( ACT II. ── Uncertain Waters )
chapter nineteen / The Standard
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BLOG POST ─ Formula Grandpa
( formulagrandpa.com/let's-dis... )
Let's Discuss The Räikkönen Experiment
Entry published by Gordon
Adiel Nkosi June 16, 2023
Would I have liked Mercedes to get their double-podium in Spain a little more convincingly against George Russell in a Williams? Sure. But thus is the life of a Mercedes fan these past two years. For the time being, I feel like I've said all there possibly is to say about our lord and savior, Lewis Hamilton. It's time to touch, once again, on the Räikkönen Experiment.
Let's be real ─ what else should we call it? Toto Wolff took a calculated risk by sacking the reliable Bottas and signing this unexpected little live wire, and while there's no doubt that it paid off, it was a risk nonetheless. She had the world in uproar, and we all know why.
Look, you've had your time to say what you will about male-driven sports and the effect of estrogen on the performance of an engine, and/or Räikkönen Jr.'s specific inability to find herself an engineer who won't be suspected of discriminatory sabotage, but that's not her fault. Surveying the information, you'll want to say it causes more problems than it solves. But Annika Räikkönen has won me over. Mercedes might not be everyone's favorite team, but you have to admit they take dives and come up stronger.
We are a Formula One family. Growing up as a young Black man in England, Lewis Hamilton was my son's hero. He still has his very first McLaren shirt signed by the man himself framed in his grown-up bedroom. Last week, my little granddaughter with dreams of playing for Arsenal went to school wearing a Mercedes hat with the number 12 displayed loud and proud. Not that you need to know or care about my family's allegiances, but I figured I'd share some of the insight that changed my perspective on things becoming a little different. Tradition works. But sometimes different is good. Sometimes it really, really matters.
Now, empathy aside, because I know some of you won't take it into account on pure stubborn stick-in-the-mud loyalty; if you look at the championship points, you'll see Räikkönen on a comfortable little ledge above her teammate. Her teammate, the seven-time World Champion. Points do not lie.
So, Mercedes, if you're waiting for her to snag a victory against Verstappen before you write up her contract extension, you're not likely to ever touch a pen. But that's not specific to her this year ─ I think that goes for pretty much everyone. So just go ahead and re-sign her. She's not going to look better anywhere else than she does here, in silver and black, with little Antonelli breathing down her neck from all the way back in Formula Regional. He's been Mercedes' little project for so long now that there's no chance of them ever passing him up in favor of anyone, bar Hamilton of course; but he's not even close. He's nowhere near F1, and hardly sixteen. Work with what you have, even if your visions of that little boy bringing home a championship trophy are still going strong.
Contrary to popular belief, victory isn't everything. I truly don't think Mercedes realizes just how easy it is to make a splash in the F1 season and literally steal headlines and attention for your team. The world is watching Annika Räikkönen and holding its breath.
21 upvotes | 109 downvotes | 322 comments
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INSTAGRAM.
anniraikkonen posted a photo !
Liked by kimimatiasraikkonen and 299,627 others.
anniraikkonen THAT IS POLE POSITION IN MONTREAL!!! With this we conclude qualifying, and my second career pole position in Formula One. Canada, you and I are setting up quite nicely to be very good friends.
comments
user1 CONGRATULATIONS!!! i'm gonna do so many shots in your name tonight
user2 I was absolutely SCREAMING at my television. Most nerve-wracking lap ever.
user3 Funny how she only gets pole when Verstappen has mechanical problems 🤔
user4 Worst two thousandths of a second of Max's entire life
user5 Let's hope Max decides to shove her into the gravel again 😙
user6 VAMOSSSSS ANNIKA 🤍🤍
user7 Something doesn't feel right about her outqualifying Hamilton so often. He's saying the car is slow while she's getting pole. It's clear to me that Mercedes has a new golden boy(girl). Sickening.
─ user8 Accusing them of favoring Annika is ridiculous. She's a Merc rookie and he won six championships with them. Hamilton was on used tyres and she was on fresh when she got her pole lap.
─ user7 Use your brain. This is exactly what they did to Rosberg when Hamilton signed.
user9 Petition to make this slag drive without a halo from now on :))))
user10 TRACK DOMINANCE (over max's broken car)
user11 Nothing I love more than seeing Red Bull crybabies get Annika'd lmfaooo
user12 Get off my timeline
user13 How long will it take for you to understand that nobody wants you here
user14 Box box forever forever
user15 Stop driving
user16 The moment she starts doing bad again you know she's gonna be crying and accusing them of sabotage 🤡
user17 Looking like three podiums in a row to me 👀🤍🤍
user18 Where's Latifi when you need him
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TWITTER.
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MESSAGES
( max + annika )
A. RÄIKKÖNEN
Hey mate, I just want to reach out and say thanks for having my back today during interviews. You didn't have to, but it means a lot that you did.
M. VERSTAPPEN
I only intended to set the record straight. You bring a challenge to racing, and I like a challenge. Good luck tomorrow.
A. RÄIKKÖNEN
You too :)
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( note )
was this kiiind of a bit of a filler chapter? yes, it was. but at the same time it felt like a necessary addition, or rather an update to what the first chapter looked like, regarding how she is perceived online.