“Obviously I keep making my life difficult on Saturdays in qualifying so then we pay a price, but we still have a good car in the race,” Raikkonen said in the Lotus’ team’s weekend advance. “So much depends on the qualifying result, so we need to find a decent set-up on Friday and Saturday and have a solid qualifying session on Saturday afternoon. I don’t know how it will suit our car this year. Last year we were not very strong there. I think we know the reasons and for sure our car is better this year, but is it good enough to be fighting for a win? We will see on Sunday.”
Additionally, the Lotus team has yet to make a decision on whether to use its “double DRS” or Drag Reduction Device this race, according to F1 Fanatic and trackside operations director Alan Permane. It understandably aids the car on long straights but hinders in the corners in the fight for mechanical grip.
Still, Raikkonen’s one of the most experienced at Spa and praises the challenge it presents, especially in an era of watered-down, sanitized circuits that have popped up with increased frequency on the Formula One calendar.
“For me there have only been good memories from Spa and it’s great to go racing there,” he said. “You can’t get the same kind of a feeling anywhere else. It’s great to race with a modern racing car at a proper circuit which has such a great tradition. I bet every driver likes Spa. For me it is the greatest racing circuit in the world. It is my favorite place. I have liked the place since my first ever visit there in 2000 with Formula Renault.”
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