Q & A With Raikkonen And Montoya

Posted by www.eMercedesBenz.com on January 24, 2006 at 9:05 AM CST

As we told you yesterday, testing for the new McLaren Mercedes MP4-21  
has officially kicked off, and by week's end both Kimi Raikkonen and  
Juan Pablo Montoya will have had the opportunity to get behind the  
wheel of the team's newest World Championship contender.

To kick off the training season, the team has published a brief Q & A  
session with both drivers, getting their thoughts on the new MP4-21  
as well as the upcoming 2006 season.  You can find the full Q & A  
session below and more Mercedes-Benz information at  
www.eMercedesBenz.com.


KIMI RAIKKONEN

The Team McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 ran for the first time in Barcelona  
today, what are your feelings about the car?

For sure it is too early for me to say, as I have not driven the car  
yet, but it is good that the team and Pedro had the first shakedown  
today. There is a lot of work to be done before the start of the  
season, I think that we have just over 20 track days before the start  
of the season, and we are all totally focused on making the most of  
these days before Bahrain.

Are you looking forward to getting back to testing?

I have not driven a Formula One car since 16th October in China, so  
for sure I can't wait to get back to it this week, where I will be in  
an MP4-21. I will be driving on Thursday 26th and Friday 27th, and I  
am looking forward to seeing what the team have done. I have been to  
the McLaren Technology Centre a few times recently to catch-up with  
the team and I saw the MP4-21 in car build, so I am really excited to  
be getting behind the wheel next week.

What is your scheduled test programme leading into Bahrain?

I think that the test team will be on track every week between the  
start of the year and Bahrain. I have two days in Barcelona next  
week, and then the same the week after that in Valencia in MP4-21,  
and I will also be testing in February. As always in pre-season  
tests, work is focused on developing the new car and also getting  
used to it. After the first days, we will start to look at set-ups  
for the first few races and also the various upgrade packages that  
the team has already planned to bring on line in the early part of  
the season.

What are your expectations for 2006?

For sure it’s the same as every year, I want to win races and World  
Championships with Team McLaren Mercedes. We had a quick car last  
year, and I guess there is no reason why we will not have that again  
as we have the same strong design team. I can't sit here now and say  
that will happen, until we race for the first time it is not possible  
to say how competitive the different cars will be. Also this year,  
because of the new regulations for tyres and engines, it will be even  
more difficult to say. I can sit here and say that everyone at Team  
McLaren Mercedes is fully focused and pushing hard to try to achieve  
it. Everyone in the media seems to think that it will be us, Renault  
and Ferrari again this year, with me, Juan Pablo, Fernando and  
Michael battling it out. For me that would be great and I hope so for  
the fans that it is another exciting year like 2005, although with a  
slightly different end result! But you know people are forgetting the  
Honda's, the Red Bull, the Toyotas and so on. There were a lot of  
teams really getting strong towards the end of the season, so I think  
that we will have to wait and see.

What do you think the main challenges will be?

The two main challenges with the car will be the new V8 format with  
the engine and the tyre changes at pit stops, but you know that is  
the same for everyone.

How is your knee following your minor post season surgery in the last  
week of October?

It is fine, I recovered well and was back training at the end of  
November. It was a small operation to repair a minor rupture to the  
meniscus, so you know no big deal. The bulk of my main training and  
the time when the focus is to increase my fitness level, is between  
November and March, so I have been working hard over recent weeks  
with my trainer.


JUAN PABLO MONTOYA

How did the first run of the car go today at the Circuit de Catalunya?

It was good, there were a couple of minor issues, but you expect that  
with the new car, and you know this is why we go testing! I am in the  
new car tomorrow and Wednesday and I am really looking forward to  
driving it for the first time, it is always exciting you know to see  
what your office will be like for the next 12 months! Also it means  
that I can really start to have an input and work with the team on  
developing the new car. At the moment, I am scheduled for 11 days in  
the car before it leaves for Bahrain.

Because I will be driving MP4-21 for the first time, I will spend a  
few days with the team completing systems checks, getting used to the  
car, you know just generally breaking it in. Pedro will have  
completed some of the the initial checks already today. As testing  
continues this week, Pedro and Gary will continue to work on the same  
areas in the MP4-20s alongside me and Kimi with their focus remaining  
on tyres with Michelin and engines.

What are your thoughts on MP4-21?

It's too early to say, as I have not even driven it yet. The work  
rate that has been taking place within McLaren Racing and Mercedes- 
Benz has been amazing and we learnt a lot of positive things from  
last year's car, so you know we hope that can be continued into  
MP4-21 and just have to wait until Bahrain to see!

Have you spent any time at the McLaren Technology Centre since the  
end of the season working with engineering team?

I like to try and go to the McLaren Technology Centre as often as I  
can, which is difficult because of my schedule, but it is good to  
catch up with the team and everything. Between the end of the season  
and Christmas, I spent four days at the facility working with the  
engineering team and having a look at the on-going development of  
MP4-21. On Tuesday 10th January I had my seat-fitting in the new car  
and my last visit was last Thursday and Friday.

What are your expectations for 2006?

I want to be on the top step of the podium many more times than in  
2005, and to be battling for the World Championships with Team  
McLaren Mercedes. I am a racer and I want to win and I am with the  
team that I can do that with. I think it has the potential to be  
another great year for the sport, things got really interesting last  
year and that will hopefully continue. Because of the changes to  
engines and tyres, there might be some teams doing better than  
expected and some doing worse, but until we have raced rather than  
just being on the test track it is all speculation.

What do you think the main challenges will be?

For everyone there are the two big changes I guess, to V8s and tyres  
in pit stops. For me specifically, I am just looking forward to an  
exciting second season with Team McLaren Mercedes.

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