Since we already have lift-off in the F1 season, I have decided to “open up the floor” so to speak, for different people I hang out with online. I may not always agree with everything they say, but their comments and viewpoints are often very interesting to read. It lets me see things in a broader perspective. Point is, I really enjoy reading them and that is why I want to share some of them with you guys.
First one out is a fellow member from the Kimi Fan Club group on Facebook, Arvin Sharma. He suspects there is something afoot in the Ferrari camp after years of disappointment. And Kimi has shown that he is not shy of letting them know exactly how he feels.
Kicking Ferrari Into Shape
by Arvin Sharma
So where is the Ferrari team today? 4 years of being beaten by Red Bull & being occasionally told by Alonso that they are imbeciles. And that he would prefer another teams car. These things along with catering to Massa who has generally been underperforming has certainly had an effect.
Kimi has walked into a team that has, to put it mildly, lost the joy of racing when even regular things like setup is too difficult for them. As our fellow member Pablo A. Rossi wrote in the comments section of the video below: “Ferrari doesnt know how to set up the car for Kimi…. this is unbelievable.” Here we see Kimi have an interaction with his new race engineer, Antonio Spagnolo.
Kimi: “No, that doesn’t work. So ask them to change!”
Yes, it is quite unbelievable. Kimi really wants to give the Ferrari racing staff a kick up their backside, and tell them to wake up already! It seems like Kimi can sense that Ferrari have become lapse & some of the World Champion mentality is missing from the team since he left Ferrari in 2009 after winning them 3 Championships in 3 Years (1 WDC & 2 WCC).
It’s not natural to believe that Kimi suddenly has become ‘staff angry’ and frustrated in 2014, like we have seen over the whole winter test & Australia weekend. But there is a method to Kimi’s anger as can been ascertained from his Mclaren & Lotus stint. For instance the walking away to his yacht after his Mclaren blew out in Monaco 06; to him telling Lotus to back off and let him get on with winning in Abu Dhabi.
Invariably, Kimi has always quietly told his team what they lack, and what they need to focus on to win. If the engine blows up or his salary doesn’t get paid like last year, then it’s not really his fault anymore.
Now, Kimi comes into a team that has catered to Alonso’s “development program” for 4 years and has appropriately ended up making some mediocre cars. [In spite of Alonso being hailed as the master of feedback.] The F14T is another Ferrari car that has initial fundamental problems which Kimi has instantly recognized, but Alonso seems to think he has achieved ‘optimal setup’ already? Here is another clip where it is obvious that Kimi is not a happy camper regarding the car:
Kimi appears to have taken the bull by it’s horns and aggressively told Ferrari that the setup flaws needs to be fixed and have pushed Ferrari into developing minor parts & upgrades that will suit his needs. And that is remarkably great to see. My personal view is that Kimi can unlock ‘2 Seconds’ from his current Ferrari, if James Allison & Fry can adhere to his requests. To think Ferrari wouldn’t do it, is sacrilege in itself with all the development money being thrown around for virtually nothing for 4 years straight.
Kimi wants to win again, and he knows Ferrari needs to win again. But, for that to happen… Kimi has told Ferrari ‘what they need to do’. Unlike Alonso, who asks for ‘other people’s cars’, Kimi is simply asking for some basic setup changes. [As well as fixing the brake-by-wire system.] Now it’s up to Ferrari to make the necessary changes, if they can’t, then it’s not really Kimi’s fault anymore.
Ferrari has got a Kimi in their hands who is hell bent on telling Ferrari ‘to get back their motivation’!
-Arvin Sharma
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Thanks again to Arvin. He points out some traits that we are not used to see in Kimi. He has always been dedicated and provided perfect feedback to his teams. But a situation like the current one may previously have resulted in Kimi shrugging his shoulders if his request were not heeded the first time around. Now Kimi does seem to be taking matters into his own hands in a much more commanding way. Pounding repeatedly on what he requires. And I doubt he will let up before he is satisfied with the equipment underneath him.
We all would have loved Kimi to jump into a car and blaze to victory from the start. Like last year or 2007. Obviously, it’s not like that this year. But Ferrari can thank their lucky stars that they have a fired up driver that will push them and tell what he needs until they get it right. And that is one aspect that is going to be interesting to follow this season.
Stay frosty – and fired up!
Love
Soren
F1 Race Reviews 
In response to -Arvin Sharma
Good read, but why all the unfair Alonso bashing? Especially considering all the nice things Fernando has been saying about Kim since his arrival.
Quote: “Kimi has told Ferrari ‘what they need to do’. Unlike Alonso, who asks for ‘other
people’s cars’, Kimi is simply asking for some basic setup changes.
How do you know about all the things Alonso asks Ferrari for? It could be that his great results the past 4 years (compared to his teammate) are do in large part to him asking for the right changes, don’t you think?
Quote: “The F14T is another Ferrari car that has initial fundamental problems which Kimi has instantly recognized, but Alonso seems to think he has achieved ‘optimal setup’ already?”
Where have you heard Alonso say anything even close to this^. Source?
And just a pet peeve of mine…
Quote: “some of the World Champion mentality is missing from the team since he left Ferrari in 2009 after winning them 3 Championships in 3 Years (1 WDC & 2 WCC).”
Not sure why many Kimi fans always talk about the “3” championships he won for Ferrari. It’s kind of silly when you consider that in ’08, had Massa scored the same amount of points as Kimi, Ferrari would not have won the WCC. In any event, the entire team (100’s of people) + the car play the most important role in any WDC or WCC that is won. Making it sound like one driver won the team 3 championships is silly talk.
I cant speak for Arvin of course. And he might come and reply to some of your questions.
But Alonso did ask for a Red Bull and was scolded by Montezemolo for it. That is just as bad as calling the Ferrari a tractor. Prost did that and he got fired. Alonso has also had an advantage in Massa being his testmule for new parts. But obviously, Alonso is capable of saying how he wants his car.
Regarding the optimal setup, I cant see that he is quoting Alonso. Just asking the question. Alonso does have roughly 1000 kms more mileage in testing to finetune his setup.
As for the 3 championships and the WCC, it goes both ways. Point is, that the WCC is a joint effort of everyone, like you say. But Kimi did win them those 2 WCCs, as did Massa. I just think he is pointing that out 🙂
Also – nothing wrong with a little Alonso bashing 😉 Anything nice that comes out of his mouth is bound to have an agenda or an ulterior motive. You cannot trust the guy any further than you can throw him. He is a sneaky little cocky Spaniard.
“He is a sneaky little cocky Spaniard”. Now that’s just effing racist!
Being from Spain is not a race – its a nationality. Also – why so serious?
Hello Lorne,
There is no way that I wish to bash Fernando Alonso, a proven double world champion. The sentences mentioning Alonso are basic facts which I cannot twist, as favourable or disadvantageous. I have only mentioned what’s true. Below are my points, I hope you can understand that they are all true:
-Alonso has asked for ‘other people’s car’
-Ferrari haven’t won a Championship in 4 Years.
-Ferrari have development program around Alonso for 4 Years.
-Alonso has called Ferrari useless (‘I’m fighting Newey’ statement)
However, the article just points out the what Ferrari have been doing for 4 Years, and why the addition of Kimi Raikkonen may make a difference to WDC & WCC campaign, if Ferrari pay attention to him.
Arvin Sharma
“He is a sneaky little cocky Spaniard”???, a little harsh don’t you think?, no matter our allegiances we must recognise Fernando’s ability, keep in mind he was quicker than Kimi ALL Australia weekend and in the race, actually, I would go so far as saying Kimi’s performance was sub standard, obviously the car doesn’t turn in properly and the braking is diabolical, but surely this should have been resolved in Bahrain, added to Kimi’s and Alonso’s problems is the alarming lack of horsepower, something that Ferrari have always prided themselves on…..I suspect it’s going to be a long season full of disappointment for us Kimi fans.
Harsh? Not at all: https://f1bias.com/2010/03/15/my-beef-with-alonso/
Within 1st race, Kimi fans are being defensive. Its a new car for the drivers. New specs. Alonso adjusted to what was given to him. Ferrari failure is only because of Stefano Domenocalli. If ferrari appointed ross brawn instead of this little italian, Ferrari would have been on top. Remember when ross started brawn gp team, he tried to sign Alonso. Alonso never had winning car to win the tittles. If you look at the reasons given by Ferrari, the issue is all related to Wind Tunnel. How would alonso go and fix the wind tunnel. Grow up kimi fans!!
Grow up Ferrari fans. The wind tunnel was only a problem one of the years. And certainly not this year. Please refrain from childish remarks trying to place all Kimi fans into one category. This post is just an observation and an opinion.
I think if Ferrari would listen to Kimi, he could elevate the performance of the F14 termendously. We all saw what he did the the 2009 car after Masaa’s accident and how he turned that dog of a car into a regular podium visitor and won a race with it while it was probably the fourth fastest car
If the FIAT is a dog of a car, there is nothing the driver can do, not even Senna… so STFU about bashing Alonso, he has proved himself time and again.