Kimi Raikkonen is one 'a my favorite Formule 1 coureurs!

Here in Minneapolis, it's decidedly Fall. Days are gradually becoming cooler (I can wear a sweater outside without fear of sweating off 30% of my body weight!) and I'm back to school, frenziedly learning Dutch and musing about my Major Paper topic. In the world of F1, Spa has come and gone and in it's wake Scrutineering's "Tough Love, Kimi" campaign has finally drawn to a close.


There's no denying that I have been immensely disappointed by Kimi Raikkonen's performance in the past several grand prixs. After his performance at Valencia, I was absolutely livid.Whereas Massa was brilliant (minus the near-miss with Sutil) and Hamilton was whinging as usual ("Wah, I slept on a 'dodgy pillow' and got a neck pain, oooh"), Raikkonen's drive was inexcusably sub-par from the beginning. Jumping the light at his second pitstop and running down his refueler had me steamed and the subsequent engine failure was just the absolute end. Last Sunday I was equally furious with Raikkonen after he got my hopes up with a promising start and well-executed drive, then stuffed the F2008 three laps from the "green-white-checker" (as Joe would say, but it's known to everyone else as the finish line, lol). Yes, in the immediate aftermath of Kimi Raikkonen's retirement, the 2007 WDC was dead to me. I was delirious with misery. I vowed to never mention his name again... a measure which lasted for a whole two hours, as I have no self-control. As I've said before, it's just really hard stop liking Kimi Raikkonen..

Kimi Raikkonen's failure to finish the Belgian Grand Prix in a points-paying position (let alone finish, period), may have been a mite disappointing.* But I saw the attitude I've been wanting to see from Kimi Raikkonen for some time. When Raikkonen finally weighed in on the dramatic last laps of Spa, he didn't deliver another tired variation of "Obviously today didn't go as we wanted it to." No, he quite plainly stated that the whole thing was, in effect, all or nothing and that "[he] only wanted to win." And that for me, is excellent! I saw effort and that's all I've ever wanted from Kimi. I wanted some affirmation that he was doing everything humanly (and supernaturally!) possible to put that Ferrari across the finish line in P1!

I'm sure you're all aware of the Raikkonen-Hamilton affair and how egregiously Lewis Hamilton and McLaren feel they have been treated. Honestly, watching the race, I didn't initially see Hamilton gain any advantage. But then again, I'm not a steward and I'm although I know an inordinate amount about F1 in relation to the gross majority of girls my age, Americans, etcetera, I'm still fairly new to this whole business.















Watching it play out again, I definitely see how Hamilton potentially profited from cutting the chicane. He never would have been as close to Raikkonen if he hadn't cut the corner. But this really isn't a topic I want to discuss here. (I feel obligated, however, to post the footage so you can judge for yourself.) There are plenty of other websites which will gladly rehash this for you, analyze it from every angle, and allow you to -if you so choose- subject yourself to the wrath and opinions of Niki Lauda. Personally, I refuse to alienate my readership in the same manner as other sites (PF1, that means you!). I know, I know: I'm really nice! More to follow on Monza and as always,

FORZA FERRARI!



*I wasn't nearly that nice when actually watching him spin, then crash into the wall. I believe I actually lambasted him with the phrase "OH, Kimi Raikkonen, you fucktard!! Hey, I was in agony!