Patient Raikkonen finds Monaco exciting but challenging race

(©Ben Johnston 2014)

Kimi Raikkonen heads to this weekend's Monaco Grand Prix having out-qualified team mate Fernando Alonso at the last event, the Spanish Grand Prix and was ahead of Alonso for the majority of the race but eventually finished the Grand Prix just behind his team mate in 7th place. The Finn is currently in eleventh place in the Drivers championship on 17 points.

Speaking to Ferrari's official website the Finn, who won the race here in 2005 said:

'This season especially, with the new generation cars, we can expect it to be particularly exciting, These new cars tend to slide easily and in Monaco there’s not much room to drift off line.”

Raikkonen went on to say: 

As always, the car plays an important role, but Monaco also highlights a driver’s ability. “This track is unique, as you have to give your all from the first to the 78th lap,” Kimi told www.ferrari.com. “Qualifying can have a big effect on the outcome, an area on which we are doing our utmost to improve. After the last race, we stayed on in Barcelona for the test, which was reasonably positive: we had problems at the start, but by the end, I can say I was pleased with the work we managed to get through. The F14 T is improving and I am sure that, step by step, the results will come, but we must push harder to get them.” 

Raikkonen spoke about the special atmosphere at the Monaco Grand Prix which is an unusual event in that the Friday of the Grand Prix weekend is a public holiday in the Principality and as  a result on track action gets underway on Thursday morning.

The Monaco race is very complicated right from Thursday morning. It will be vital not to lose any time in free practice, trying to do as many laps as possible to quickly get a feel for things in between the barriers. It’s difficult to do well here, but it’s enormously satisfying when you get it right.”

Raikkonen has a good record in Monaco and has scored three podiums here in his Formula One carer including taking victory for McLaren in 2005. 

©Ben Johnston 2014