Kimi Räikkönen's surprising switch to USA's Nascar-challenges has awakend both astonishment and respect in his old racing buddies on the formula paddock.
TS asked the F1-drivers who were preparing for Malaysia GP, how they reacted to the news of Räikkönen's adventure in USA and how they thought Kimi would make it there.
Felipe Massa, who drove with Räikkönen in Ferrari for three years knows as a Brasilian the Nascar-circles.
– Hopefully Kimi gets to really enjoy himself. I am sure that once he has the needed experience, then he will be competitive there too. Kimi has progressed in rally all the time and he is already looking for a new challenge.
– We all know how talented Kimi is as a driver. He is fast on nearly any vehicle. Juan Pablo Montoya did however prove that the start on Nascar-tracks is always difficult. Montoya has been there for 4-5 years now and is finally in the top 10 driving for victory.
– That's why I guess that it will take a couple of years from Kimi before he starts to really succeed. He starts in a lower class so the results might look good in the beginning but when he goes to the higher classes his life will become more difficult - just like it did for Montoya too.
– Kimi is however so talented that he can achieve his goal no matter where he drives, Massa thinks.
Heikki Kovalainen believes that Räikkönen will do well in the States too.
– I have been in Homestead once to watch one NASCAR-race. It was a really popular sport and there was a great atmosphere. I know that it is a completely different world than F1 or WRC. .
– Kimi is a F1-champion and he has also progressed in his rally career. If he gets a chance like that, team and car, then why not go and try out NASCAR also.
– Kimi loves challenges and has tried out many things. He is fast whether he drives a snow mobile, motocross bike or anything else. If you give Kimi a tractor then he will be fast with that too. I'm sure he will do okay as long as he gets a decent car.
– Kimi's strenght is that he adopts to everything so quickly. Even though the setups in his F1-car weren't always in place, he still took out everything out of the car, Kovalainen thinks.
Pedro de la Rosa who worked with Räikkönen for a long time at McLaren, admits that he was quite astonished when he heard the news.
– I have never talked with Kimi about NASCAR so it is a quite surprising move from him. I thought Kimi had committed fully to rally. On the other hands it's sad that he doesn't drive the full WRC-season because it looks like he becomes more and more competitive all the time.
– However Kimi is one of the greatest natural talents that I have ever met. He will learn any car he wants as long as he gets a bit experience under his belt. I'm sure Kimi enjoys the atmosphere there and he fits nicely in the picture. I wouldn't be surprised if he would become competitive there quite quickly, de la Rosa thinks.
Michael Schumacher shrugs his shoulders when asked the question.
– I'm not a fan of those cars so his NASCAR-trial doesn't interest me at all, Schumi said.
Nico Rosberg assures that he is happy for Räikkönen.
– If Kimi is happy driving NASCAR, then I'm also happy and wish him luck in that world. I wouldn't try it myself for 100% because I know I wouldn't enjoy it at all, Rosberg said.
Vitantio Liuzzi confesses that he has always admired Räikkönen's courage.
– Kimi has always been some kind of a mythic figure for me. I envy really much his courage to go and make a decision like that and go racing there. I believe strongly that Kimi will make it there also because his driving style suits those cars. Nascar is a splendid thing, the atmoshpere is brilliant and it would be totally awesome to drive those cars in Miami.
– Hopefully Kimi does well and awakens interest for them to hire more F1-drivers, Liuzzi sighs.
Sebastien Buemi is puzzled.
– I don't understand since I heard Kimi would focus on rally and then he goes and changes into a completely different thing. Has Kimi changed his mind? The most important thing is that Kimi enjoys whatever he is doing. I'm sure he will learn driving Nascar faster than he learned driving rally, Buemi thinks.
Turun Sanomat
HEIKKI KULTA
