Raikkonen smiling and Ferrari drivers equal

Tom · Post 28 Dec 2006, 01:52

...In other news the axis of the earth has changed.

http://www.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/ ... 1539.shtml said:

Ferrari Sporting Director Stefano Domenicali has confirmed that the team will impose a conditional policy of driver equality next season.

Unlike in the past with Michael Schumacher, the beginning of next year will give rise to an unique Ferrari situation where the higher paid driver is not the incumbent at the team.

Felipe Massa has received support from within the Maranello based team after insisting that he will not be new team-mate Kimi Raikkonen's 'number two'.

Domenicali is quoted as saying by Focus Online: "Both drivers will receive the same material and the same support from us, at least at the beginning of the season."

Domenicali, meanwhile, reportedly promised that Raikkonen will be seen 'smiling more often' than he did during five years with a stoic image at McLaren.

We'll have to wait and see.

P1 · Post 28 Dec 2006, 09:41

As long as they drive equally, they'll be treated equally. As soon as one starts doing better (Kimi probably will), it'll be back to the way it was. Massa is a great driver, but I don't think he can keep up with his new teamate.

Ray · Post 28 Dec 2006, 10:19

Kimi smile? Yeah right! The only time he smiled a real smile was when he said he was having a sh*t on ITV.

Scuderia_Russ · Post 28 Dec 2006, 14:39

Who ever is thew quickest out of the two of them will decide who is the number two.

Carlos · Post 28 Dec 2006, 18:11

The Domenicali statement is just a manipulative statement mean't motivate the 2 drivers, and PR to heighten interest among the fans.
The number of times any team has provided equal equipment to 2 drivers
is, in my opinion , almost nonexistent -0- Nada - Never.

Smoke and mirrors. Just Show Business. I dislike that he assumes we are all naive enought to believe this ------------------

manchild · Post 28 Dec 2006, 18:59

Scuderia_Russ wrote:Who ever is thew quickest out of the two of them will decide who is the number two.

Montezemolo wrote:Raikkonen must win '07 title

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/56076

Tom · Post 28 Dec 2006, 19:29

Whatever they say my £10 is still going to Massa at the moment, I reakon car familiarity will pay off and I don't think he's going to play a supporting role to someone who hasn't acheived as much as him reacently, remember they were teammates at Saulber and Kimi always came out best, he then got a seat to the best team at the time. Fellipe is peaking much later but he's still got the motivation from last year, I think that if kimi has a bad start he'll loose his will again.

DaveKillens · Post 28 Dec 2006, 21:23

Many times a team starts out the season treating each driver as equally as possible. Then usually around mid-season, the points leader and thus the driver most likely to score the title starts to get preferential treatment, both in parts and strategy.
I still think this is the way almost all teams operate. Michael Schumacher's situation was a rare exception, 'nuff said.
So if Massa can put last season's experience to work and produce nice, big fat points, he may find himself leading Kimi mid-season.
Then we shall see how things play out.........

nudge · Post 28 Dec 2006, 21:57

DaveKillens wrote:Then usually around mid-season, the points leader and thus the driver most likely to score the title starts to get preferential treatment, both in parts and strategy.

i really find it hard to believe that ferrari would not be capable of running both cars with the same spec parts....for the larger teams, they can quite easily have the parts to run both cars identicle.
Strategy of course is a different matter.

manchild · Post 29 Dec 2006, 02:33

nudge wrote:i really find it hard to believe that ferrari would not be capable of running both cars with the same spec parts....for the larger teams, they can quite easily have the parts to run both cars identicle.
Strategy of course is a different matter.

But their budget is one of the largest - it has always been. They are not small team at all.

luisandregg · Post 29 Dec 2006, 11:43

Amid continued questioning about Raikkonen's partying lifestyle, di Montezemolo said he has no concerns about the Finn's approach to the job.

"It happens to everyone to get drunk at times," he said. "(Eddie) Irvine was a bit like that too. It also happened to a guy from Kerpen, no matter how difficult it is to believe it.

It would be fun to see Kimi and Jenson in the same team. They'd stop racing to open a night club.

waynes · Post 29 Dec 2006, 14:08

Ray wrote:Kimi smile? Yeah right! The only time he smiled a real smile was when he said he was having a sh*t on ITV.

wasnt he smiling in the ferrari pit at Jerez when he dropped in?

pyry · Post 29 Dec 2006, 15:03

and besides, that what theyve said every year

like when in a press conference when massa was announced massa said that there isnt anything in his contract saying he will be #2, so theyll therby be equal. rubens, sitting in the saying conference then pointed out that neither did he, and felipe fell silent

nudge · Post 29 Dec 2006, 21:43

manchild wrote:
nudge wrote:i really find it hard to believe that ferrari would not be capable of running both cars with the same spec parts....for the larger teams, they can quite easily have the parts to run both cars identicle.
Strategy of course is a different matter.
But their budget is one of the largest - it has always been. They are not small team at all.

yes, exactly...thats why i said i would find it hard to believe 'parts' would be a factor in who gets the best support.

Ray · Post 29 Dec 2006, 23:33

Yeah, he did smile when he dropped in at Jerez. But it looked to me like the "I'm the new guy how are ya?" kind of smile. Plus he had his arms crossed alot like the team told him, 'don't touch anything!'