Arrivabene: Raikkonen is sensitive

16 April 2015 08:17

Kimi Raikkonen's secret is out.

The often unruffled driver renowned as 'The Iceman' apparently has a sensitive side that requires nurturing, according to team boss Maurizio Arrivabene.

Following a frightful 2014 for Raikkonen on his return to Ferrari as he found the car almost impossible to drive whilst the team endured a nightmare off-track also with the sacking of two team principals, the tide has turned.

With numerous other changes of personnel behind the scenes, and with technical director James Allison's guiding hand over the car since he arrived in the middle of 2013, the team and Raikkonen have been re-born.

New team-mate Sebastian Vettel may have stolen the headlines upon his arrival, especially with his victory in Malaysia last month, but the fact Raikkonen is again producing eye-catching performances is also refreshing.

The 35-year-old Finn concedes to letting down himself and the team in qualifying, but in races he has been outstanding, which would appear to stem from the fact he is feeling loved inside Ferrari.

"Seb and Kimi have different characters," said Arrivabene.

"Seb is a strong guy, very committed, whereas Kimi needs to feel the support of the team around him, especially the support of the team principal.

"In Malaysia I spoke with him after practice - and he knows me, we have known each other for many, many years.

"I said 'Kimi, if you are attacking for nothing, expect me to react'. Kimi likes this kind of relationship, where you talk straight to his face.

"He's called 'The Iceman', but actually there is part of the Iceman who needs you to.not massage because he is quite strong, but is very sensitive.

"If he feels the team is around him and is pushing for him as it is pushing for Seb, then Kimi can give us very good results.

"You saw after the race in Malaysia where we were jumping around like a kangaroo for the podium and the victory.

"But, actually, if look back at Kimi's race, it was wonderful too.

"The new news at Ferrari is we have a team now, but we also have two drivers - two very good drivers."

Vettel and Raikkonen are at least in the hunt for podium finishes, as will be the case this weekend at the Sakhir International Circuit for F1's evening race.

The heat of Malaysia certainly favoured Ferrari, and under normal daytime conditions they would likely have challenged Mercedes again.

But with the temperatures dropping markedly as the cooler desert air sets in, it will be reigning champion Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes who are again expected to be in the driving seat.

Arrivabene would naturally like to have the last laugh on those who believe Ferrari will have no chance of beating Mercedes this weekend.

"Catching Mercedes.I don't have a crystal ball, so I don't know," said Arrivabene.

"I know what we are doing, what we are expecting for the future, but I don't know what they are doing.

"At the moment they are the strongest team, and of course we are not going to stop our development.

"But as I said at the beginning of the season, it is not only going towards one goal.

"We go step-by-step, following our own programme, but we need to be ready at any time, at any moment, and then we will see during this season.

"As for this weekend, if I say 'Mercedes has to be careful, we are going to win, to give them a tough time', you see everyone laughing.

"We'll try to do our work to make them stop laughing."

Source: PA