"Schumi didn´t have that much luck"

by - 3/24/2012 02:13:00 p.m.


Mr. Raikkonen Lotus is a quick car. Is it fast enough to fight for wins against Vettel?
I do not know. The car is good but I don´t know if it's good enough for victories. At least we are not far away from the top!

You and Vettel once have been good friends. How do you estimate his rise to a double world champion?
We´ve been living close to each other in Switzerland until he moved away and we didn´t see each other that often anymore. But we already talked to each other again since my return. It has been like it used to be. He didn´t change at all.

In the past you often played Badminton. You used to win most of the times.
I still do. If I lose it´s only on the track. Sebastian became a great race driver but he is still a nice guy.

Does it make a difference to drive against him compared to other drivers?
No. There is no difference whether you drive against a friend or not. I want to win against all the drivers.

You are also known as the Iceman because you are always that cool. Do you ever think about your public image?
I don´t care about my image. It doesn´t change my life. For me it´s important that I´m happy with the things I´m doing. I´m not here to play a role I´m not happy with.

But are you really that cool?
There is no reason to freak out under normal cirumstances. I can´t understand why sometimes people get so emotional even though nothing has happened.

Earlier this year you took part in a snowmobile race and broke your wrist. You also kept your cool.
Sometimes you get injured sometimes not. Of course my boss was not amused. But I wouldn´t drive in F1 without those liberties.

You didn´t suceed in WRC. What was the reason?
I wasn´t used to listen to somebody else. But the trust in the pace notes and your co-drive is the thing which makes the difference in rallies. If one would drive a stage a few times there wouldn´t be much time difference between the drivers. In the second year I had less difficulties as I knew most of the stages.

Watching you driving one does get the feeling that nothing has changed since your retirement.
It indeed hasn´t changed. We got older but the cars are still the same. And the tires are not so different this year compared to 2009.

Can you explain why it took Michael Schumacher longer to feel well inside of the car?
It only depends whether you have a good or a bad car. It´s much easier when you have a fast car as I do have. In this light he didn´t have much luck.

You´re also much younger.
Actually I don´t want to compare us. He does his stuff and I do my. That´s it.

Do you to remember what you told to a TV reporter before Michael's last race in 2006? You went to the toilet.
I was just being honest. The reporter asked a stupid question so he got a stupid answer.

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