Kimi Raikkonen Wrooom event notes

Raikkonen: "Ferrari - the right choice"

Madonna di Campiglio, 15th January

Today was this season's debut of Kimi Raikkonen: not on the track because the Finnish driver will have his first appearance in the F60 next Monday on the Portimao circuit, but in front of the media at the traditional Wrooom event. "This is my third season with Ferrari and I'm motivated and I want to win, as usual," Kimi said. "Last year didn't go as I wanted, especially during the second half of the season. But we learned a lot. I feel fine at Ferrari, otherwise I wouldn't be here today. I'm convinced that it was the right choice when I came to join the Team. The future? I've got a contract until the end of the 2010 season. At a certain point during the next season we'll think about what to do. But I think that this will be the last Formula One team I'm racing with."

The journalists had lots of questions for Kimi and some referred to President Montezemolo's remark about Kimi's "twin-brother", who raced during the second half of the last season and Stefano Domenicali's comment on Kimi, who's able to "stay isolated on his own planet". "The President made a joke, but I can confirm that it's always me. I've got a brother, but he's not racing in F1! As far as my planet is concerned I have to say that I like staying there and I can't complain about anything at all. But joking aside, Stefano explained that I like living my own life and I try not to be influenced by things surrounding me."

Racing is a big part on Planet Kimi, with any kind of vehicle. Next week he'll spent at the Portimao circuit and then on the icy roads of Finland. After the test sessions with the Scuderia Kimi will take part in the Artic Rally behind the wheel of a FIAT Grande Punto S2000: "I'm happy that the Teams gives me this opportunity to take part in my first rally: it will be a great experience and it will allow me to prepare myself while having fun."

Raikkonen: "Many challenges in 2009"

During his first appearance in front of the media in 2009, on the occasion of the Wroom event, Kimi Raikkonen spoke about the upcoming season. "There are many changes as far as technology is concerned. I think that it will be extremely interesting. There will be many things to set up and a lot of work for the Team. The limits as far as the tests during the winter are concerned and the fact that we can't test during the season is a very demanding challenge. If we can start with a competitive car, things will work out just fine, otherwise it could be difficult to catch up. I think that also our working style will change, at the works and on the track. Fridays will not be dedicated just to setting up the car for the race anymore, but also for trying out new solutions."

This year Kimi will have a new race engineer: after two years spent with the Australian Chris Dyer, now it's Andrea Stella's turn, who already worked as Michael Schumacher's and the Finn's performance engineer during Kimi's two years at Ferrari.

"After many years in the same position Chris wanted to change and now he'll work as coordinator of all the engineers working at the track and at the test sessions. I worked very well with him and Andrea, who has always been part of the group of engineers working on my car. We already worked with Andrea in his new position during the tests last December and it went very well. I heard rumours about alleged disagreements with Chris: if I hadn't worked well with him, I wouldn't have won the 2007 Championship!"

-credit: ferrari