I am 100% behind the team - Raikkonen

With fans looking through the chain fencing separating the harbour from the motorhome paddock, Kimi Raikkonen faced the press this afternoon as, in Monaco, Wednesday is the same as a Thursday at all other races, given that practice takes place tomorrow.

He began with a look back at the Spanish Grand Prix. “The car was definitely better in Spain and we certainly made a step forward,” Raikkonen began. “That race was particularly disappointing as we could see the car was quick enough, but problems prevented us getting the results we wanted. We have made some silly mistakes and the important thing is that we have learned from them and hopefully that means we won’t repeat them. At least it showed we had made the first step forward, although there is a lot more to do.

It is accepted that the driver can play a bigger part in the overall package here in Monaco and Kimi outlined what the street circuit has to offer. “This circuit is very special and we will do the best we can, seeing how things go tomorrow. Honestly, it is impossible to make any predictions today. Here in Monaco, every corner counts for the lap time, so you need to be fast everywhere. The whole circuit is a challenge. The most important thing is to have the car set up right and from that you pick up the speed. You definitely need to have a strong qualifying as it is pretty difficult to overtake here and you can get stuck behind other cars and just follow them until something goes wrong with them or they pit.”

If Kimi has a reputation for sometimes avoiding difficult questions, he definitely did not hide from expressing his feelings regarding today’s decision in the French courts. “It’s not good for Formula 1 in any way to have this sort of thing going on and for me personally, if Ferrari is not in Formula 1 and if other big teams are also not in the sport, then it’s not really Formula 1 anymore,” he said. “If teams come in from GP2 for example, it won’t be the same. I am one hundred percent behind the team and whatever they choose to do, I will go along with. I hope it all gets sorted out, but I’m not the person to ask about the details. I work for Ferrari and we are one big family: this is my job and this is where I want to do it. My own feeling is that we will not disappear from Formula 1, but if we do, I still have a contract with the team and I am sure they will find something for me to do!”

And a final comment on the team leading the series, with four wins out of five: “Brawn GP looks very strong right now, but I’m sure other teams will be winning races later this season, as the season evolves. For the moment, they have the advantage even if we can see that others are gradually getting closer to them.”