Breaking news
Formula 1
Raikkonen blames tyres for slip in form
Kimi Raikkonen denies that the reason why teammate Romain Grosjean appears to be moved ahead inside Lotus team is his switch to Ferrari.
GMM
Edited: Oct 26, 2013, 7:24 AM
Copy link
Share on Viber
Oct.26 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has pointed to Pirelli's reversion to 2012-specification tyres, and the tightening of the operating guidelines, as the reason he has fallen off the pace at recent Grands Prix.
The Finn denied that his impending switch to Ferrari might explain why teammate Romain Grosjean appears to have moved ahead inside the Lotus team.
Told there is an obvious link between Raikkonen's drop in pace and his 2014 move to Ferrari, teammate Grosjean insisted: "It may look like it, but there is no direct link.
"Ok, it's my chance to prove that I can lead the team, but from my side it was all about just taking one step at a time," the on-form Frenchman told Die Welt newspaper.
Raikkonen, meanwhile, pointed to the tyres, whose specification was changed by Pirelli in the wake of the explosive British Grand Prix.
"I can get less out of them than Romain on a (single) flying lap," he is quoted by Agencia Estado.
"In the race it's less of a problem because you're not so much at the limit of the car, but when you have started down the grid, it's too late to attack the leaders."
The 2007 world champion said Pirelli's clamping down on the tyres' operating guidelines also hurt him.
"They increased the limits for camber and tyre pressure," Raikkonen explained. "So there's not much you can do about it.
"Before we had more freedom," he added.
Raikkonen is also quoted by Finland's Turun Sanomat: "I am not happy with the behaviour at the front of the car, and we have a limited ability to change it."
Raikkonen will be Fernando Alonso's teammate at Ferrari next year.
The Spaniard said Romain Grosjean is doing a "good job" alongside the Finn at present.
"But it's not a big surprise," Alonso is quoted by RMC.
"Last year he made some mistakes, he was sometimes too aggressive, but it has changed this year.
"He is a little bit calmer and he is doing a good job of using his speed on the track.
"Romain has always been a good driver," added Alonso, who was Grosjean's teammate at Renault for part of 2009.
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?
Take our 5 minute survey.
- The Motorsport.com Team
Read and post comments
Read also :
Share Or Save This Story
Copy link
Share on Viber
Previous article Lotus admits talks with Maldonado
Next article Vettel dominance continues at Buddh International Circuit
Top Comments
There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?
View More & Comment
More from
GMM
The season is still very long - Rosberg
Formula 1
Formula 1
The season is still very long - Rosberg
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Formula 1
Formula 1
Jules Bianchi's father speaks of family's continued hopes
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
Formula 1
Formula 1
Chinese GP
Sauber under no illusions about constructors' position
More from
Kimi Raikkonen
David Coulthard explains why Robin Raikkonen's rise resembles Max Verstappen's
Formula 1
Formula 1
Spanish GP
David Coulthard explains why Robin Raikkonen's rise resembles Max Verstappen's
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement
Red Bull signs Kimi Raikkonen’s son as junior driver
Formula 1
Formula 1
Italian GP
Red Bull signs Kimi Raikkonen’s son as junior driver
More from
Ferrari
Charles Leclerc reacts to Ferrari fear: 'We know what line not to cross'
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
11 h
Charles Leclerc reacts to Ferrari fear: 'We know what line not to cross'
Why Ferrari failed to deliver on its hype in F1's United States GP qualifying
Formula 1
Formula 1
United States GP
Why Ferrari failed to deliver on its hype in F1's United States GP qualifying
Latest news
Yellow line debate divides NASCAR fans after Talladega Cup finish
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
1 min
Yellow line debate divides NASCAR fans after Talladega Cup finish
Winners and losers from F1's United States Grand Prix
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
United States GP
2 h
Winners and losers from F1's United States Grand Prix
Kyle Larson all but clinches NASCAR championship with Dega win
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
2 h
Kyle Larson all but clinches NASCAR championship with Dega win
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. explains why he lost Talladega Cup race
NASCAR Cup
NAS NASCAR Cup
Talladega II
3 h
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. explains why he lost Talladega Cup race
Feature
Discover prime content
Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.
From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.
You have 2 options:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe