(© Ben Johnston 2015)
Scuderia Ferrari Team Principal Maurizio Arrivabene believes
that Formula One will see a new Kimi Raikkonen in 2015.
The Finn endured an extremely difficult return to Ferrari
last season with his best result being a fourth place in the Belgian Grand
Prix. The Iceman completes his running in the SF15-T today and his new boss
believes that Raikkonen is more enthusiastic heading into this season.
During a media briefing in the paddock on Friday, Arrivabene
joked that he saw Kimi smiling and laughing on Thursday and asked him if he was
ok. The Finn ended Thursday in second place behind Pastor Maldonado.
The Italian believes that Raikkonen’s new approach within
the team can be put down to the changes that were made over the course of the
winter which included Arrivabene’s own arrival at the team along with new
Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne. Arrivabene revealed that Raikkonen told him
in Jerez at the Maranello based outfit is working as a team now.
This has led to suggestions that this was not the case when
Fernando Alonso was at the team however Arrivabene was quick to pour cold water
on that theory saying that inter team politics did not have anything to do with
the Ferrari situation last season.
Arrivabene refused to lay the blame for what happened with
Ferrari last season at Alonso’s door saying that he respects the Spaniard and
that he knows him very well.
Ferrari head into the weekend in Barcelona having been shown
great pace over the opening two days so it will be interesting to see what
Sebastian Vettel can do over the weekend.
© Ben Johnston 2015
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