Sebastian Vettel, Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, Monza, 2018

Raikkonen unmoved by reception to pole at Monza for Ferrari

2018 Italian Grand Prix

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Kimi Raikkonen was characteristically unmoved by the enthusiastic response to his pole position at Monza, his first for the team at their home track.

Asked about the reception he received on his in-lap after taking pole position, Raikkonen said “I don’t hear them.”

“Obviously we know that we have a lot of fans, a lot of tifosi here, so I think being one and two is great. But it’s only half [a] job done, so tomorrow is another important part, so hopefully we can give them another great result.”

Lewis Hamilton held provisional pole position after the first runs in Q3 but Raikkonen came from behind to beat the world championship leader and Sebastian Vettel to the top spot.

“After the practice, we knew that there was three cars, one of them was going to get it and today it was me,” he said. “Happy about it but it doesn’t really change anything. Tomorrow is always the main job to done.”

However Raikkonen admitted that pole position at Monza is special for Ferrari. “For our team it’s probably the best place to take the pole position. Obviously we’ve been close a few times but it never really went right in the end.

“It’s been a bit tricky, the second chicane, the whole day. The last run was pretty decent, let’s put it this way, enough for pole position.”

Raikkonen benefitted from running behind Vettel and other cars on his final run. “Obviously there were a lot of games – who is going first, getting tows and this and that. But in the end, there was a train of cars and that’s enough.

“The car’s been working well. Obviously conditions have been a little tricky but nevertheless I don’t think we’ve changed the car at all since the first runs really. It all seems to be running pretty smoothly so far, so hopefully tomorrow it’s a similar situation.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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12 comments on “Raikkonen unmoved by reception to pole at Monza for Ferrari”

  1. Kimi was simply superb today..

  2. Concerning the games and the train-thing he refers to. I wonder why did Mercedes felt like going out first in the final round: they already had pole position. Just wait for Ferrari to get out and then stay in their slipstream. Why offer the side by going out first and offering a free slipstream to them?

  3. Mark in Florida
    1st September 2018, 22:49

    Kimi being Kimi . The very essence of stoicism.

  4. This is as big a headline as “threat of rain in Spa”

  5. After the practice, we knew that there was three cars, one of them was going to get [pole]

    That has got to be the worst burn Bottas has received. From his fellow Finn, no less.

    1. Bottas seems to have given up this year, considering that Mercedes is “thinking of” instating team orders after this weekend. He’s not got much of a shot of getting the WC this season, so he’s possibly gonna relegate himself to fighting Raikkonen for third and helping secure another Merc WCC.

  6. Of course Kimi made pole when I predicted an SV lockout. This probably means he’ll win tomorrow too – shhhhhhhhh… go Kimi! And screw Ferrari if they even THINK about team orders.

  7. “Raikkonen unmoved by…”
    Keith, that’s everyday.

  8. His wife Minttu seemed pretty moved, shedding a few tears when he got pole. If it didn’t mean anything to him, I don’t think it would mean as much to her. This weekend he seems more hungry, and the win would mean a hell of a lot to him. I do think poll means more to him than he lets on, but keeps to himself because he’s an introvert and hates the cattiness of the media in trying to provoke drivers’ emotions (he’s said as much in the past, even said “I like the racing, the other stuff not so much” today). Lets face it, much of the press is just brutal and willing to twist any comment into something more dramatic. I don’t blame him for being the Marshawn Lynch of F1, an American football player who famously answered every question in a press conference with “I’m just here so I don’t get fined.”

    1. *pole. (cripes!)

    2. Yes, exactly. He is moved, just doesn’t show it.

  9. I saw some real emotions from Kimi…
    … after he found out he received the wrong cap and no sunnies ;)

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