Here are fragments of a press conference with Kimi Raikkonen at the "Champions Restaurant" in Warsaw, September 7:
Question: It is said that Formula One has become dull lately. It is suggested that the number of competitors should be increased to three within one team. The same concerns the point-valued positions - what is your opinion on that?
Kimi Raikkonen: I don't think that Formula One is dull at all. Maybe it can look as such when the same driver wins every competition all the time but there is so much is going on in each race that you really cannot consider Formula One to be a dull sport.
Q: You made your debut with Formula One with relatively low experience in lower formulas. Do you think the decision was right? Wouldn't it be better to gain experience in races such as Formula Three first?
KR: I'm sure it was right. I had an opportunity to skip a few categories, I took it and I'm very happy about it now.
Q: Kimi, you didn't race too much in lower categories. However, you participated in many carting races in PDB colours. How does your experience gained on the carting racetracks affect your current form, in your opinion?
KR: The influence is enormous and noticeable all the time. Nowhere can a man experience such hard-fought rivalry than on the karting racetracks. Dynamics, minimum distances and ubiquitous skids teach the drivers very much. I appreciate these lessons very much and recommend them to everybody.
Q: It has very often happened recently that you fight with Juan Pablo Montoya on the track. Do you treat him as a special opponent or just as an usual driver like everyone else?
KR: No. As a matter of fact we have actually fought a lot lately. However, he is not special to me and I treat him in the same way as any other opponent. I like racing against him and do not consider him to be a dangerous competitor as many people think. I have never experienced anything silly from him.
Q: Who had the greatest influence on your carrier? Is there anyone who helps you, a kind of mentor?
KR: No, I haven't got anybody like that. I motivate myself alone. Just because I love racing.
Q: When will the Ferrari domination end?
KR: I believe it will happen soon. Maybe it will happen sooner than people can imagine. I do not think it could happen this year but maybe next year we can all race on equal terms.
Q: What is the importance of Mika Hakkinen to you and will he play any role in your transfer to the West McLaren Mercedes team?
KR: Mika is a friend of mine, my countryman; he won the World Champion title twice. I don't know whether he did anything in relation to my transfer last year.
Q: And now a very simple question, as it would appear - could you mention any Polish racing driver?
KR: Unfortunately, not. No name comes to my mind.
Q: What car have you got in your everyday's life?
KR: In Switzerland, where I live, I drive a Mercedes ML, while in Finland - a Mercedes C-Class
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