Highlights

Raikkonen will not change his ways for Ferrari

(Reuters)
Updated: 2007-01-11 10:39

Kimi Raikkonen has ruled out changing his style after moving to Ferrari from McLaren.

Some Formula One insiders have questioned the Finn's attitude, hinting that he is reluctant to take advice, while Frank Williams suggested last year that the 27-year-old was not taking the sport seriously enough and risked squandering his undeniable talent.

But Raikkonen, who replaces retired seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher at Ferrari, said at his first official media event with the Italian team on Wednesday that he has no plans to alter his approach.

"I'm not going to change my way, it works well enough," he told a news conference at the team's annual winter retreat in the Dolomites.

"Even if I had changed my style it would not have changed the results at McLaren.

"The problem was not what I did with my training or in my private life, it was more to do with the car not lasting the race or not being quick enough," he added.

McLaren failed to win a race last year after Raikkonen, with nine career victories, had finished championship runner-up the previous season.

"I don't really mind what people say. I'm not Michael Schumacher and the team doesn't expect me to be. I work in a different way. We just need to find the best way to work together and I don't see a problem with that," said the Finn.

"So far it has been nice and easy and much easier to work with this team than any other in Formula One for me," continued Raikkonen, who made his debut with Sauber in 2001 before switching to McLaren.

"People said it would be difficult but so far it has been completely the opposite. I have only good things to say about it. I expect to have a good relationship and to have fun."

NO PRESSURE

Raikkonen, dubbed 'The Iceman' by McLaren boss Ron Dennis after the Finn replaced compatriot and double champion Mika Hakkinen at that team, shrugged off the suggestion that he would feel the pressure of following in Schumacher's footsteps.

"I don't feel pressure -- I had a similar situation when I joined McLaren," he said. "People will always compare you to the previous driver, that is normal, but I will just do my own thing.

"Of course Ferrari in Italy are big thing and there is a lot of expectation from the fans, but I will just do my best. I'm not going to be changing my way of working."

Raikkonen's lifestyle away from the track has been given plenty of coverage in the Finnish media and was alluded to by Ferrari team boss Jean Todt last month when he told French newspaper le Figaro: "Finns like a drink or two now and then.

"Since Raikkonen will be much more visible at Ferrari, we will surround him with affection and attention. If he wants to down a few with his mates, we would ask him to do it discretely," he said.