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Raikkonen rides high on F1 hopes of succeeding Schumi
Maranello, Mar 02: Kimi Raikkonen could be Formula One`s youngest champion this year. Many people, including F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, think so if he continues to show his raw speed and consistency.
Maranello, Mar 02: Kimi Raikkonen could be Formula One's youngest champion this year. Many people, including F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, think so if he continues to show his raw speed and consistency.
Britain's David Coulthard is probably having his last season at McLaren before Montoya replaces him and he has nothing to lose by holding back. The team's MP4-19 has been long in its preparation and is an unknown quantity. Testing times have looked erratic and Raikkonen has called for more power but McLaren tend to do well in the early races of the season. The drivers and Norbert Haug, the motorsport director of Mercedes, commented on rule changes and their effect on the season. Coulthard spoke about the banning of fully automatic gearboxes this year, meaning that the driver must trigger each change rather than rely on software to do the job for him. Coulthard said this could mean the driver changes too early or too late and so create an overtaking opportunity for a following car. Haug spoke about the challenge for engine-makers to produce a Formula One motor that lasts for more than 800kms (500 miles) rather than 400 kms (250 miles) as before. Each car must compete in qualifying and the race on one engine in 2004 or sacrifice ten places on the grid.
Raikkonen spoke about the ban on automatic "launch-control" units which used to take over the start from the driver. Now the driver must make the start and change up the gears himself. The Finn said it would be much more difficult to make a good start this year than last.
Since returning to Formula One in 2001 Michelin has recruited six of the ten Formula One teams as its customers, and the latest is BAR for this season. Only Ferrari of the front runners relies on Bridgestone tyres. Sauber, Jordan and Minardi are the other teams using the Japanese tyres.
Bureau Report
Britain's David Coulthard is probably having his last season at McLaren before Montoya replaces him and he has nothing to lose by holding back. The team's MP4-19 has been long in its preparation and is an unknown quantity. Testing times have looked erratic and Raikkonen has called for more power but McLaren tend to do well in the early races of the season. The drivers and Norbert Haug, the motorsport director of Mercedes, commented on rule changes and their effect on the season. Coulthard spoke about the banning of fully automatic gearboxes this year, meaning that the driver must trigger each change rather than rely on software to do the job for him. Coulthard said this could mean the driver changes too early or too late and so create an overtaking opportunity for a following car. Haug spoke about the challenge for engine-makers to produce a Formula One motor that lasts for more than 800kms (500 miles) rather than 400 kms (250 miles) as before. Each car must compete in qualifying and the race on one engine in 2004 or sacrifice ten places on the grid.
Raikkonen spoke about the ban on automatic "launch-control" units which used to take over the start from the driver. Now the driver must make the start and change up the gears himself. The Finn said it would be much more difficult to make a good start this year than last.
Since returning to Formula One in 2001 Michelin has recruited six of the ten Formula One teams as its customers, and the latest is BAR for this season. Only Ferrari of the front runners relies on Bridgestone tyres. Sauber, Jordan and Minardi are the other teams using the Japanese tyres.
Bureau Report