A lap of France with Kimi Raikkonen

[davewilson]

After being forced to miss out on the USGP just under two weeks ago when he was involved in the first lap crash that took out eight drivers, McLaren racer Kimi Raikkonen is looking to bounce back when the FG1 fraternity returns to Europe this weekend for round eleven of the 2006 season at the Magny-Cours circuit. Here the young Finn describes just how he plans to lap the French track…

 

“A burst of acceleration along the short pit straight at Magny Cours sees you reach 298km/h in sixth gear on the approach to Grand Courbe, before dabbing the brakes slightly to take the flat out long left hander. The sweeping right hander of Estoril follows immediately, and you must keep as much speed as possible as the corner swings you round 180-degrees onto the longest and fastest section of the track, Golf.”

 

“Powering along the back straight, which has a gentle curve to the right, you reach speeds of 306km/h in sixth gear before braking hard for the Adelaide hairpin, which is a good overtaking opportunity. A first gear right hander, you pull some 1.6g as you slow to 58km/h to negotiate the tight bend. You push hard on the throttle as you exit, reaching 290km/h in sixth gear along the straight, through the slight right kink, before dabbing the brakes for the fast Nürburgring chicane. You take the right-left weave at some 232km/h in fifth.”

 

“Flicking up through the gears, you briefly touch 260km/h in fifth gear on the approach to the second hairpin. Wider than Adelaide, and therefore slightly quicker, the 180-degree left hander is taken at 84km/h in second gear. On the power on the exit through another right-left weave, you reach 296km/h in sixth on the approach to the fast fourth gear Imola chicane. The track dips as you take the right-left chicane at 228km/h.”
 

“A short burst of acceleration takes you to the Château d'Eau, the long right hander, which has been altered slightly, sees you slow from 237km/h in fifth to 101km/h in second. Accelerating out you reach 310km/h along the new approach to Lycée, which has a gentle curve to the left. We will have to brake hard for the sharp right of Lycée, which is taken at 71km/h in first, and leads back onto the start-finish straight, through a right-left kink, to begin another lap.”

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The Stig