Driver Matchup: Alonso vs Raikkonen (2014)

[Zhroom]

I love that Ferrari 2+1 situation. It's been a long time, when Alonso was last time not the Nro.1 driver. I think he's not too good team player, and he cannot keep the mouth shut never. McLaren scandal, crashgate thing, speak bad about Ferrari etc. Last time when Räikkönen left the Scuderia, it was only about money. Like Räikkönen said: My results or my driving wasn't the reason to left the team. It was pure money talk deal. People who dont believe that, maybe they got their own things going on, but how they want to take him back, if he is not good enough, cause he dont bring any money to Ferrari. Shell pays the salary this time, and cover his back, what is good thing. No more backstabbing from Santander. Kimi can crab the WDC, but for sure they will crab a WCC with Fernando against the RBR's Vettel-Ricciardo pair. Vettel got a good chance to take a WDC too, but somehow i doubt those Renault turbo engines. I think that's the reason, why he didn't want that RBR seat. When Allison went Scuderia, it was pretty clear after that Kimi goes to Ferrari too. Allison likes that what Kimi can do with his cars, and Ferrari want and need the title pretty soon avay from RBR. Fernando is been a little bit a over rated, and Kimi under rated, but he likes it. He dont have any pressure, all the pressure is over Alonso. He's been talk a lot today about Kimi, and he's sure that he can beat the Kimi. I doubt that. Next season, please start soon. Vettel got the tight crab from his title for this season, and who can beat him now anymore on this season. Maybe Kimi in a Ferrari, or if Hamilton's got the Merc goes like he want, but still, no chance, no more. Next season is whole new story, after these cold Ferrari years.. Still a fan of Lotus at next year, but Ferrari-Räikkönen is something lot more than that. I just love that combination Ferrari, Räikkönen and Alonso, and i believe that they can race like in RBR, until the last few races, then they bet to a... Räikkönen to WDC-WCC.
Rgds, Drunken Finn

[mx_tifoso]

Spot on WB, I think LdM and Co are getting tired of Alonso's remarks about the car. But the pressure is definitely constructive and both will have to deliver more than ever. These two guys are in the top 3 of the current field.

Top 4 I'd say. Not getting down on any ranking, but disgarding Hamilton or Vettel isn't realistic.

....

I didn't disregard Hamilton.

Indeed. I also think this pretty much sets it straight that at Ferrari, no one is bigger than the team. And I think it hasn't been well perceived that Alonso, who many regard as the most complete driver on the grid, is better than what the team has been offering (even if there is some truth to that). With Kimi aboard, they can shift focus away from Alonso a bit. ...

I find this situation very much like in Barcelona where they already have Messi but they did suffer because they depended too much on him; so to resolve this they brought in Neymar. I realize that it's not a direct comparison of driver/player level but the situation does have a lot in common.

[Juzh]

Spot on WB, I think LdM and Co are getting tired of Alonso's remarks about the car. But the pressure is definitely constructive and both will have to deliver more than ever. These two guys are in the top 3 of the current field.

Top 4 I'd say. Not getting down on any ranking, but disgarding Hamilton or Vettel isn't realistic.

....

I didn't disregard Hamilton.

You quite clearly have in this case.

[turbof1]

I didn't disregard Hamilton.

So it's Vettel you disregarded, interesting . Well, you did say top 3, and because you were only talking about Kimi and Fernando, only spot could be left for either Vettel or Hamilton. Now we could try to cross-breed the 2 so that they can in some way fit in 1 spot, but I think we would get several ethical BS organisations on us .

But enough kidding around. Obviously just a honest mistake on your part.

[beelsebob]

Top 4 I'd say. Not getting down on any ranking, but disgarding Hamilton or Vettel isn't realistic.

....

I didn't disregard Hamilton.

You quite clearly have in this case.

Pretty sure he didn't – pretty sure he disregarded Vettel.

[Zhroom]

I give a now lot of respect to Luca Di Montezemolo. He show that he's a good leader, he gave a official apology from that he(Luca) was wrong, when he buy him(Räikkönen) out after 2009. Räikkönen want it that official apology from Luca, and it's signed to the deal too. Luca admitted that he made wrong move, and he was sorry from that what hapend. But it's a history now, and i give a lot of respect for Luca now. Räikkönen need to do more official work at Ferrari, than in the Lotus, so he is motivated and he's hungry. Like he said, he don't take a step back against Alonso, so both drive from WDC, after WCC. They first bought Allison from Lotus, who knows a lot technical information/innovations about upcoming Lotus, and he know clearly after 2 year together at Lotus, what Räikkönen wants from his car, so it can be a bit help for Räikkönen too. New aero-lab is big bonus for Ferrari too, if they know how to use it perfectly, and get right data out from it. It's very interested to see what will gonna hapend inside the Ferrari. If they are lucky, Räikkönen can be a bit relaxiting piece in Ferrari's next year F1-puzzle. They are professionals(Kimi&Fernando), but they both propably forget that couple of time, both want drive only to win. This is new era for Ferrari, that's for sure. RBR is a first time under a pressure after this dominating. Mercedes propably got good cars too.. Damn i wait to see what's gonna hapend.

[radosav]

problem for Alonso is that if 2014 car shows to be very good he will have at least one great opponent in Kimi, not to mention Vettel, Lewis or Nico. he has everything to lose and nothing to gain with Kimi coming in Ferrari.
for Kimi it is opposite .

[WhiteBlue]

I didn't disregard Hamilton.

But obviously Vettel. All Tifoso then. Booing what is better.

[ringo]

Alonso will wipe the floor with Kimi.

[maranello55]

Alonso beat Schumi when the latter was at the top. Twice. Alonso win.

But Ferrari biggest prob is not the driver, well they can bag more championship points with two top driver tho.
Their prob is their car.

Kimi is not known to dig the car. He just push with wut he have. Unlike Alonso

[Spacepace]

I see next year panning out like this. Ferrari produce third...forth fastest car but very reliable compared to others. And with Alonso and Kimi in the car picking up a lot of points.

[raymondu999]

Kimi is not known to dig the car. He just push with wut he have. Unlike Alonso

Even Alonso cannot break the laws of physics. If he were to push over the limit of the car he would either slide (slow) or spin (slower)

Besides, Alonso has never had a reputation as a good qualifier - his strengths are more in the races - and in many people's minds, it's just Massa underperforming that is flattering Alonso in qualifying these last few years

[ringo]

Alonso will wipe the floor with Kimi.

Well to add to this, Alonso will be all out better, but Kimi will bring home the car all the time.
This is now the strongest team in F1.
Constructors Championship guaranteed.
Kimi will be right there behind alonso, in fact i don't expect him to lose ground to Alonso.

[raymondu999]

Constructors Championship guaranteed.

Provided, of course, a quality car.

[zeph]

With the top drivers, I don't think there is that much between them, and it is mental resilience and form of the day that determine who is best and wins on any given day.

Raikkonen strikes me as being pretty unflappable, Alonso not as much. But I'm sure he has learned from his '07 mistakes and will strive not to buckle like that again.

I am inclined to believe Alonso may be somewhat better all around, but not enough to give him a decisive advantage. If he keeps it together psychologically, he might finish the season with better results.

Even if the Vettel/RBR stroll to another WDC next year, at least the Alonso/Raikkonen matchup should keep us entertained!


Oh, and people tend to give Newey all the credit, but I think Horner deserves early as much. They built the team together from scratch, and THAT is what has made them today's dominant force. Not just Newey's brilliant engineering. Like someone else mentioned, Newey was beaten by Ferrari for many years.