Martin Whitmarsh about Räikkönen's return
Q: Kimi Raikkonen is back in Formula One racing this year with Lotus. From your long experience of him, how do you think he’ll fare?
MW: Kimi is a great guy, with a super talent. He was very successful during his five seasons at McLaren, winning 12 Grands Prix for us and, although he narrowly failed to win a drivers’ world championship during that time, he could easily have become world champion in both 2003 and 2005 if he’d had a bit more luck or a little more reliability. Even as things were, without that extra bit of luck and reliability required to win world championships, he still won 12 Grands Prix for us and some of those wins were truly majestic. During an FIA press conference at a Grand Prix in the latter half of last year - I forget where - I was asked by a journalist whether the team principals of the teams then rumoured to be considering Kimi for a 2012 drive, a couple of whom were sitting alongside me, should hire him or not. My answer was an unequivocal yes. I stand by that answer, and I’m pleased that he’s made a Formula One comeback. He’s a very popular driver, and I think Formula One will be the better for his return. No fewer than six world champions will be competing in Formula One this season - more than ever before - and each of them, including Kimi, is not only a fantastic racing driver but also a colourful character with a robust fans’ following and a unique global allure. If the Lotus car is quick, Kimi will be quick in it; it’s as simple as that in my view.
Fonte: www.formula1.com / Dica: Wenny
Tenho minhas mágoas da McLaren, de Martin Whitmarsh em específico (por causa de 2009), mas de verdade, Kimi e a equipe inglesa fizeram o casamento quase perfeito. Por que quase? Porque só faltou o título, como o próprio dirigente afirmou acima.
Eu adorava o Iceman naquele carro, amava, na verdade. As melhores corridas de sua carreira foram lá, o melhor campeonato de Kimi foi lá. E quando alguém de dentro da McLaren fala sobre ele não é para ser politicamente correto, é porque eles realmente acham isto. A McLaren sempre respeitou Kimi, e por isto, sou grata. Sempre serei!
Embora não goste de Whitmarsh, e tenha me irritado com ele algumas vezes (vocês que me acompanham aqui há anos já viram isto...rsrsrs), sei que ele realmente admira Kimi, e que suas palavras são verdadeiras.
Beijinhos, Ludy
MW: Kimi is a great guy, with a super talent. He was very successful during his five seasons at McLaren, winning 12 Grands Prix for us and, although he narrowly failed to win a drivers’ world championship during that time, he could easily have become world champion in both 2003 and 2005 if he’d had a bit more luck or a little more reliability. Even as things were, without that extra bit of luck and reliability required to win world championships, he still won 12 Grands Prix for us and some of those wins were truly majestic. During an FIA press conference at a Grand Prix in the latter half of last year - I forget where - I was asked by a journalist whether the team principals of the teams then rumoured to be considering Kimi for a 2012 drive, a couple of whom were sitting alongside me, should hire him or not. My answer was an unequivocal yes. I stand by that answer, and I’m pleased that he’s made a Formula One comeback. He’s a very popular driver, and I think Formula One will be the better for his return. No fewer than six world champions will be competing in Formula One this season - more than ever before - and each of them, including Kimi, is not only a fantastic racing driver but also a colourful character with a robust fans’ following and a unique global allure. If the Lotus car is quick, Kimi will be quick in it; it’s as simple as that in my view.
Fonte: www.formula1.com / Dica: Wenny
Tenho minhas mágoas da McLaren, de Martin Whitmarsh em específico (por causa de 2009), mas de verdade, Kimi e a equipe inglesa fizeram o casamento quase perfeito. Por que quase? Porque só faltou o título, como o próprio dirigente afirmou acima.
Eu adorava o Iceman naquele carro, amava, na verdade. As melhores corridas de sua carreira foram lá, o melhor campeonato de Kimi foi lá. E quando alguém de dentro da McLaren fala sobre ele não é para ser politicamente correto, é porque eles realmente acham isto. A McLaren sempre respeitou Kimi, e por isto, sou grata. Sempre serei!
Embora não goste de Whitmarsh, e tenha me irritado com ele algumas vezes (vocês que me acompanham aqui há anos já viram isto...rsrsrs), sei que ele realmente admira Kimi, e que suas palavras são verdadeiras.
Beijinhos, Ludy
Comentários
Agradeço muito por isso.