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Briatore: "Hard to win constructors' title with Raikkonen"

Published on 25 Oct 2017 12:57
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By: Rob Veenstra

Flavio Briatore has questioned Ferrari's decision to stick with Kimi Raikkonen for 2018. In Austin, Mercedes wrapped up the 2017 constructors' world championship with a full three races to spare. And Briatore, the former title-winning Renault team boss, says pairing Raikkonen with Sebastian Vettel is not a good strategy if Ferrari wants to wear the constructors' crown in the future.

"Certainly it is very difficult to win the constructors' title with Raikkonen," the Italian told the Spanish daily Marca. "To win, you must have two drivers who are competitive and then you identify who should win the drivers' championship," he added.

Even if Ferrari's Vettel wins in Mexico this weekend, a mere fifth place will wrap up the drivers' championship for Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton. Briatore says the British driver will deserve it. "You win and lose races, but a championship is more like the Giro d'Italia. "Lewis and Mercedes have been the strongest, even if Ferrari did very well at the beginning. But I think Mercedes did the better job in development," he added. (GMM)

TheUnsilientMajority

Posts: 2

No he's absolutely right. It's far more effective if you can threaten your no.2 driver into deliberately crashing and bringing out a safety car, which then allows your no.1 driver to win.

He knows his stuff old Flav ;-)

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Oct 25 2017 - 13:39

F1 News Kimi Räikkönen Ferrari

Replies (11)

calle.itw

Posts: 8,527
I dont like it, but he has a point. Kimi hasnt really performed as well as he need to. How many times has he beaten Vettel this season, not including the times Vettel got technical issues? The same does go for Bottas, but Bottas can afford to be a bit slower, since he can just blast past on the straights. And Bottas usually doesnt lose places on race starts, and he does also tend to be decent in quali. I just dont think Kimi has it anymore, sadly.
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- Oct 25 2017 - 13:38
TheUnsilientMajority

Posts: 2
No he's absolutely right. It's far more effective if you can threaten your no.2 driver into deliberately crashing and bringing out a safety car, which then allows your no.1 driver to win.

He knows his stuff old Flav ;-)
- + 2
- Oct 25 2017 - 13:39
mcbhargav

Posts: 1,332
Agree with Briatore on this. Ferrari would have made at least 50 more points with a faster driver like Ricciardo.
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- Oct 25 2017 - 16:06
ajpennypacker

Posts: 2,475
That's what Ferrari gets for upholding proven mediocrity. Raikkonen should have been replaced after the first year with Alonso. They just like having a toothless number two like Massa, Barrichello, and Irvine. But unless they have the advantage they had in the early 2000's they won't win a constructors championship again. I honestly don't think Raikkonen is even a top 15 driver right now.
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- Oct 25 2017 - 17:07
denis1304

Posts: 284
i think someone like Daniel Ricciardo in Ferrari would be 3rd with more point then Bottas, making Ferrari 1st in team championship, but if you replace Bottas in Mercedes with someone like Daniel Ricciardo, then you get Mercedes winning team championship even sooner :-)
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- Oct 25 2017 - 17:30
Barron

Posts: 625
I don’t think anyone understands (outside of Ferrari inner sanctum) quite why Raikkonen was retained for next year? (Much as I love Kimi).
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- Oct 25 2017 - 18:12
- calle.itw
  
  Posts: 8,527
  As I understand it, it was part of the terms Vettel set up if they wanted to sign him.
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  Oct 25 2017 - 20:56
- ajpennypacker
  
  Posts: 2,475
  Vettel seems pretty clearly as a guy that needs #1 status. Whether by contract or defacto #1 status by having a teammate.
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  Oct 25 2017 - 21:22
HForce

Posts: 1
I think Kimi has done reasonable job this year. Right now on pace he is closer to Vettel than Bottas is to Hamilton. Kimi's had a pole, a few from row starts, lots of podiums. He's lost about 70 points due to reliability and accidents that weren't his fault.
Hamilton, Verstappen and Ricciardo are not available and Alonso is unemployable. Is there anyone else greatly better than Kimi ??? Hulkenberg is overrated, Grosjean can still be a bit erratic, Perez is solid but certainly no better. Sainz is still tied to Red Bull, giving the driver options for 2019 Ferrari probably thought they could wait another year if they wanted him.
Ferrari don't like racing rookies.
Flavio comments are hypocritical, Fisichella, Piquet Jr, Herbert, Verstappen Snr ............... nuff said!
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- Oct 26 2017 - 12:19
f1ski

Posts: 726
I would hardly call him second rate driver. I do believe he will drive at 80% if he feels driving harder is pointless. This has probably cost the team points. Perhaps how he sets up the car and his input helps the team with Vettels car set up. Clearly when he and ricciardo were together at rbr the setup didn't favor vettel where ricciardo could make it work.
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- Oct 26 2017 - 16:38
tonda

Posts: 1
That is what Ferrari for being in bed with cigarette manufacturers. www.reuters.com/ar(...)onsor-idUSKCN1BF20I
www.thedrive.com/a(...)-deal-with-marlboro Illegal subliminal advertising...
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- Oct 26 2017 - 23:10