20/03/2012
NEWS STORY
Qualifying in eighteenth position wasn't quite the plan in Australia, but a storming drive through the field to seventh showed that the Iceman is back. What will Sepang hold?
How did it feel coming back to Formula 1 after two years away? Did you find it easy getting into the groove with a new car, new tyres and the DRS?
Kimi Raikkonen: To be honest it didn't feel any different to when I last raced. There have been a few rule changes but the racing itself is very similar. The DRS is easier to use in the race than in practice or qualifying because there are only certain places you can activate it, whereas in the other sessions people will try to push the limits of how early they can use it which can easily lead to a mistake if you are too aggressive.
Given your performance and where Romain managed to qualify in Australia, how much potential do you feel the E20 has?
KR: The car feels very good. In the race I was stuck in traffic a lot so it didn't show so much, and who knows what might have happened if we had a better grid a slot. There is a lot of speed in the car.
You came on the radio shouting about the blue flags...
KR: I was just wondering what was going on as they kept showing it to me! I assumed it was for the car behind that I'd just overtaken but it seemed to go on for a few laps so I wanted to know why they were still waving at me!
With round 1 now done and dusted, what are your thoughts moving on to Malaysia?
KR: I'm happy to get the first race out of the way. We'll be trying to improve our performance in Malaysia for sure. We don't know how the car will behave there but it's been good everywhere so far so hopefully it'll be the same there. It'll be hot and humid which is a challenge but we have a good car. As long as qualifying goes well we could be fighting for podiums. We'll have to wait and see.
Sepang as a circuit is quite different from Albert Park as a track?
KR: You still need a good car and that looks to be what we have. Hopefully we'll have a smoother weekend than we did in Australia with no mistakes. We won't know how the car will perform until we get out on track, but it's been good everywhere else so far. Hopefully it'll be the same in Malaysia.
What are your main memories of Sepang as a circuit?
KR: Malaysia has been good and bad for me in the past; I've had a few bad races there but I've also won three times at the circuit including my first Grand Prix victory so it's nice to go back to where it all began. It's hot and humid which makes it a challenge for the drivers, but it's the same for everyone.
With two long straights forming part of the circuit layout, is this a track which will lend itself to overtaking with the DRS and KERS systems?
KR: I haven't used the DRS here before so I'm not sure how much use it will be, but our car is good in a straight line so hopefully it can help us out in the race. We'll have to wait and see.
Do you feel like you're getting the most out of the E20 at this stage?
KR: There's much more to come. We're learning about the car all the time and the last race didn't really give us the chance to use its full potential. Hopefully Malaysia will be a bit more straightforward.
Australia may not have had the dream ending Romain had hoped for, but It takes a lot more than bad luck to knock the Frenchman out of his stride.
Firstly, let's talk about qualifying in Australia - that was quite some result...
Romain Grosjean: It was like a dream come true. I only really discovered the Albert Park in the dry in the morning as we'd had rain on practice day and I'd never driven the track before. When I heard my qualifying position on the radio, I just could not believe it!
What happened for you in the race - it didn't go quite to plan...
RG: To begin with the start wasn't very good. Then Pastor (Maldonado) hit my car on lap three and that was it, my race was over. From what I saw he braked far too late, and came across to hit my right front wheel which broke the steering.
Was there anything different you could have done?
RG: I made sure to be careful through the opening laps but I can't control the other drivers and there was no way I could have avoided it. From what I saw he braked far too late. I can't move all the way into the gravel just to give someone space; I'm not driving a 4x4! When you're overtaking someone you have to leave at least enough space for that car to remain on the track and this was not the case here.
The good news is that the car looks good in terms of performance. Does this give you confidence going to Malaysia?
RG: The car is performing very well. I was keeping pace with the guys in front of me and was pushing to get past so with a bit more luck I think we could have achieved a great result. I'm disappointed for the team because they deserved better having worked so hard to give us a strong car.
Are there any specific improvements or developments you want from the E20?
RG: To be honest the car was working very well over the weekend in Australia. There are always small improvements you can make but there's nothing major I could point to right now which is always a good thing! I have a strong relationship with the team after winter testing; we've built up a good level of understanding and I know if there are areas where we can find time I can trust the guys to find them. It's a great feeling having a team behind you who all work for each other and are fighting in the same direction, during the good times and bad.
Back to back races always put an extra strain on the team, especially when heading to a climate like that of Malaysia. How do you plan to recover and prepare for the next race?
RG: There are a few things that help in these situations. Firstly, it's important to continue your training regime as normal, no matter how much you may want to just sleep! Then the key is to adjust your body to the time difference and climate, particularly the latter in Malaysia where the heat and humidity make it one of the most difficult races of the year physically.
Unlike Melbourne last weekend, the Kuala Lumpur venue is one you are familiar with already. What do you think of the circuit?
RG: Sepang is probably my favourite track. I raced there in 2008 as part of the GP2 Asia Series and I really loved the circuit. It's nice and wide, with fast flowing corners and a lot of undulation which makes it great fun to drive. The last corner is a tricky one, but I enjoy everything about racing here. Well, maybe not the heat and humidity, but at the end of the day it makes it just another challenge for the drivers! I'm really looking forward to it. I believe we can achieve some positive results this season, hopefully starting in Malaysia.