Happy Birthday, Fernando!?
I didn't know it was his birthday..... But then again I can't tell you when Kimi's is either.
Happy birthday.
The best present would be another victory in Hungary... and the title is his...
It basically already is his even if he doesn't win more races this season as long as he gets a few points......
McLaren won't finish all the races anyway.?
/jarmo
KIMI RAIKKONEN EXCLUSIVE ITV-F1 pitlane reporter Ted Kravitz talks to Kimi Raikkonen about mechanical failures, his dwindling championship chances and qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Ted Kravitz: Why do these breakdowns keep happening?
Kimi Raikkonen: I don?t know. It?s unfortunate, because it hasn?t just been this year, it has been other years too, you?d have to ask someone in the team.
Ted: How long did it take to get over it?
KR: Of course you feel disappointed, but you need to try and forget it as quickly as you can. I didn?t have anything to say after the race. I?m not the person who should be saying anything at that moment. I was much happier just to go home.
Ted: Do you ever feel like driving for a team whose car doesn?t break down at crucial moments?
KR: No, I think we?ve just been unlucky over the last few years. Every time it seems to hit us completely at the wrong time. It doesn?t help, but we work as a team and try to sort it out.
Ted: What chance the championship now?
KR: It?s going to be difficult. I haven?t given up but you need to be realistic. So let?s see what we can do and just win some races, and then go from there.
Ted: How bad will it be going out first in qualifying?
KR: It?s not the ideal situation. But there?s nothing we can change about it so we have to do the best we can.
DON'T TAKE ME FOR GRANTED WARNS KIMI Kimi Raikkonen has warned McLaren that his loyalty shouldn't be taken for granted and that he could switch teams if its reliability doesn't improve.
The Finn told a packed press conference in Hungary that although he is contracted to McLaren for 2006, his future beyond that remains unclear.
"I still have a contract for next year and concerning my future, I don't really know what is happening," he said.
"I have not made my mind up. Maybe I stay with them, because I am happy with all the people there, even if we have had some difficult times."
The Finn has suffered a series of technical failures that have played a significant part in the downfall of his championship campaign.
The most recent of these was a hydraulic failure in the German Grand Prix, which saw him end the weekend 36 points behind the world championship leader Fernando Alonso.
"We need to work in a better way just to make sure that the car is very reliable," said Raikkonen.
"I think the speed of the car is very good so once we get everything else sorted, I think I will be more than happy to stay."
"I believe in the team. I don't know if it is luck or bad luck, but I don't really believe in those things.
"We just need to keep working hard and make sure that we don't have any problems."
Raikkonen also conceded that although it is still mathematically possible to catch Alonso, his title hopes have all but disappeared.
"We are slipping away a little bit too much now," he admitted.
"We still have a chance but I think we have to be realistic, so it is not there without any problems to anyone else."
http://www.itv-f1.com
Author