Ferrari boss says it’s ‘too early’ to make a call on Raikkonen’s future

SPIELBERG, AUSTRIA: Ferrari will take a “holistic” view in deciding whether Kimi Raikkonen stays with the Formula One team next season, according to principal Maurizio Arrivabene.

The 2007 world champion, still Ferrari’s most recent, crashed spectacularly in Sunday’s Austrian Formula One Grand Prix when he lost control on the opening lap after starting in 14th place.

Ferrari have an option on the Finn, who is out of contract at the end of the year, but there has also been speculation that he could be replaced.

Compatriot Valtteri Bottas, now at Williams, and Force India’s Le Mans winner Nico Hulkenberg have both been touted as possible candidates.

Arrivabene told reporters that Ferrari had a deadline they were working towards and a decision would be taken at the “appropriate time for him (Raikkonen) and for us.”

“I’m not going to tell you when the deadline is but it’s an overall view that is conducting our decision,” he said.

“I am talking about performance. Performance means a kind of holistic approach. How is he feeling with the engineers, how is working with the engineers, getting points, podiums, how quick? ... many, many things.

“And now it’s early to tell him something or to decide something,” added the Italian.

Arrivabene, who has suggested previously he would use a “carrot and stick” approach with the Finn, said some might think he was too protective of Raikkonen but the season had not yet reached the halfway point.

“Try to be in my position and go to Kimi and say you are out or in. I want the guys to be concentrated on what they are doing today and to give us the maximum,” he explained.

Ferrari are currently second overall in the championship after closing the performance gap with Mercedes since last season.

Raikkonen finished second in Bahrain while teammate and four-times champion Sebastian Vettel, brought in from Red Bull at the end of last season, won in Malaysia.

Raikkonen dismissed speculation about his future last week, responding angrily to speculation that he night have to take a pay cut to stay on.

“You don’t know the contract but you write stuff. You write stuff that’s not true,” he told reporters. “Maybe you should start writing some things that make sense.”

Arrivabene also said that he is sticking to his target of three wins this season despite the halfway point looming and Mercedes chalking up their fifth one-two finish in eight races. “I said we want to win three races and I’m still here. We want to win three races,” he said, adding that he still felt it possible.

The Red Bull Ring witnessed the second race in a row without a Ferrari driver on the podium and the seventh Mercedes win of the campaign.

Dominant champions Mercedes also completed a year of pole positions, with Lewis Hamilton chalking up his seventh of the season before losing out to determined teammate Nico Rosberg in the race.

Arrivabene had said before the opener in Australia that he would be happy if Ferrari won three races and his statement looked more achievable after Vettel’s victory in Malaysia.

Four times champion Vettel was on the podium five times in his first six races for Ferrari and arguably should have been there again in Canada and Austria had circumstances not conspired against him.

In Montreal, the German had to fight from 18th place to fifth after a grid penalty and problems in qualifying and in Austria was robbed of third place when a wheel nut jammed on his pitstop.

“We were not that far (behind),” Arrivabene said. “I have to say, Sebastian made a very good race. Mercedes are still stronger, we threw away one more time the podium for a stupid piece that we need to fix as soon as possible. For me it is not acceptable.”

Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne said Vettel, was delivering everything the team had hoped for.

“I think Sebastian is doing a phenomenal job. I’m incredibly proud of the kid,” he said “I think the car is going to get better and better. Unfortunately we started late, which is unfortunate, so we are making up lost ground,” he added.

“But I feel relatively comfortable that by the time we hit Monza (Ferrari’s home Italian Grand Prix in September) we are going to be in a much stronger position than we have been in all season.” – Reuters