Write him off at your peril, here are some reasons: 1) He won the Driver's Championship in 2007, especially amazing considering the void he had to bridge to Hamilton; the perfect model of consistency (bar European GP) in finishing in the top 3, 9 times in the last 10 GPs. 2) In 2003, he finished 2nd to the all-conquering Schumacher, just 2 points (old system) behind...considering MS was in a faster car, this is one hell of an acheivement! 3) In 2005, he finished 2nd to the all-conquering Alonso, the two of them finishing at least 50 points out in front (7 victories) --- To all those of you who would quote the 2004 or 2006 seasons, please remember as I'm sure I will be backed up by those EXPERTS among you, McLaren cars in those 2 seasons were woefully unreliable; 8 and 6 retirements in each season respectively. 2008: I think we can all agree that he lost his hunger at this point, albeit with wretched luck, I refer to the Hamilton incident (Canada GP, failed to see the red light at the end of the pitlane, ploughing into Raikonnen) 2009: this WAS the "year of the dog of a car", awful, slow, unreliable, Ferrari wrote off continued development in favour of next season's car, before the mid-way point; leaving Kimi to hustle his way to 2nd, 3rd, 1st, 3rd (testament to his speed and skill) in 4 consecutive GPs in the 2nd half of the season which astounded many people! --- So where are we now; obviously he will be at a higher fitness level than when Schumacher returned, he has been doing WRC and has not had an extended break, so physically he should be 80% way there (the neck must be strengthened!)...the question that remains is the hunger, we shall wait and see (no-one knows this, but the fact that he is in a medium-ranked car should provide interesting viewing as he moves through the grid) Reasons to be excited: 1) When others retire they go sulk, Kimi finds the Ice-Cream van 2) Kimi bulldozes everything in his path, including walls and little kids http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VGvoGqB-j_U and incompetent pit lane operators http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MarJ9Ob99CQ&feature=related and through fire www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hzg_9UXo9s8&feature=related 3) Kimi provides comedy-gold for interviews http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MlsMVzrp2o and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wx9D1mueU6Y&feature=related 4) Enjoys setting the fastest lap 5) Can get unimaginable results out of god-awful cars
It will be stronger than Schumi for sure but Raikkonen didn't lose the 2008 WDC because of one stupid mistake from Hamilton and I still believe he came because he didn't make it big in WRC.
Raikkonens 2008 was pretty much downhill from France onwards... remember the exhaust hanging off and he had to let Massa pass for the win. From then on Ferrari backed Massa to take the charge to Hamilton
Yes and Belgium as well proved deciding. If he had won that race or at least got 8 points Ferrari would have still backed no driver until one got a reasonable margin over the other.
Agreed, my bad thought that was obvious, was just highlighting one example, season was effectively a write-off...
Yes just a bad season for Kimi in 08. Massa was just a bit faster that year. It will also be interesting to see how he adapts to the Pirelli Tyres throughout the course of next year.
What I like the most about Kimi is that he doesnt know the meaning of the word 'pressure', he replaces that word to 'doesnt give a ****', love it.
I was at Belgium 09 where KIMI won his last race, it was and epic tussle considering the constant pressure he was enduring with the Force India of Fisichella.
He won in 2007 because Hamilton choked IMO. No disrespect for the way he closed the gap but if not for the Hamilton/Alonso issue one of them would easily have taken the championship. He was dire in the subsequent two years, mainly because I think he felt he had nothing to fight for. If they get him fighting again like the old days then I can see this working. Otherwise I see him being deposed mid-season.
Just replying to the title. If his comeback is better than MS the reasons are... -He had a smaller retirement. -He is half Michaels' age. But just to guess that it will be is silly... :S I think it is getting it bit silly (the hype of Raikkonen returning), he is returning to a 5th best team - I would be rather wary about the work he has to do like Schumacher to build the team up for the future. He did seem to lose his interest in 2008 and then in 2009... Who is to say that won't happen again. Dedication and experience in F1 is very valuable, it's up to him to stay long term and share it.
He knows and I think everyone knows that the car is probably going to be a decent midfield car. I think what he has to do is prove he has still got it and that means outperforming the car and beating Petrov/Senna or whoever his team-mate is.
I think there's more chance of his return being a damp squib rather than setting the world on fire. But... who knows.
Schumis comeback isn't over yet so am not passing judgement on it till it is, he is still showing flashes of genius
he is good, but to be fair he didnt really make up the void, hamiltons mistake in china and his gear box in brazil (which i think could have been his fault) due to peassure basically gifted raikonnen the title, but these things happen so you cant take the title away form him because he was driving really well that season
I expect him to be dropped. The only reason he's back is because his WRC career hasn't gone so smoothly. Renault are making a huge mistake. I would have put Grosjean in the car until Kubica returns, but hey, thats Boullier for you. Always making the stupid calls.
