“He doesn’t know how aggressive they are,” Daniel Suarez reveals his concerns and expectations for Kimi Raikkonen’s cup debut at Watkins Glen
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Kimi Raikkonen and Daniel Suarez
Trackhouse Racing has only been competing in the NASCAR Cup Series for two years, but already it has left a lasting impression and is one of the teams to beat this year. Trackhouse drivers Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez lead the Justin Marks-Pitbull-owned team to three victories and several podia finish this season, with its speedy Chevrolet wowing the rest of the field.
PROJECT91, Trackhouse Racing‘s suggested approach would simplify for elite drivers from other series to compete in the NASCAR Cup Series by providing them with access to resources and the No. 91 Camaro ZL1. Kimi Raikkonen, a former Formula One world champion with Ferrari, will become the first driver to participate in the project when he starts for the team at Watkins Glen this weekend.
Kimi Raikkonen has been learning the ways of NASCAR on track and in the simulator since the beginning of the month. Trackhouse Racing’s Mexican driver Daniel Suarez has been at the shop close with Kimi sharing his vast knowledge and experience in the cup series. Now the Sonoma cup race winner has come forth to express his thoughts on how challenging the debut race will be for the F1 veteran.
Find out what Daniel Suarez had to say about Kimi Raikkonen’s cup race debut
Daniel Suarez acknowledged that Kimi Raikkonen will be fast at Watkins Glen and pointed out that the racing part will prove to be the major constrain for the F1 veteran. He added that the racing part remains a challenge for the veteran as the test and simulator runs don’t compensate for real race experience.
“I think he’ll be fast. The speed is there, and the racing part will be a process because it doesn’t matter how much you practice in the simulator, it doesn’t matter how many tests you do; the racing part is the racing part,” Daniel Suarez said.
Daniel Suarez went on to say that the race part is different because of the fact that he is unaware of the aggressiveness and style of racing employed by the majority of the drivers on the grid. He reiterated that if you even bring in the best driver in the world to race in the cup series even he would find the racing part difficult and added that Kimi Raikkonen would be fast at Watkins for sure.
“It’s different, and he doesn’t know all these drivers. He doesn’t know how they race, he doesn’t know how aggressive they are, so that part will take a little bit. You can bring the best driver in the world, which would take some time in the racing part. I think [as far as] the speed; I think he’ll be good,” Daniel Suarez added.
Daniel Suarez went on to list the significant factors in NASCAR racing that can challenge the former F1 champion. He suggested Racing, restarting, taking care of your tires, taking care of your brakes, and pit stops… will be a challenging part for Kimi Raikkonen. He added that it would be a process for Kimi to learn all this as he has no previous experience in doing such things.
“Racing, restarts, taking care of your tires, taking care of your brakes, pit-stops…that part of the racing is what it takes to win races. That’s the part I feel like will be a process for him, just because he has never done it before,” Daniel Suarez explained.
Where do you see Kimi Raikkonen finishing on Sunday?
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