you also have a feeling in your spine on what the balance should be.
Quesiton: Here are some mechanics up to their elbows buried in Montoyas' cars' "inspection latch" at the front at leg level. What do you think they are doing there?
Mika: I heard this morning that they were changing the centre of gravity on the car. They were putting more weight on front and when you do that you get a more stable back-end, but it also causes more understeer so this is also an area when the best compromise is seeked. The surprising thing is that you don't move a kilo here and there, we are talking weights about 30 kg that could be moved.
Question: Don't you always take quite a big risk with that kind of radical changes?
Mika:Sometimes you change it just right, and if you are half a second back, you need to try more radical changes. Qual was over and we steered via the hotel out on a birthday dinner. We were met outside the studio of a large number of photographers and journalists that had heard that Mika was there. During dinner at an Italian place in Old Town a number of questions came up. Fråga: Tar man inte alltid en ganska stor risk med att göra så radikala förändringar?
Question: Do you feel that you in any way have repaid Coultard for that victory in Melbourne 1998?
Mika: Of course, just look at last year, where C. was the one with the best chance of fighting for the title. After my start of the season I did a lot for his chances. David was completely satisfied with letting me by and he has never expressed any desire about anything in return.
Question: Regarding a number of incidents with Schumacher, at Macao and Spa 2000 for example, what is your view on those and what have you said to him?
Mika: I have very deliberately kept it as a thing between him and me. I noticed pretty early that it leads to nothing discussing these things, and especially a guy like Michael, through Media. We have had a few discussion over the years, and we have solved the problems we have had in private. But for every thing he did on me, I have given him back, but outside the cameras(smiling).
Question:You mean that things have gone on in private?
Mika:Absolutely! But I have though a great respect for Michael as a driver and I am certain he has the same respect for me.
Question: Were you ever worried about losing the title to Irvine in 99? Mika: You can never be sure with the reliablity we have had with our cars, but I can't say I was worried. I know that as long as I am in the race, I have a chance.
Question: Can you imagine a future in F1 in any other way, maybe a manager of drivers like Keke, or maybe even as teammanager?
Mika: Yes, some sort of involvement I can think of, but this year has passed so quickly I haven't had time to think of those things seriously. I have been busy being free.
Question: Is there a chance of seeing you back on race track in any other form or class, for example DTM.
Mika: As I have said, driving is a thing of the past, but you should never say never. I get interesting proposals all the time.
Question: Have you had any serious offers for 2003, and in that case, what kind?
Mika:Yes, I have had and can summarize the type as "immensely tempting". Following that Mika smiles the way only he does and the smile we have missed on the podium several times this year.
Question: Did you have a big urge to get back into an F1 during your sabbatical?
Erja answers: During Monaco GP Mika at one opportunity said that he was incredibly tempted to jump the cockpit and drive. Otherwise it has been a mixed emotion. I think the urge has lessened as the year has gone on.
Question: Tv commentator full-time, could that be a future project?
Mika: I had a very nice time today, so you never know?
Question: So it will happen more times then?
Mika: Yes, but during Suzuka it won't be, because we have other plans. The saturday was over and i went home for some hours of sleep. On sunday morning however, i was on my way back to the hotel and we went for a little walk to the shopping areas. After a few hours of shopping we went back to the studio to look at the warm-up. A few phone calls later Mika had received some inside info from both Haug and Dennis. At the same time he heard Kimi's last thoughts before the race. After warm-up we took a quick coffee at an Austrian coffee place at Strandvagen while passers by asked Mika for autographs. When we came back to the studio for the race itself we were met by journalists from Finish evening press. US Gp race.
Question:Don't you miss the sensation of being a driver sitting in the car with the helmet on before the start?
Mika:In a way not, because it is pretty nervous sitting there. As a driver you must always control your emotions while you are in the car, and it is not necessarily the most funny thing to do. Therefore it feels a lot better sitting here as commentator, because here you don't need to control your emotions and it is more exciting since you can let loose of your inhibitions and let emotions take over. Now you can relax and just enjoy this.
Question: If we think about the start square there. What do you think about when you close your visir and the personnel disappears around you?
Mika: You concentrate mostly on, which according to rules you are not allowed, to leave some rubber on your start grid, so you get a good start. Then you go through the warm-up lap, test the car, techics and tyres so you get maximal temprature on all tires and other parts of the car. They you just need to keep calm, because it is so easy to get overexcited and make a mistake by panic.
Question: How much were you pepped up during a warm-up lap, or did the team say anything during warm-up?
Mika: Very rarely, it was only if you had some problem with the car they came out on the radio. Otherwise they left me as a driver to concentrate on the start in a quiet and peacefull manner, because it really takes nerves of steel. At the end of the warm-up lap, you push your tyres a little bit extra, to get extra temprature in them. On several tracks you disable your traction control at the end of the warm-up lap, just to spin some extra on the tyres. The start is on and the second lap incident was foreseen already on the finish straight.
Question: If we look a little at Ferrari superiority right know, when DC after only 12 laps is over ten seconds behind, have the homework been done the best possible way?
Mika: Yes, they are superior right know, it is only to tip the hat for them. They are extremely succesfull and I am sure the drivers enjoy themselves very much when they drive.
Question: When do you think McLaren will reach Ferrari level?
Mika: It is really quite difficult to answer, but i know that Mclaren will work maximally this winter, and they have good drivers in DC and Kimi who can motivate the team very much. McLaren will do a lot better next year, but if it is enough to beat Ferrari, remains to be seen.
Question: How is DC as a person? Does he cry easiliy if he does not get the attention?
Mika: David is an incredibly correct and honest guy and he always wants to know where you have eachother and what is happening. He also expects 100 % honesty back. If he suspects the least that someone is not saying the whole truth he loose the concept. I often got in that situation with David that I told him the truth, which he might not believed then, with the consequence that he lost his temper. By whole David is a nice guy and it was a real pleasure to work with him.
Question: One seldom saw you shake your first passing slower cars, but certainly you must have experienced situations where you wanted to?
Mika: Oh, yes, I have done my fair share of shaking and waving fists, but that is not necessarily a good thing to be doing. It does not help the least and it is better keeping both hands on the wheel.
Question: Here I have a question, which you, Mika maybe is the best in the world to answer? Is the Mercedes engine buld not to hold for a Finish leadfoot?
Mika: No, it has nothing to do with the Finish leadfoot. In the situation Kimi is in today, he won't have a problem getting over a few blown engines. But when that day arrives, and it of course does one day-when Kimi seriously starts to winning and challenge for titles and similar, then these engine break downs will require a lot more character to get over. On this track for example we have the oval part where you go full throttle for 23 seconds and g-forces start to build up at and early phase, which also means that the oil in the engine is subjected to the same powers. But all of that is up to the engine manufacturer to solve. Kimi did though drive on 9 cylindres up to know and it was maybe expected it wouldn't last.
Question: Kimi has retired 11 times this year and I don't even know how many times it has been engine problems. Can you break the engine with your driving?
Mika:Driving styles can influence reliability to a certain degree, but when you talk about race engines, they must be built to last a whole race, no matter how hard you drive. That is the only way of competing up there. Kimi is a new driver in McLaren and he only goes flat out all the time. When you test engines in a test bench, you put loads on it according to predefined cycles and if someone is above those values, which Kimi surely often is, it does not mean it is negatvtive, because it gives the manufacturer the task to improve reliability. On the other hand, all gear changing and similar stuff is nowadays handled automatically, which makes the driver's influence almost minimal. Almost non existant I would say.
Question: You have also driven with manual gearlevers?
Mika: Yes, the first years in F1 when I drove Lotus you sat more or less all the time with one hand on the gearlever, and I absolutely not miss those days. We had also an incredibly small budget, so smallest mistake came out as a wrong gearchange and gearbox crash as a result, which was extremely expensive for us.
Question:This thing with several drivers touching the white line when they come out of the pits, what do you think it comes down to?
Mika: I have never done it, so I don't knonw, but I sense it is a concentration problem for the driver. You get overeager as simple as that. When you driver a GP Car, you must be fully concentrated, be controlled, think in advance so you don't throw yourself into situations, without being prepared for at lesat 3 curves ahead and how you want to drive there and what can happen.
Question: What do think is the qualities with a really good F1 driver? Do you need genetical talents or can you become good through hard training?
Mika: I think you need to be born with some talent, but for a good driver a lot is decided on how much hard work you are prepared to endure. Technical understanding of the car decides a lot, but as a person you also need to be able to handle team work, to be able to motivate a team and the mechanics to do the best job possible.
Question: What does a driver think about when he makes a pit-stop?
Mika: The first thing you concentrate on when you arrive there in 80 km/h is the man standing there with his hands stretched to the right of the car. it is important to stop exaclty there, to not lose any valuable seconds. When the car comes to a rest, all the hot air from behind gets you, and you get the urge to open the visir to get some extra oxygen, but that you are absolutely not allowed to do, since if there is only the smallest leak or spill you could easily burn your eye lashes off. It is a terrible heat in those moments. You only need to concentrate on the lollipop man and when he lifts his sign you need to go
Question: At what phase do you engage first gear?
Mika: You used to do that before and you felt instinctively when it was time. Lollipop used to have double sided lollipop where it stood "1st gear". Today you don't do that anymore at Mclaren, instead when you stop the clutxh is tightened automatically and traction control and everything else is handled automatically. Different teams may have different systems, but for us it worked like that.
Question: Which is the best development of McLaren you have driven?
Mika: It must have been the one between 97 and 98. It was an incredible leap we did then, and we had a special type of brakes in that model. We managed to scale off a lot of time on the laptimes, but it was also quite difficult to drive. You had to adjust it differently between left and right curves and you had to have quick fingers and thoughts to get it all right.
Question: You have kept close contact with your old team? Have you often discussed how to stop Ferrari?
Mika: The truth is that Ferrari have all their puzzle pieces in control right now, while the others don't. There is only one way to stop that and that is an incredible amount of hard work. You need to create a strategy on how to develop and evolve testing and then really follow that up with work. Many teams have a lot to think of over the winter to find these kind of speeds. Me and David had in a way a similar situation in early 98 when we could dominate, and the racing and the winning felt really good. Now for everone at Ferrari is it is only about whether they can keep selfcontrol and discipline in the future in order to be able to continue to win. If you do it this easily this year it is really easy to think next year that wins will come automatically.
Question: This project last to 2004, the key personell have contract to that time- but will the success automatically last as long?
Mika: Right now, both Ferrari and Michael are at their peaks of fortune and as long as motivation is still there and form is ok, they will continue their victorious way. It will however come a day when victories will be harder to get, and once the downturn has started it is usually pretty hard to keep the discipline needed. As it looks right now, I would however not worry to much about that.
Question: Should we mention something about the press-conference while we are here?
Mika: It is pretty tough. You get our of your car, you are weighed and must almost running get up on the podium. From there you are dragged to the press conference and you really don't know much about what has happened except you yourself has been part of. That information developed quite a lot in the end when I was racing. Sometimes you could even say things you weren't allowed otherwise. This time we also see Schumacher in his own driving overall, while DC has already changed to sit there with a totally clean and nive overall.
After this solid session we went to the hotel where Mika celebrated his name day and we scheduled a pick-up time the morning after. He had a Mercedeslimousine that would have taken him to drive the family to his plane at Bromma, but he cancelled it to go with me instead. Monday morning we loaded the family Hakkinen for trip to Bromma, and while he signed the car and a few other things, the personell loaded the family luggage on the plane. For me it only remains to wait until next time they visit Stockholm to see if they have planned to use the telephone number they got to Swedens's first F1 cab. By Jari Raivio
Go Mika!
Or were you also sleeping during swedish lesson as i did? 
) a better F1driver from sweden 
