Kimi and Massa given equal chances again
Kimi Raikkonen is getting ready to face the new challenges.
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I believe next year slick tyres will be the key factor in the title hunt. At the moment though, we can only try them with the old car. We have to wait until January for the new car before we know how much better the slicks will handle, Raikkonen spelucated on Sunday at Mugello.
- I'm sure the new car next year will suite better my driving style. The cars designed under the new regulations should also make races more interesting and we should see more overtaking.
Felipe Massa is also happy to see the grippy slicks return to F1.
- Slick tyres is definitely the best rule change for the next season. The new tyres improve grip significantly and it'll be easier to try to overtake.
Raikkonen was playing a supporting role to Massa for the last two races, but the Brazilian knows that at the beginning of the next season he'll be on his own again.
- Kimi and I will be treated equally again next year in Melbourne. That's the right way to do it.
- The season start wasn't too easy for me. We were unlucky in Australia, and in Malaysia I made a mistake. But surely that wasn't the end of the world. I knew we had a magnificent car, very strong team, and that we were working well together with Kimi.
- Last year I didn't have the opportunity to fight for the title at the end of the season, but this year I had. The way the season ended was very exciting and I had no chance but to accept that even after winning a race you might lose it, Massa philosophised.
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Raikkonen admits he didn't give his best :scratch:
The F1 season of Kimi Raikkonen ended up in a disappointment as the 2007 world champion finished only third in the final standings.
McLaren's Lewis Hamilton grabbed the title with a minimal margin before Raikkonen's team mate Felipe Massa. Raikkonen admits it was difficult to keep up the motivation in the closing stages of the season as he couldn't drive flat out. Team mate Massa was fighting for the title all the way up to the season finale.
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You know it yourself when you're driving for third place and basically unable to do anything, so you won't even drive the whole race with the same pace as you would normally, Raikkonen admits to MTV3.
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Of course if you're fighting for a position, you'll try as long as you can, like I did in Brazil. And if you're not actually allowed to overtake anyone and such, that's not too interesting, Raikkonen continues.
Raikkonen wants gradually to forget the 2008 season. He's confindent about the future and believes that the Italian squad will get their car into a better shape for the next season.
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Surely, it's not the same when you're in a good position for the championship and actually driving for it. I'm quite sure we'll get a strong season next year. Let's try and improve, Raikkonen says.
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Ferrari delighted of Kimi's honest attitude 
:yes::yes::yes:
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The F1 season ended last weekend, but the drivers' work with the media and the sponsors continues. Ferrari's spokesman Luca Colojanni is happy with the job Kimi Raikkonen is doing outside the races.
- Kimi is a true professional. He always follows the schedules given by the media and the sponsors, Colojanni said to MTV3.
Especially in Italy people are often baffled by Kimi's way with words as he doesn't speak too much.
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It's true that he's not the most talkative person in the world. There are also good sides in it. When he has something to say, he really says it and won't start playing with the words. I like working with Kimi. He's a nice guy, unk:Colojanni stated.
Through the already ended 2008 season the Italian press occasionally critisised Raikkonen's performances with some harsh words. This hasn't surprised the Ferrari team.
- This season was tough for him and critisism did increase. We knew to expect it as this is how it's always been, Colojanni expressed.
Before leaving Ferrari's spokesman yet again gave praise to Kimi's faithful and honest attitude.
- The picture you get from Kimi is real. He's not showing off. He's not putting on any special role for the media or when he's being friendly to people. Even if he was in bad mood he behaves professionally. There's nothing to improve, :yes::yes:Colojanni convinced.
