How should a world champion defend his title?
Should he race every race as if it’s his last to defend his precious crown?
Should he make sure his teammate is in a full supporting role, not competing against him?
Should he be a racer, try to force people off the circuit, prevent them from winning, just as long as it benefits him and his title defence?
The answer to all of these questions is simple: Yes, he should.
For instance, Fernando Alonso forced Lewis Hamilton off of the circuit in Spa 2007. He was trying to help himself, trying to defend his world title at all costs.
Michael Schumacher and Ferrari won in Austria 2002 thanks to Rubens Barrichello slowing down. It was controversial and arguably wrong.
But was Schumacher bothered by what the press and media had to say? Was he bothered about what people thought? Or was he caring only about his title and crown and his successful defence of it?
Kimi Raikkonen could take a leaf out of both Alonso’s and Schumi’s books. His title is looking like it will easily fall into the hands of Hamilton or Massa, not his.
But why is this happening? Why is the Formula One World Champion letting his crown slip away from him so easily?
Kimi started his career at the Sauber Team, where he impressed instantly. Both Raikkonen and Nick Heidfeld helped Sauber to fourth place in the constructor’s championship, their best result.
Due to four points-scoring finishes in 2001, including one on his debut in Australia, Raikkonen was soon snapped up by Ron Dennis and McLaren to replace former world champion Mika Hakkinen. No pressure.
Although Kimi scored a podium on his McLaren debut, he found it difficult to score points in a season where Ferrari was so strong. Nevertheless, Raikkonen improved on 2001 and finished the season sixth, with 24 points to his name.
2003 saw Kimi really excel. He won his first Grand Prix in Malaysia and was fairly consistent throughout the season, although he never won again in 2003.
He came agonisingly close to preventing Michael Schumacher from equaling Juan Manuel Fangio’s record of five titles. If only he had scored a single point in the three races he retired from...
Kimi was hoping to go one step further in 2004, but it wasn’t to be. The McLaren MP4-19 was very unreliable and inconsistent. McLaren introduced the MP4-19B for the second part to the season and Raikkonen won at Spa-Francorchamps, the highlight of his season.
After a slow start to the 2005 season, Raikkonen found his form and won seven races. His charge up the grid at Suzuka goes down as one of the greatest victories ever... so good that it made Ron Dennis cry.
Raikkonen came close to taking the title again, finishing runner up to eventual champion Fernando Alonso.
He really wanted a championship crown now, as he had finished runner-up twice.
2006 didn’t provide answers and results for Raikkonen, and the MP4-21 didn’t even win a race. Six retirements and the best result of second meant that the Iceman thoroughly shook the hand of the Ferrari team when he was offered a race seat there for 2007. Just how would his life change...
29 comments Last one added 10 months ago — Leave a Comment
Janet A. 10 months ago
Very nice article. I'm sure it will inspire quite some debate. I don't think that it's a question of Kimi not caring. His issue is specifically with the qualifying. I am astounded at the fact that Ferrari cannot figure out this set-up issue. Perhaps there are not putting as many resources into solving this issue. Ferrari needs to help this man and fix this. Also, if you know that he has issues with qualifying, why isn't Ferrari setting him up with a more aggressive strategy for Pole. He should have been fueled lighter to ensure the front row. Why isn't this happening? Time and time again it seems that Ferrari is giving Massa the better strategy. But in the end, I think that the biggest issue is that he is not the number 1 driver. Ferrari brought him in to replace Schumacher and as such he should have been given number 1 status.
And if Kimi loses the title I blame Ferrari.......
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Billy Sexton 10 months ago
good point about the fuel levels, but if massa can get on the front row with more fuel, why can't kimi? thats perfect reason to ferrari to make felipe number one
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Ben Auty 10 months ago
Kimi for sure needs to buck his ideas up if he is going to do anything this season ... I just dont understand it ... He has had a strange season with a lot of twists and turns !
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Billy Sexton 10 months ago
he has mate... thanks for the PotD :D
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Sheiban Shakeri 10 months ago
Kimi is way too competitive to play second fiddle. I think that he'll be coming out and showing his form. He also has a laissez-faire attitude that makes people scratch their heads. He's a surprise, and I'm not writing him off just yet...
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Anne Doe 10 months ago
I completely agree with that.
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Billy Sexton 10 months ago
interesting stuff sheiban.. will he make a comeback at spa?
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Sheiban Shakeri 10 months ago
I wrote before that precedent is a terrible thing to have in sports. I won't say a comeback or a lacklustre performance either way...
However, I do believe that Kimi can't be written off just yet. This time last year, he was about the same number of points behind Hamilton, give or take a few...
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Billy Sexton 10 months ago
yeah, hats a good point
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Sheiban Shakeri 10 months ago
I'm sure you've also heard the saying "it ain't over 'til the fat lady sings."
Someone will be champion at the end of the season, and it's only then. Everything in the middle is just speculation...
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Wooderson '76 10 months ago
Is it Kimi or is it the car?...There are so many variables in F1 that its hard to know what is truly going on. I agree w/Sheiban, Kimi has never played 2nd fiddle to any team mate in his career and I very much doubt he wants to start now. I think he's finding the Ferrari to be fickle on different tracks and is still struggling to adapt the setup to his style of driving.
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Billy Sexton 10 months ago
very true... kimi has always been number one. maybe he isn't to bothered because he doesnt think there is any going back now?
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Paul 10 months ago
The Ferrari has been designed for specific types of tracks for a number of years. One thing has happened that is a clear indicator that something is not working for him, that is his fastest laps. He is lets not forget it, 3rd all time on the list of drivers with fastest laps. Yet he seems to be struggling with his car setup, with fastest laps not coming quite as easily. Kimi is clearly struggling, it is clear to most objective minds that this is not a case of him not trying, rather a case of a driver/car problem.
For my money, I see the problem as a result of two main factors. Kimi has never been the fastest qualifier, he is a guy who grinds it out and gets faster as the race progresses. He is not qualifying well and is paying the price during the race, spending half the race behind Alonso a couple of races is prime example. Is this setup with a real fuel load, I think not.
The second reason is parity, there are so many really fast cars (there are 6 real chances of winning each week) if you do not get a good start, you have almost no chance of winning. So Kimi who has come from the 3rd or 4th row for a large part of his career, is not able to do so with the other Ferrari, McLaren and BMW's starting in front of him. He started the season well, which suggests that he has not adapted as well as the others as the season has progressed. His problems clearly are not mental or a lack of desire, rather a problem with him and his car!
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Wooderson '76 10 months ago
Spa is Kimi's track – he's owned it for the last 3 years! If he can't get it right there, I'm afraid that will be the nail in the coffin for this years crown.
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Paul 10 months ago
Good comment! Still think that Massa is the most underrated driver on the grid, I feel he applies huge pressure on everybody, including Kimi!
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Anne Doe 10 months ago
I think Raikkonen does care about the title because for half an hour after qualifying 6th at Hockenheim, he enclosed himself in the Ferrari motorhome and it shows he was obviously hurting. So I'm sorry I don't agree, I think that if he does not win the title it will hurt him deeply.
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Billy Sexton 10 months ago
when doesn't he enclose himself in the motorhome though? the bloke never speaks and keeps himself to himself
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Anne Doe 10 months ago
Actually I can't remember if it was Hockenheim or Hungary, it was somewhere where he qualified 6th.
Anyway he usually gives a his qualifying quote before he runs and hides though. Ignore the pun, but that time he had to chill out first.
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Wooderson '76 10 months ago
No argument there, Massa is a fast driver, and if he can string some consistant races like Valenica, he will be a deserved champ! I don't think this has much of an affect on Kimi by way of pressure, he is the Iceman after all and we all know how he just seems soak it up, and this in itself can sometimes be misunderstood as lack of focus. I think the only driver that puts pressure on Kimi IS Kimi.
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Stuart Baird 10 months ago
i dont want it to be the end of raikkonen's success, because he is a fantastic driver.but he lacks the motivivation at the moment. Ben left a comment on another article saying that he wants to sit down with raikkonen and find out whats wrong with him. im the same, except i just wanna slap him and tell him to get his bloody act together!
Massa has a contract till 2010. raikkonen's ends in 09. alonso wants a ferrari seat. not sure who my money's on getting moved out.
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Janet A. 10 months ago
Stuart,
I agree with your statement. I am a big Kimi fan but I just want to shake him and tell him to snap out of it. I think I am dissapointed because Ii know he is so capable of winning this title. If it was a question of talent, then I would say well too bad. But I know he is better than Massa. Massa is fast, no doubt but Kimi's trouble are flattering him.
But again, I think Ferrari needs to figure this problem. And if they can't, they must find a work around and at this point I think it may be on strategy. It's my undertsanding that they fuelled Massa a little lighter than usual to assure him pole this last race. Why could they have not done the same for kIMI? At Hungary, they also fuelled him something like 4-6 laps more than Massa. What's up with that?
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Wooderson '76 10 months ago
I think the heavy fuel is very much a strategy to compensate for Kimi having issues getting heat into the tires of the Ferrari during qualifying. Massa is finding the heat with fewer laps, whereas Kimi seems to find the right temperature/speed on race day after 10+ laps. So by fuelling him heavier in quali he can run longer during the race, and (hopefully) pass them during the pit stops.
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Janet A. 10 months ago
Ok I can accept that, but obviously is not working. I think even Kimi said it himself that he might have to sacrifice race pace for qualification. Doesn't that mean that is asking to go lighter on the fuel?
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Wooderson '76 10 months ago
I agree, its not working. But in order to go light, he needs to find the right setup on the Ferrari where he can get more heat quicker in the tires during quali.
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Janet A. 10 months ago
So if what you are saying is in fact the case, then KIMI is doomed!!!! Unless they can find this elusive set-up!
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Wooderson '76 10 months ago
Every track has different characteristics requiring different setup. We'll see with the next race in Spa. Kimi has won there for the last 3 years so he should have a good handle on the setup. If he can't get it right for spa, yes, I think his year is over.
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Isuru Wakishta Arachchi 10 months ago
very well written. you get my POTD & best rating.
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Billy Sexton 10 months ago
cheers mate
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Arles Jacquin 10 months ago
You think Kimi will let Massa walk away with the title..........no chance! I agree with most if the comments on here, its a driver/car problem and kimi cant seem to get the front end working the way he likes it. If this was Schumi, he would demand Ferrari give him the car he needs to win.
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