F1 News
Date: 16/March/2013
Kimi Raikkonen pulled off an upset in the opening round of
the 2013 F1 season with victory from seventh on the grid in Sunday’s Australian
Grand Prix.
Raikkonen and Lotus outsmarted the likes of Red Bull,
Ferrari and Mercedes by stopping just twice for new tyres, enabling the Finn to
romp to a 12-second victory over Fernando Alonso.
Reigning triple Champion Sebastian Vettel was a further ten
seconds behind.
Raikkonen - a World Champion for Ferrari who walked out of
the sport at the end of 2009, then won a race on his return with Lotus last
season - later described it as one of his easiest wins.
“I knew that my car is quite good,” said Raikkonen. “It’s
been feeling good all weekend including when we did the longer run. We only
destroy the front tyres so we knew if we get the front tyres lasting it should
be fine.
“Our plan was to do two-stops but it’s always difficult,
especially in the first races, to really know when to stop - not too early and
not too late. We got it exactly right. We had a good plan and it work out
perfectly for us.
“I could save the tyres and I could go fast if I needed and
I could really drive very easily. One of the easiest races I’ve done to win.
Hopefully we can have many more of these kind of races.
“It feels good but it’s only after one race. There is an
awful lot to do to try to win the Championship. We seemed to have a good car
here and hopefully it works well in the next races also.”
Alonso, runner-up for Ferrari last season, predicts that
Raikkonen will again be a contender in next weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix.
“It is a worry… Kimi was driving fantastically all through
the race and he managed [only] two stops, so we need to analyse what we can do
for the next race,” said the Spaniard. “We have only four days to work on the
car before the next race and I think he will again be a tough opponent.”
Beyond next weekend, the main concern for Raikkonen is
whether the Lotus team can match the financial clout of Red Bull, Ferrari and
Mercedes in delivering a constant stream of developments throughout the year.
“The money is a big part. For sure we don’t have the same
budget as Ferrari or Red Bull or Mercedes, but last year we did pretty well
with what was available,” he said. “I have no doubt we have the people and the
tools, but of course if we get more money it will help. It will give us a
better chance and more fair play against the bigger teams.”
Melbourne pole sitter Vettel confirmed that rapid tyre wear
had been his undoing - and confessed to being surprised to find it was not only
Alonso ahead of him.
“Clearly when you start from pole you want to win,” said the
German. “After a very good start, and a good first two or three laps, the tyres
were falling apart and we couldn’t go as long as other people.
“So congratulations to Lotus and especially to Kimi. A
little bit of a surprise… I knew Fernando passed us at the stop, but I didn’t
know where the other car was coming from.
“Raikkonen and Lotus had incredible pace. Same goes for
Ferrari. I think we were third-quickest today and so I’m very happy to get
third place.”
Alonso’s team-mate Felipe Massa put up a strong showing on
his way to fourth, with Lewis Hamilton fifth on his Mercedes race debut - but
also a podium contender for part of the race.
Vettel’s team-mate Mark Webber never recovered from a poor
start and was left to settle for sixth in his home grand prix, while last
year’s winner Jenson Button was classified ninth to complete a miserable
weekend for McLaren.
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