user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Raikkonen blames Pirelli for bad performance

Raikkonen blames Pirelli for bad performance

  • Published on 26 Oct 2013 12:17
  • comments 0
  • By: Danny Sosef
Kimi Raikkonen has pointed to Pirelli's reversion to 2012-specification tyres, and the tightening of the operating guidelines, as the reason he has fallen off the pace at recent grands prix. The Finn denied that his impending switch to Ferrari might explain why teammate Romain Grosjean appears to have moved ahead inside the Lotus team.

Told there is an obvious link between Raikkonen's drop in pace and his 2014 move to Ferrari, teammate Grosjean insisted: "It may look like it, but there is no direct link.

"Ok, it's my chance to prove that I can lead the team, but from my side it was all about just taking one step at a time," the on-form Frenchman told Die Welt newspaper.

Raikkonen, meanwhile, pointed to the tyres, whose specification was changed by Pirelli in the wake of the explosive British grand prix.

"I can get less out of them than Romain on a (single) flying lap," he is quoted by Agencia Estado.

"In the race it's less of a problem because you're not so much at the limit of the car, but when you have started down the grid, it's too late to attack the leaders."

The 2007 world champion said Pirelli's clamping down on the tyres' operating guidelines also hurt him.

"They increased the limits for camber and tyre pressure," Raikkonen explained. "So there's not much you can do about it.

"Before we had more freedom," he added.

Raikkonen is also quoted by Finland's Turun Sanomat: "I am not happy with the behaviour at the front of the car, and we have a limited ability to change it."

Raikkonen will be Fernando Alonso's teammate at Ferrari next year.

The Spaniard said Romain Grosjean is doing a "good job" alongside the Finn at present.

"But it's not a big surprise," Alonso is quoted by RMC.

"Last year he made some mistakes, he was sometimes too aggressive, but it has changed this year.

"He is a little bit calmer and he is doing a good job of using his speed on the track. "Romain has always been a good driver," added Alonso, who was Grosjean's teammate at Renault for part of 2009.
F1 News Fernando Alonso Romain Grosjean Lotus F1 Pirelli Ferrari Renault

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BEGrand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

World Championship standings 2023

Pos
Team
Points
1
Red Bull Racing
822
2
Mercedes
392
3
Ferrari
390
4
McLaren
284
5
Aston Martin
272
6
Alpine F1
120
7
Williams
27
8
Alpha Tauri
21
9
Alfa Romeo Racing
16
10
Haas F1
12
Show full world champion standings

Test calendar

Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Related news

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia
Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan
Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco
Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria
Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom
Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary
Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy
Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar
Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
3 - Nov 5
Brazil
Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America
Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2023

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
3 - Mar 5
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Mar 19
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
31 - Apr 2
Australia Albert Park
28 - Apr 30
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
5 - May 7
United States of America Miami International Autodrome
19 - May 21
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
26 - May 28
Monaco Monte Carlo
2 - Jun 4
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
16 - Jun 18
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
30 - Jul 2
Austria Red Bull Ring
7 - Jul 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
21 - Jul 23
Hungary Hungaroring
28 - Jul 30
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
25 - Aug 27
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
1 - Sep 3
Italy Monza
15 - Sep 17
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
22 - Sep 24
Japan Circuit Suzuka
6 - Oct 8
Qatar Losail International Circuit
20 - Oct 22
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
27 - Oct 29
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
3 - Nov 5
Brazil Interlagos
17 - Nov 19
United States of America Las Vegas Street Circuit
24 - Nov 26
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Driver profile

ES Fernando Alonso 14
  • Country Spain
  • Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (42)
  • Place of b. Oviedo, Spain
  • Weight 68 kg
  • Length 1.71 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Lotus F1
Lotus F1
Show full profile
show sidebar