Kimi Win By Dominating Barcelona GP

As always, Barcelona Grand Prix did not provide enough ‘action’ on the circuit. There was almost no overtaking at all, except once when Heidfeld get passed over Fisichella. However, it’s so exciting to get to know that Kimi can add 10 more points by winning the Barcelona race. Starting from pole position, Kimi seemed to dominate the entire race. Although there were several accidents which forced safety car to come out twice during the race, but the final position didn’t changed. Kimi’s F2008 took the chequered flag ahead of everybody else.

Starting from pole position didn’t mean that everything went perfectly for Kimi. He got stuck on traffic when going out from his second pit stop. But it never affected his overall speed on the track. Before first pit stop, Kimi was leading around 3 seconds from Massa who brought a slightly less fuel than Kimi (Massa got in to pit stop before Kimi!). After second pit stop, Kimi still lead from Massa although he didn’t push his car anymore. Just look what Kimi said : “We didn’t need to push. If we wanted to push, we could go much faster, for sure, but there’s no point in risking anything…. The first thing was that they were trying to catch us and the second thing was that they would try to overtake, but if they don’t even catch us, it’s fine….” It leaves a slight threat to all his contenders!

So, I will just keep following and watching the whole season of 2008 season ! I have a strong feeling that Kimi will be the world champion for the second time this year…Hopefully!

Kimi's First Pole Postion This Year

The dramatic qualifying session on Saturday in Catalunya GP has finished. Kimi got his first pole position in 2008, which is 15th in his F1 career. Side by side with him on the front row is 2 times world champion, Alonso in his Renault. On Q2 session Kimi is on fourth place, that's why I personally didn't expect him to get the pole position. On the other side, Alonso has surprised everybody when his speed exceeds Massa’s and Kubica’s. I (just like everybody else I think) thought Alonso will get the pole. But on the final seconds, came from the last turn of the circuit, Kimi set the fastest time. It was so dramatic!

So…pole position is good. Starting a race from the front row always give advantage for any driver, however drive the car in a long run race is another thing. On his personal website, Kimi has confirmed his total commitment in this race. “My approach is to keep pushing 100 percent, like the whole team.” Anyway, the Barcelona race is one of the most important races on every F1 GP season. The result of Barcelona race can be a barometer of all next races. Just like what Kimi said: “Barcelona is such a circuit where you have to get everything exactly right to be at the top.” Just a reminder, Kimi is leading in the driver championship with 5 points ahead of main competitor, Hamilton. However, the man in the second position, Nick Heidfeld has only 3 point gap from Kimi. Wow…what an exciting races we will watch along this year!

Let’s just watch the race today, we might have even the slightest idea about who is the main contender of 2008 world champion. For Kimi : Good luck!!

Welcome Back to Europe, F1 !

End of this week the F1 GP will come back to Europe. Spain, the home of Alonso will be the first host. I think many of the drivers (including Kimi) are very happy to be back to Europe after 3 tough races back in Asia. Coming home with fans and family supports, many improvements on the car, and friendly circuits and atmosphere. Just read how Kimi described it : "I'm glad we're back to race in Europe. We don't have to travel so much and we can put all our energy into the race weekend. It's a bit of a tradition: it's almost as if the season starts now. For me personally it's a bit special, because it's the first time that I start the European
season as the leader in the Championship."



The Friday Practice Session

Ferrari dominated the first session of practice. Kimi set the fastest time, 0,050 seconds ahead of team mate Massa. Kubica, the new rising star of BMW who was in the fourth place, set nine-tenths off Kimi’s time. On the second session, again, Kimi made his best lap of 1:21.935s.

So, how’s the race would be at Barcelona on Sunday? Will Kimi and Ferrari win the race? Well, about that Kimi has said that the competition is becoming tighter with the fast improvement of BMW. So, now there are 3 competitors in the top level : Ferrari, McLaren and BMW.


The New Improvement On F2008

Coming back to Europe, many teams have the opportunity to install several improvements to the car, that they cannot do during Asia’s races. Ferrari has issued a new nose (with a whole) to improve the down force of the car. Is it going to make F2008 running faster ? Nobody knows…yet! The technical persons in Ferrari said that the new nose isn’t going to give an extreme change to the car, but…we’ll see. I personally think that the qualifying session tomorrow will be full of surprises!

So…welcome back to Europe, F1! And hopefully Kimi will get (again) his first victory since 2005!

Kimi Stands For Hamilton

Despite of his rivalry with Hamilton, Kimi made a symphatic comments about Hamilton's few faults in Bahrain GP. As we all knew, Hamilton got a huge crash 
on the Friday practice session. 
Then, on the race, he had a bad start and another crash with Alonso's Renault. Out there, people
starts to talk about Hamilton's mistakes and that they are not impressed with him. But Kimi, his main competitor on the drivers championship right now defended him by saying : "Lewis did not make many mistakes last year. This year, they are not in as strong a position with the car,".... "Maybe it makes it more difficult when you do not have such a good package and you try to push more and more - especially during a race when your weekend has not been as good".

I agree with Kimi. I think we all need to give Hamilton another chance. Have a healthy competition on the circuits, not the media. Let's see the outcome until last race. Anyway, the winner will take it all. Butdeep in my heart, Kimi deserves to win his second world champion this year. Go Kimi...go!

What Really Happened At Sakhir

Kimi's pit stop - from f1-live.com

4 days after Sakhir race....

These are few things that had happened during the race, of course which concerning my champion : Kimi Raikkonen. It's revealed that besides having unconvenient with his car setting, Kimi also had an ear infection while speeding on his F2008 in Sakhir. That made him outperformed during the race. Meanwhile, at his first pit stop, Kimi faced a trouble with the new installed pitstop lights system at Ferrari pitlane. This lights system replaced the presence of lollypop man. A green light will automatically turned when the fuel hose is removed. About the problem, Kimi just lightly commented : "There was a problem with the system, so it took a bit longer, but it didn't change much,"

Anyway, it's interesting to read what Kimi personally said in his website. He is NOT satisfied with the race result. "I always want to win. That is my only passion. Obviously being second does not give the best of the feelings for me. And it never will..." Winning is everything, but being on the leading position on drivers championship is also important. Kimi knows it, and I'm proud of his real character : always have the motivation to win. I'll wait for your next win at Barcelona, Kimi...

Not Quite A Weekend In Sakhir!

Not quite a weekend in Sakhir for Kimi! That would be the most suitable phrase to describe how the Bahrain GP race was ended for Kimi. Kimi still cannot bring home the winner trophy from Sakhir, no victory on this race. However it's not too bad also for Kimi as he still got 8 points being in the second place. 
With total points of 19, he is now leading the world championship.

Starting from P4, Kimi can overtake Kubica at turn 1 that makes him jump to P2. And that position stayed until the finish line. Seems the team cannot find the 
right car setting for Kimi. Luckily for Kimi, Lewis Hamilton got stalk problem at the start, than a crash with Alonso, which throw him to P 13 with no point at all. Well, not quite a weekend, but not too bad with 19 leading point!

But all Kimi and Ferrari fans definitely want to see more victorys in next races, especially when the F1 GP are going home to Europe! Let's forget this weekend, and wait for the real F1 season in Europe....

Sakhir, Before The Race

The qualifying session has just finished. Kimi, my hero and the reigning world champion will start from P4 tomorrow afternoon at the Bahrain GP in Sakhir. The pole position belongs to Kubica from BMW (good drive for him!). 
Massa (who I think carry less fuel than Kimi) in P2, and Hamilton in P3.
I think tomorrow will be a hard race, but I have faith on Kimi that he will do his best (as always !). Anyway, it's a four-wheel race, so anything could happen. I just hope tomorrow will be the first victory for Kimi at Sakhir.

Besides the GP race, there is another hot issue concerning Max Mosley's sex scandals. Several teams and drivers are against his side, however Kimi gave his sympatethic voice for Mosley (as quoted from F1 Live) : "It's his personal life and he can do whatever he wants and it's not really my business or anyone else's to put their noses in." Kimi has refused to join in the widespread condemnation of the FIA President, Max Mosley.

Cool as always, huh ? That's Kimi.....

Will Kimi Get His 1st Win At Sakhir This Weekend ?

Why not ? After 3 years of lasting on the 3rd in podium, this weekend Kimi deserves to get his first victory at Sakhir circuit (Bahrain GP). Kimi believes that the F2008 has speed and strengthness to win at Bahrain. And last tests in Sakhir had shown that Ferrari is quite strong there.

About the Sakhir circuit, Kimi said "I really like the Sakhir circuit, because it differs from the others. While going there, you feel like playing in the sandbox. It really feels like a gigantic sandbox. Where ever you watch, you see just sand. And you feel it, too - in your hair". Quite interesting, huh ?

So, let's just see whether Ferrari can fight back this weekend, and more important, how is other competitors' performance too. I think this year F1 GP has got more interesting than ever, with new regulation (no traction control), many new (young and talented!) rookie, and with new circuit (night GP at Singapore). 
I do hope this weekend will be a new era in Kimi's career, a victory in Bahrain GP!!