ZitatElevate - Qualifying Saturday 5th October 2013
Romain Grosjean took fourth position whilst Kimi Räikkönen set the tenth fastest time in qualifying for tomorrow’s Korean Grand Prix. Both drivers gain a grid position thanks to a penalty for Mark Webber, meaning Romain starts from third and Kimi ninth.
Romain progressed through the first qualifying session using only the medium compound tyre, enabling him to have two runs on new super soft tyres in Q3. Kimi was fastest in Q1, but suffered excessive understeer on his solitary flying lap of the final session to leave him tenth.
Kimi Räikkönen, E21-05 Q: P10 (Starts P9), 1:38.822 FP3: P6, 1:38.701 “I made a mistake on my only set of new tyres in the final qualifying session so my lap wasn’t fast enough for a better position, which eventually meant I ended up tenth and will start from ninth position tomorrow. We’ve had a bit of understeer in the car so I’ve struggled a little all weekend. If you look at the long run pace yesterday we should have a stronger race, but obviously we have to see how the weather turns out. We hope to do better tomorrow.”
Romain Grosjean, E21-04 Q: P4 (Starts P3), 1:37.531 FP3: P8, 1:38.857 “Our aim was to be up there fighting with the Mercedes today and that’s exactly where we were. The Red Bulls were always going to be quick, so to be reasonably close to them in terms of the times is not too bad. Gaining a place on the grid just because another driver has been penalised is not how you want to move forwards, but I’ve had to cope with it before myself and it’s part of the sport. Of course, it will be an advantage for us as it means we’ll start on the clean side of the track. Tomorrow will be interesting in terms of what effect the tyre degradation has, but our race pace looked strong yesterday so we’re aiming for a good result.”
Alan Permane, Trackside Operations Director “We’ve got good expectations for tomorrow”
How was qualifying for the team? We’re very happy with Romain’s qualifying position after a textbook performance through all three sessions with everything going absolutely to plan. He soaked up the extra pressure to get through the first session using only the medium compound and the benefit of doing that was having two sets of the super soft in the final session. Kimi didn’t have the luxury of two runs in the final session, and unfortunately his crucial lap didn’t quite come off as planned. As ever, he will be a formidable force in the race so we’ve got good expectations for tomorrow.
What are the strategy considerations? It’s a circuit where you can overtake with DRS; not the easiest, but it’s certainly not the hardest. That said, tomorrow’s race will be about tyres – in particular the front right which has a very hard time – so managing the wear and performance will be an important consideration.
What do we think looking to the skies? The threat of storms has certainly abated somewhat since the beginning of the week, however I think we can still expect to catch the outskirts of the bad weather meaning we could see some rain overnight and early tomorrow morning if not for the race itself. Of course, this is something we’re monitoring closely.
Oh, I've been missing F1 all weekend " title="oh" />
And it seems I'm going to miss the race too. It was bad hours for us Americans anyway.
P9... and Gro P3! Oh well, it all happens for a reason, maybe Gro will take out the front runners and Kimi will win. Think about it, last time P13 ended 3. So now P10/P9 he has to win.
I think the main reason - a longbased car simply doesn't suit to Kimi. End of the story..He has problems during all weekend, so it wasn't just mistake in quali. " title="fury" />
Really disappointing qualifying from Kimi. Kimi had great long run pace but it becomes obsolete when you qualify so low down. I think it would be able for Kimi to find a setup that works better on these tyres and with the long wheelbase. But there is only 5 races left and Kimi will leave Lotus, so there is no reason for them to make the investment or take the time to help Kimi. Kimi will just have to drive around the issues until the end of the season.
Zitat von LoisteI think the main reason - a longbased car simply doesn't suit to Kimi. End of the story..He has problems during all weekend, so it wasn't just mistake in quali.
Yes a longer wheelbase doesn't suit Kimi, although Kimi did won the WDC in a long wheelbase car. The problem is the car is lighter on tyres and it induces understeer. Lotus are not going to do anything to help Kimi these last few races could be painful.
Zitat von LoisteI think the main reason - a longbased car simply doesn't suit to Kimi. End of the story..He has problems during all weekend, so it wasn't just mistake in quali.
Yes a longer wheelbase doesn't suit Kimi, although Kimi did won the WDC in a long wheelbase car. The problem is the car is lighter on tyres and it induces understeer. Lotus are not going to do anything to help Kimi these last few races could be painful.
ZitatRäikkönen's mysterious slowness was due to the decomposition of front wings F1 | Turun Sanomat 10.5.2013 22:55
Lotus hämmästeltiin , while Kimi Raikkonen was so slow the Korean Grand Prix, Time - ajofinaalissa . Revealed the cause stalls until the evening : Raikkonen had driven Q3- step tour of front wing is broken, which is why the E21 car headed exceedingly , and did not function normally.
In the previous two qualifying Räikkönen was stripped before the finale . Now, she returned to the top ten and rose in one more section to the ninth box , as Red Bull's Mark Webber was forced to take ten o'clock departure warning loss account due to exhaustion .
Raikkonen pouted as soon as the time after driving , when nothing seemed to be going so as your doctor prescribes .
- I made mistakes, deal of the car and headed round was slow, Finn listaili . Hungary until the rate dropped to
Räikkönen's time ajovauhti has faded towards the end anyway because of the etusiipirikon .
- Surely, this is the ideal situation is not any . Ever since then , when the tires were changed and the Hungarian race , I have had the same feeling as last year . Now start to the season used tire was better for me. Car tires, front end seemed to have sharper . We have tried to improve the situation, but yes, the last time trials have been difficult .
Raikkonen has been the new tires as qualifying team to a partner Romain Grosjean 1-4. Only in Hungary, she was not even in the third starting lineup.
Averages speak for themselves.
A year ago, Räikkönen's time ajotulosten average was 7.45 . Then the start of the season and went to the average of 8.8 stars in the rest of the period improved to 6.3 . The team of friends Grosjean took the time runs average of 7.74 in 2012 .
Now, Räikkönen's time trial average to Hungary to the 6.4, but the last five time longer driving 9.4 . Grosjean went to Hungary to 8.4 grade point average and Hungary, and on average has been 5.8 .
Räikkönen is the one leading this year from China, while Grosjean 's now the third time in a short time number three position . The race Feelings of a different class
The pacing race Räikkönen does not need to worry about . Italian race continue , he drove almost all rounds winner Sebastian Vettel's time . Singapore became the spectacular rise of 13 screen awards to third. The expectations of the investment gains in Korea too, are still high.
- Friday's practice session I liked a lot more of that feeling , and I got a long round of betting than one . We know the reason why this is so. I would like to get the same feeling in a single round , but then when I pull harder, I lose the feeling of the car from the bow more.
Lotus, Raikkonen was able to tactically kisapituuksissa tires. It also aims to Sunday's race.
- Weather can be a big help - or if you will be the safety car situations , Raikkonen wonders race prospects.
Lotus track operations director Alan Permane described the three- line output drivers of the difference between the aptly .
- Romain Grosjean was able to implement plans for textbook accuracy of all periods. Kimi Räikkönen had two final draft of luxury , and his tour of gone according to plan. Kimi , however, is an admirable racing power , which we expect again a lot .