Vettel: no problems with ‘uncomplicated’ Raikkonen

2014 F1 season

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Sebastian Vettel says he has no concerns about teaming up with Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari next year.

Ferrari announced earlier today Vettel will take over from Fernando Alonso at the team next year. Raikkonen will start his fifth season with the team having returned to Ferrari at the end of 2013.

Asked in today’s press conference if he expects to have a positive relationship with the 2007 champion, Vettel said “I think yes”.

“Why? Because I think Kimi is probably the least complicated driver in the grid.

“In terms of performance on the track I think when we talk about the skills Kimi has I don’t think there’s a single person in the paddock who doubts his skills, including myself.

“But from a personal point of view on a personal level I think very straightforward, I don’t expect any complications because I think we have a good relationship but also I think we have great respect for each other which I think is always very healthy to deal with any sorts of situations coming up.”

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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25 comments on “Vettel: no problems with ‘uncomplicated’ Raikkonen”

  1. OmarR-Pepper (@)
    20th November 2014, 13:11

    Caption Competition anyone?

    1. @omarr-pepper
      SV: I’m number one driver, but you better not tell the press that.
      KR: Yes, yes, yes, yes, just leave me alone, I know what I’m doing

      1. haha :D yes!

    2. Don’t talk to me in the middle of a press conference !!!

    3. SV: “Did you say something?”
      KR: “hehe no I just need to fart”

    4. Vet: “Hey Kimi, since both of our cars sliding around, and we’re both not in championship, let’s skip the race & have some fun at Ferrari World”
      Kim (Thinking) : “Not a bad idea”

    5. “I said, I’m going to wipe the floor with you”

  2. I just hope Kimi would outscore him by the end of the season … Vettel is not that great

    1. nah, only 4 titles in a row, most of them won in close last races. His recovery from a first corner touch and spin in the last race could’ve been done by any driver in that car.
      But who knows – next year we might have 3 teams where both drivers have won the title.

    2. Based on Kimi’s very poor form in 2014, I see him outscoring Vettel as very unlikely.

    3. Vettel may not have been that great this season but Raikkonen was an absolute disappointment.

    4. Simple car logic for next year Ferrari: If Kimi can’t drive it well, then Vettel won’t as well
      If Vettel has a good feeling with car, so will Kimi to challenge. Either both are screwed, or both will compete against each other. My bet is Kimi will do MUCH BETTER in first flyaway races.

      It’s human nature, when you’re used to screwing with knife, and you’re given screwdriver, you’d be happy and do better. But if you’re used to electric screwdriver which does a lot for you, and you’re given screwdriver, it’s strange for you! – This is exactly analogy what’s gonna happen with Kimi & Vettel next year at Ferrari!

  3. Peppermint-Lemon (@)
    20th November 2014, 13:27

    Here is when the “complications” start :

    Vettel to Ferrari pit via radio “Get Kimi out of the way. He’s too slow.”

    1. Cant help but remember Kimi and Permanes exchange on the lotus radio ,

  4. Peppermint-Lemon (@)
    20th November 2014, 13:33

    SV: “You think this fart is bad? Wait until the driver debriefs next year if you beat me- THEN I’ll cause a stink you’ll remember!”

    KR “You can have my skunk fancy dress costume- I used to wear it on nights out in Gran Canaria as an alternative to my Gorilla boat-racing costume.”

  5. “Both Kimi and Vettel have difficulties keeping an eye contact due to their lust for sunglasses”

  6. Personally I think it was the best decision to team them up. It should create a good working environment and with their similar styles a clear development path for the car.

  7. I’m a big ferrari fan… Since the mid 90s…. But can never come to terms with vettel driving for scuderia

  8. They are good friends off track, I remember seeing a gif on Tumblr showing Kimi standing on the grid alone but near other drivers waiting for Seb to turn up.

  9. I think they can do that, they are very good friends.

  10. sort of remember massa-raikkonen pair back in 2007-2009

  11. They`ll be fine, both Vettel and Raikkonen are among the least complicated and mature drivers on the grid. I think Vettels relationship with Ricciardo this year has proven that the tensison between Vettel and Webber was caused by something else than them being difficult. The events before Vettel joined Red bull certainly didn`t help, him taking Webber out and Webber refering to Vettel as a “kid”. There was allready bad blood, and then Vettel starts outperforming Webber.. Recipe for a strained relationship any day in my book.

    Raikkonen never has a problem with anybody as he`s grown up in a hard school and realizes that you can complain as much as you like, but it won`help so why bother. That`s the opposite of a primadonna of which we have several in F1.

    I was pleased to see the realationship between Vettel and Ricciardo this year. What that really proved was that Vettel really is that character who emerged and was so warmly welcomed at Monza in 2008, not the character many tried to portray him as for he last 5 years. He`s honest and straight forward, but if you get on his wrong side he`ll be relentless.

    That kind of reminds me of the feud between Rossi and Gibernau in MotoGP. Rossi dived on the inside of Gibernau and was a little bit tough winning a race. Gibernau complained to everybody and his mother. Rossi didn`t like that and made a promize, Gibernau should never win another race.. Gibernau never did.. And Rossi is an easy going character if there was was one, but enough was enough.

    1. @kimiwillbeback As far as I remember, Webber was angry with Hamilton and not Vettel.

  12. For those who have not seen this yet. Here is the Mario Muth`s interview with Mark Arnall (Kimi`s trainer). Including a quite cool story about the relationship between Kimi and Sebastian. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIuiR-hhuaE

  13. What’s so interesting about the Ferrari pairing for next year is that they’re both top-class, world champion drivers, but they’ve both got something to prove, and there’s a good chance that they’ll be scrapping in a (relatively) uncompetitive car. Raikkonen’s not looked good at all this year against Alonso – same for Vettel against Ricciardo. A year ago, having Vettel and Raikkonen in the two Ferraris would have seemed unquestionably great for any member of the tifosi. Now – who knows? It seems unusual to have two world-class drivers battling for supremacy in a team that will probably be outside of next year’s title fight, but I suppose that’s an indication of the depth of quality in today’s F1.

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