Raikkonen accepts support role
After sour end to Monaco GP, Ferrari driver admits he is fully behind teammate Vettel’s title push
>> BAKU: Kimi Raikkonen is prepared to sacrifice himself in order to help Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel win a fifth Formula One title.
Vettel leads the championship by 12 points ahead of Mercedes rival Lewis Hamilton after seven races. Raikkonen is fourth and already trails Vettel by 68 points.
“When I don’t have a chance mathematically to fight f or the championship, for sure I will help him. I have no issues with that,’’ Raikkonen said on Thursday. “It’s about the team and the first thing is to try and make sure we are at the top with Ferrari.’’
Ferrari are chasing their first drivers’ title since Raikkonen won his only title in 2007 and their first constructors’ title since 2008.
In the constructors’ battle, Ferrari trails Mercedes by eight points heading into this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“We have a good car everywhere. Hopefully we’ll be at the front again,’’ Raikkonen said. “It’s been close every race this year.’’
Although the Finnish driver looked set for victory at the Monaco Grand Prix last month, his hopes were ended when his team brought him into the pits for a tire change earlier than he wanted. That left Vettel in the clear to race away to victory, with Raikkonen finishing second.
Even t hough Raikkonen was disappointed in the aftermath of that race, and made his frustration known, he now appears fully committed to helping Vettel when the time comes.
“I think we have very clear rules in the team and what the team wants us to do. It goes by those rules,’’ Raikkonen said. “Nothing has changed and we know exactly when things will go either way. That’s fine.’’
The 37-year-old Raikkonen acknowledged that Vettel’s consistency makes him the obvious choice as the team’s No.1 driver.
“Seb has done very good races so far and has been strong everywhere,’’ Raikkonen said. “I was not starting very well the first races. I was not where I wanted to be.’’
Meanwhile, Hamilton seems to like the idea of competing for Ferrari one day.
Although he is committed to winning his third Formula One title with Mercedes, and his fourth overall, Hamilton admires the Italian manufacturer.
“I’ve made it no secret I’m a huge fan of the team, big fan of Ferrari and what they’ve achieved in the history of motorsport,’’ Hamilton said.
“Who knows what the future holds?’’
Hamilton is in a tense scrap with Ferrari’s Vettel who leads the Briton by 12 points after seven races.
“At the moment I can’t imagine myself being anywhere else but here [Mercedes],’’ said Hamilton, who often speaks of his respect for Vettel’s ability. “I’m enjoying the fight we’re having with Ferrari and admiring them for their strong competition.’’
Victory this year would see Hamilton match Vettel and Frenchman Alain Prost with four F1 titles.
The British driver has 56 wins and is second on the list of all-time winners behind F1 great Michael Schumacher (91). With 65 pole positions Hamilton is level second with another F1 great, Ayrton Senna, and he could soon surpass Schumacher’s record of 68.
“The dream for a lot of sportsmen and women is going out at the top,’’ Hamilton said. “I guess you could say a lot of people stopped before their time. At the moment I don’t plan to.’’
However, he is already speaking enthusiastically about life beyond F1.
“For sure there’s things I look at and think: ‘If I had the whole year, there’s so much I could achieve,’’’ he said. “One of the things on my bucket list is to climb Mount Everest, which is maybe something I’ll never do.’’
So is another thing.
“To read 100 books,’’ Hamilton said. “It would take me the rest of my life.’’
Hamilton, who lives in Monaco, also wants to learn French.
“I grew up in England where schooling wasn’t very good for learning a language,’’ he said. “I don’t speak any French.’’