Kimi Räikkönen: There is no contract with Ferrari for 2007

Finnish driver does not welcome F1 rule changes unreservedly

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Lately there has been a lot of public speculation about the Finnish Formula One driver Kimi Räikkönen joining the Ferrari team. Räikkönen, in turn, insisted on Monday at a press conference held in Vanajanlinna near Hämeenlinna that there is no contract between him and the Italian stable.
      Räikkönen’s existing contract with McLaren covers this season. The 2006 Formula One season will open this weekend in Bahrain.
      When asked about the 2007 team, Räikkönen replied: "It depends on many factors, not just the speed of the car, or money. A team’s effort as a whole is what matters. Let’s see first how this season starts."
     
The Finn’s future with McLaren became a topic of rumour and speculation after it was confirmed that the reigning F1 World Champion, Fernando Alonso, would join the British team after this season.
      "The news of Alonso's contract came as a slight surprise, but then again, it didn’t. It is not exactly unheard-of for F1 drivers to switch teams", Räikkönen ponders.
     
The upcoming season will once again bear witness to a bundle of rule changes being introduced to the sport.
      The most important changes relate to the size of the engine (apart from the Scuderia Toro Rosso team, all teams will use smaller engines than before), to the changing of tyres during pit stops (this will be allowed again), and to the new qualifying format (a qualifying system of three sessions of elimination will be introduced).
     
Räikkönen is not unreservedly excited over the changes being introduced.
      "I guess the aim was to make the qualifying sessions more interesting to the spectators. I am not sure, though, if it will be interesting to watch all the drivers wait until they are low in fuel, then change their tyres and drive one fast lap during the last few minutes of the qualifiers."
      Räikkönen also pointed to the likelihood that the above scenario will lead to heavy traffic on the track in the closing minutes of qualifying.
      The engine change means lower top speeds on straights, but the cornering speeds will remain more or less as before.
      "Some say the V8 engines are completely different to drive from the previous models. Personally, I feel that very little has changed as far as driving goes", Räikkönen says.
     
All in all, the Formula One hero seemed good-humoured and relaxed on the eve of the season start, while he was teaching the ABCs of snowmobile driving to a group of disadvantaged youngsters from the local SOS Children’s Village in Harviala, next to Hämeenlinna.
      Räikkönen admits his holiday season has been placid with time spent with family and friends in Finland, and also watching the Winter Olympics on location in Torino, Italy.
      "The atmosphere there was fantastic, great Olympic spiri", recalls Räikkönen, who admits he is a big ice hockey fan.
      He will be flying off to Bahrain today. The F1 season opener is on Sunday.


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