What I want to talk about today is related to what happened after the Spanish GP.
Everything went well, brilliant race, excellent work done by Felipe, undisputed and unchallenged victory and everybody is happy, but… yes, there is a “but”. I’m sure someone amongst you can already see what I want to say; for the others I want to be a bit more explicit. I’m talking about how much Kimi Raikkonen presumably is liked, or better, is not liked inside the team and by the tisofi.
I want to talk to you about that issue, because it is something I really want to talk about. The press campaign concerning the Finnish driver, which is on its way, seems really unfair to me. Personally, as many amongst you might know, I never liked those cool, “aseptic” drivers, just like Schumacher, whom I always have seen as slightly too “detached”, especially during the first years of his career. Although today things seem a little bit different to me. We all know Kimi’s nature and also his value as a driver – which is, I’d say, extraordinary high. It is exactly his reserved way and being concentrated on his job, which can make him to be liked by someone and to be disliked by someone else. Just the way it happens with every work all over the world in every company around the world. That does not mean in any way, that inside the team the members have to side with one or the other driver; I think that would be absolutely irrational.
Especially, because until last year we could hear exactly the opposite, when Felipe had Michael as his teammate. As far as the public is concerned, the only thing that matters is the result. As soon as Kimi has completed his apprenticeship with the F2007 and the new Bridgestone compounds, there will be tears; and I’m even ready to bet on it… what do you think???