Kimi Raikkonen bemoans Alfa Romeo simulator work - 'no fun sitting in a bunker for a day'

Raikkonen, Alfa Romeo — Photo: © LAT Images

Kimi Raikkonen

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Raikkonen bemoans Alfa Romeo simulator work - 'no fun sitting in a bunker for a day'

New driver-in-the-loop simulator recently opened

Ian Parkes

Wednesday 1 September 2021 15:05

Kimi Raikkonen has bemoaned his work in Alfa Romeo's new driver-in-the-loop simulator which has left him "sitting in a bunker for a day".

The team is utilising Raikkonen's years of experience, and his knowledge of other simulators from working with previous teams, to ensure its own system functions correctly after it recently became fully operational.

Alfa Romeo is also calling on Raikkonen more at present than team-mate Antonio Giovinazzi because as the 41-year-old points out "it's probably because I'm the closest".

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Raikkonen, who is expected to retire at the end of the season, added: "That's the big issue in this whole thing now. It's easy for me to go, I'm only like 40 minutes away.

"Obviously, when it's still quite a new thing for the team, a lot of work needs to get done, and obviously I have some experience with other simulators, and I'll do it.

"They appreciate it. It's not always the most fun day when you are sitting in a bunker for a day, but it's a good group of people and luckily so far it has been quite smooth."

Giovinazzi feels the simulator is already proving to be an effective tool.

"The simulator is still quite young," said Giovinazzi. "Of course, we are doing some work, first trying to improve it. Luckily we can use it to improve our car."

"We are doing quite a lot. There's still a long way to go but we need to do some miles to improve the simulator and then try to use it to improve the car."

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