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Eu sinto saudades de ter gente trabalhando com Kimi que eu admiro. Mark Slade foi o melhor engenheiro para Kimi em todos estes anos. Época de McLaren e Lotus (em 2013) e os resultados mostram tudo. Não gosto dos engenheiros que Kimi teve na Ferrari, com exceção do Andrea Stella. Este atual, Dave Greenwood, sério, acho muito devagar, enfim... Bacana ouvir estas palavras do Mark. E sim, com certeza Kimi tem o que é necessário para vencer, concordo com o inglês. Beijinhos, Ludy

Boa sexta-feira para vocês! Vou trabalhar e mais tarde estarei de volta! Beijinhos, Ludy

The co-operation between Räikkönen and Slade means a little talk and a lot of results  F1 | Turun Sanomat  00:46  Mark Slade has experienced a lot being a race engineer for Mika Häkkinen, Kimi Räikkönen, Fernando Alonso, Heikki Kovalainen, Vitali Petrov, Michael Schumacher - and now he is once again Räikkönen's closest working mate.  Last season Räikkönen shut up his other race engineer Simon Rennie with his famous slogan: Leave me alone, I know what I'm doing.  In the winter Rennie went to Red Bull to work as Mark Webber's race engineer, whereas Slade continues aside Räikkönen.  – Simon took care of communicating with Kimi in qualification and race, whereas I was in charge of the engineering work up to the final third practice. Now I also do Simon's job, so in a way we are going back to how things were in McLaren, Slade explains.  How surprised were you over the ’Leave Me Alone’-fuss?  – Surprised? I'm used to it be...

Räikkönen gets a new spark to the WDC-battle from qualification  F1 | Turun Sanomat  12:31  A year ago Lotus was predicted to be the black horse, but Kimi Räikkönen's performance ability was a question mark. Now Kimi's speed is known, but the car's striking ability as well as reliability is now a question mark.  Räikkönen started last season after five testing days. Now he also has only five testing days - and considerably more shredded.  Was this the most shredded winter test from your whole career?  – In the final games I didn't get many even testing days last year either. There weren't many kilometers then either and we had problems. Hopefully the same happens as last year and the season begins better than the tests, Räikkönen ponders.  But last year you at least got to drive a race simulation. Are you now going to the opening race for the first time without even one race simulation in winter?  – I guess it has ha...

The target of the comment has left Lotus F1 Turun Sanomat  27.12.2012 22:57  Kimi fan-gear had as the most popular item the shirt-campaign ’Leave Me Alone. I Know What I’m Doing’.  Kimi's race engineer Simon Rennie reminded him constantly to keep his tires warm during the SC. In the end Kimi snapped back telling that he doesn't need any advice since he knows what he is doing.  Rennie was supposed to be Räikkönen's race engineer according to Lotus-team's original plan, but Kimi wanted a familiar work mate and so Mark Slade was invited back to Enstone.  Hence Räikkönen had two engineers.  According to information Turun Sanomat have, Rennie has left his job and hence Mark Slade will be Kimi's only official race engineer next season.  Slade interpreted the chain of events in Abu Dhabi which escalated into Räikkönen's sharp comment.   – I was also very nervous but that's how it always is. The fact is that we use...

Race engineer tells: These were the challenges during Räikkönen's comeback-season  Julkaistu  14.12.2012 07:14  Kimi Räikkönen had to change his driving style in order to adjust to this season's Pirelli-tires, Mark Slade tells.  Räikkönen's comeback to F1 succeeded excellently as a whole. After being away for two years he still had a lot to learn, especially with the tires.  – This year Kimi had to learn to get along with Pirelli-tires. They were quite different to the tires he earlier used to race with. It might have taken a little more time than he expected, Slade told Autosport.  – He had to some extent resist his natural inclination to drive the way he had learned to earlier. I believe that's the reason why he took a very careful approach to the season. He didn't have much any accidents during the whole year, which TBH is unusual to him, Slade continued.  Räikkönen got bronze in the end.  – He decided to achieve as much as pos...

Fonte: F1Racing / Scans: Kimi Räikkönen Space Ai, ai...leio estas entrevistas e fico em estado de graça. :) Primeiro porque depois de todos estes anos seguindo Kimi, vi que sim, realmente, a gente mesmo de longe, aprende a ler um pouco do jeito dele, aprende a entender o que ele pensa. Para começo de conversa, título perfeito: "Eu deixo minha pilotagem falar por mim". #demais E quem leu esta coluna minha vai se lembrar que comentei que 2012 foi ano ano em que Kimi calou a boca dos críticos. O comentário dele sobre a corrida do Bahrein, onde ele disse que se fosse hoje, deveria ter tentando novamente ultrapassar Vettel, comentei com a Tati estes dias falando exatamente isto, que se tivesse sido no final da temporada, ele teria tentado novamente. Mas daí é como ele falou também, assim são corridas. Era o começo da temporada, a posição para ele era ótima, foi seu primeiro pódio depois da volta e foi um grande resultado assim mesmo. Depois o comentário ...

Na semana passada postei esta ( link aqui ) ótima entrevista de Kimi para uma revista japonesa, dada este mês de maio e que Luviceman vem gentilmente traduzindo. Hoje, chego com o que Mark Slade, engenheiro de corrida de Räikkönen, além de duas declarações, uma de Alan Parmane (diretor de operações de pista da Lotus) e de Benoit Nogier, ex-cehfe de equipe de Kimi no WRC. Meus comentários estão no final. Q: Do you think current Kimi is different than he was in McLaren?  "About the attitude to engineers is the same. But in the paddock, I think he relaxes a bit than before, and contacting us outside of the circuit has increased."  Q: How about as a driver?  "He is just awesome. He comprehends what is happening then, what he is needing, how he is wanting, and why. About this splendid skill/ability, Kimi is one of the best than other drivers who I know. His feedback is the best. This hasn't changed ever. As a test driver, he is the best driver than others ...

WELCOME BACK! – KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN DROPS IN TO ENSTONE After a busy few weeks, Kimi returned to the home of Lotus F1 Team today refreshed from the recent break. Aside from catching up with all the latest developments back at base, he also had a glimpse into the future… Spain, Geneva, Australia, Malaysia, Lebanon and of course the UK; Kimi has been here, there and everywhere already in 2012 and we’re barely into April! It was back to work today at Enstone for the 2007 World Champion with an exciting start to the day, as his race engineer Mark Slade explains: “Kimi’s main priority today was to sit in a basic mock-up we have of next year’s car. There’s some re-thinking in terms of the driver position for 2013, and we wanted to test it out before committing any further to the concept. It may seem early, but it’s better to do these things sooner rather than later otherwise it can hold up the whole design process. We’re assessing very basic features at this point; making sure the changes we’re c...

Slade: Raikkonen back at the top of his game After two solid race performances in a row, Kimi Raikkonen’s race engineer, Mark Slade is convinced that the Finn is back at the top of his game despite being away from Formula 1 for two seasons. “I think he’s the same young kid who was a superstar when he arrived on the scene. He looks as fit as he’s ever been and is absolutely at the top of his game as far as I can see,” Slade said in an interview with Autosport. The Briton also believes that Raikkonen’s true pace was masked by a mistake in Q1 during qualifying in Australia, as well as the five place grid penalty due to an unscheduled gearbox change and the changeable weather conditions in Malaysia. Slade was also quick to downplay the magnitude of any similarities between Raikkonen’s steering problems in Australia and Jarno Trulli’s power steering issues at Caterham last year. “In Melbourne he was still finding his feet a little bit and there were some things to do with the set-up that I ...

According to the Race Engineer Räikkönen's speed is the same as it was during the McLaren-years 22.3.2012 Turun Sanomat The afternoon's tropical rain has just wet the paddock in Sepang. The team-premises roof is still filled with rain. Under the roof stands Kimi Räikkönen's race engineer Mark Slade. The race engineer's body language says it all: the team is doing well - no matter what the weather is. How different was the Kimi that became Slade's working buddy? – There is no difference between this Kimi and the Kimi who was in McLaren. The old Kimi was fantastic and this Kimi is just as fantastic, Slade praised. – We just put our gloves on and the job gets done: he always gives the same accurate feedback, he always goes fast, he is always cool and he can handle almost any situation that comes up in the race. In Melbourne Räikkönen's problem with the visor affected the race result. – Kimi had problems with the visor. He changed it. Our schedule was very tight so ...

Slade and Räikkönen had their first meeting in six years Turun Sanomat 2.3.2012 23:24:32 Kimi Raikkonen came to Barcelona in the afternoon and had a long meeting about the test schedule with his race engineer Mark Slade, who started in the team at the beginning of March. Slade worked with Räikkönen last time in McLaren in 2006. Finnish driver is in the next Wednesday in popular British Top Gear tv show and tries to break Sebastian Vettel's top time at airport of Dunsfieldin. BBC broadcasts the program a week later on Sunday. Grosjean has a Japanese race engineer Ayao Komatsu, and he joked that radio traffic certainly sounds amusing when a French and a Japanese are having a conversation. - We'll try to give Kimi and his engineers all the feedback what we can. Kimi will be trying different things, so that we can get the car into top shape in Melbourne, Grosjean explained. Turun Sanomat, Barcelona HEIKKI KULTA Fonte: Turun Sanomat / Tradução para o Inglês: Reppo Seis anos depois, ...

Räikkönen arranged a familiar engineer into a key-position 08.02.2012 19:51 Kimi Räikkönen is pleased now that he got Mark Slade as his own race engineer to Lotus. Räikkönen and Slade already worked together in McLaren. Now Slade will switch from Mercedes to Lotus starting from the last testing session before the opening race. - I wanted him. Of course many things have to succeed in order for that to happen. Fortunately he came. I have a good engineer right now also, but Mark because I know him and he knows what I want, Räikkönen told MTV3. - He has worked here before so I'm sure it's easier to start with him in a new team when he already has information about the team, Kimi justified. Fonte: MTV3 / Tradução para o Inglês: Nicole Pois é, o bacana é que Mark tem o conhecimento de trabalhar com Kimi (de 2002 a 2006) e também da Renault, onde esteve em 2010. Vai ser realmente muito útil a contratação do engenheiro inglês. Beijinhos, Ludy

Kimi and Mark Slade Kimi Raikkonen will have a familiar race engineer for his return to formula one this year. Finnish reports in Turun Sanomat and the broadcaster MTV3 claim the 2007 world champion will work with Mark Slade. Mark Slade, recently at Mercedes GP working alongside Michael Schumacher, was Finn Raikkonen's race engineer at McLaren years ago. Turun Sanomat said they will start to work together at Barcelona at the last test before Melbourne. "I wanted him and I am pleased that it worked out," Kimi Raikkonen confirmed. On his end, Eric Boullier has slammed rumours Kimi Raikkonen is a shareholder in the Lotus team. It was reported that the 2007 world champion's retainer this year was subsidised by owner Genii granting the returning F1 driver a small slice of the Enstone based team. "He has no shareholding. It is complete nonsense. Raikkonen has a two-year contract as driver, Genii Capital holds 100 per cent of the team," Eric Boullier is quoted by F...