Räikkönen: McLaren is the main threat
The Ferrari drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa believe that their main opponent, once again this year, will be McLaren-Mercedes despite Fernando Alonso’s move to Renault. Räikkönen won the 2007 World Championship with only a one-point lead over McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. An espionage affair between the British team and Ferrari dashed […]
The Ferrari drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Felipe Massa believe that their main opponent, once again this year, will be McLaren-Mercedes despite Fernando Alonso’s move to Renault.
Räikkönen won the 2007 World Championship with only a one-point lead over McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso. An espionage affair between the British team and Ferrari dashed McLaren’s dream of becoming World Constructors’ Champions again.
« McLaren will be a difficult opponent for us like last year. But we have to wait for the first two races to fully understand the situation, » said Räikkönen during a press conference.
« With Alonso, everything will depend on the Renault cars. There’s a chance he’ll drive fast. »
Alonso was replaced, for 2008, by former Renault driver Heikki Kovalainen.
Räikkönen believes that his Finnish compatriot can compete with the greatest. But he suggested that it might be better for McLaren not to repeat the situation from last season where Hamilton and Alonso tore each other apart.
« I think Kovalainen will be good. I’m happy for him. At McLaren last year, you had to fight both for the championship and internally to be the favorite, which is a bit more complicated, » he said.
Räikkönen left McLaren for Ferrari before the 2007 season, and the Finn has been somewhat evasive about the reasons for this change and the differences between the two teams.
« The biggest difference is that it’s an Italian team. Everyone has a different way of working. But I’m happy with where I am today. I don’t want to go into details because some people might be offended, » he concluded.
Felipe Massa, who finished fourth in the standings in 2007, is intrigued by the reasons for Hamilton’s downfall in China and Brazil after a 2007 filled with victories and performances.
« For his first year in F1, he went very fast. Based on the start of the season, I don’t know what happened in the last two races. It’s quite strange to have had an incredible season and to finish the way he did, » said Massa.
