I don't think lighter fuel loads will by the magic pancea either. As A.W. said, Kimi was never really up there with Massa this past weekend, even in Q2, when fuel loads were moot. Yes, the car set-up may be an issue for Kimi, but fuel load is not the real answer - too simplistic I believe as likely track position is an important variable. If he fuels too early, yes, he may be able to be leading heading into the first stop, but he likely will not be far enough ahead to avoid emerging from the pits only to be stuck behind slower traffic only to lose whatever time he gained before his "real" competition stops...

Massa is seriously quick when everything is right for him, and Kimi's challenge may be technical. How can he best work with his race engineer to set the car up to the point where he is able to get up there in qualifying?

 

I disagree. Kimi has been good in the past with heavier fuel loads and qualifying P2-4. Lately he has been P4-6 -- a huge difference when running behind cars that are clearly slower (Renault), but just fast enough to keep him behind them.

The equal status that Massa and Kimi have at Ferrari until 1 is clearly out of contention is that whoever is faster in Q2 has first priority for fuel loads they desire in Q3. Massa has been quicker in Q2 and it's no surprise he goes with a lighter fuel load to qualify higher up the grid (3rd this past race).

This next race on the streets of Valencia is going to be more of the same, I'm afraid. Until we get to Spa and Monza where there is ample room to pass, the true speed of these cars will not been seen.

 

I personally think Valencia is going to turn in to a huge parade lead LH, it seems like his type of track. Why Bernie is taking the circus to more tight convoluted tracks that passing isn't possible is besides me, I can't wait until Spa and Monza!

 

Sorry to disagree, but I have a bit of a problem with 'Kimi' and 'lack confidence' in the same sentence.
The man has ***** of steel and ice; I somehow can't believe he lacks confidence....concentration perhaps, hangover definitely.

 

He is confusing "lack of confidence" with maturity (something the sub 23 set still doesn't have), it's called trying to finish the race, score points and not get taken out.

 

I completely agree. It's the tyres or more specifically the set-up that they can't get that would allow him to be quick in quali and if there are cars between him & Massa, there's no way for him to catch him (as this past time in Hungary). If he's directly behind Massa (with one or two laps more fuel), he has no problems of making couple of those "Schumi style" fast ones and then passing Massa.

 

+1

Big +1 and
But lately Kimi has had too much "maturity". He should act more like Kimi of 2006 or 2006 and throw all that maturity and collecting points to the trash!

P.S. Kimi is 28 yrs and will be 29 very soon.

 

It's called cash. He's having a hard time feeding his family right now.

 

Agreed

... and isn't that ever the sad state of F1, we are referring to some at age 28 being more "mature" than the rest of the field, lol

 

At least he still drinks & has fun the way old F1 drivers did. I wish I was onboard his boat in Finnish arcipelago right now, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be boring...

 

Are you implying that Kimi knows how to throw a party.....much better than little Miss Alonso (who never socializes and stays to herself in her motorhome most of the GP weekend).

Kimi could definitely pull off a Weekend At Bernies

 

That's what I like, he's not some stuck up corporate talking head lost in the "glamour" of F1... He views his job as to drive and win, not be a walking, talking billboard. Plus he still knows how to have a good time.....

and ditto on that, I say we take a Rlist field trip to Kimi's yacht

On a sort of unrelated note I was reading an F1 magazine article on Kimi and they had 30 memorable quotes from him. I thought a few were pretty funny

----
Q. Kimi, have you ever got angry about anything, and jumped up and down and shouted?
A: Yeah, many times but of course you’re not happy if you retire or something but I guess it mostly happens more in normal life than in racing.
Q. Can you give us examples?
A: No, not really.
Q. What are the kind of things that make you angry in normal life, as you say?
A: If you keep asking questions like those.

-----
Q :"So, Kimi, what do people from Finland like to do to relax?"
A: "mmm, in the summer there is fishing and screwing. And in the winter...the fishing is bad"

 

Ahhhhhh I finally found the one I was looking for!

Kimi on Mclaren-

"I'm not going to change my way, it works well enough. Even if I had changed my style it would not have changed the results at McLaren. The problem was not what I did with my training or in my private life, it was more to do with the car not lasting the race or not being quick enough."

 

He's a Finn allright!

One of his replies last year was when they asked about his Spa donuts after he'd won and he replied: "I lost it".

 

Kimi rules.