Realistic 2015 Expectations for Kimi Raikkonen After Spanish Grand Prix

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: May 16, 2015

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At the Bahrain Grand Prix last month, Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen ended a 25-race streak without a podium finish.

Only one other time in his Formula One career had he gone even 17 races without finishing in the top three—and those were the first 17 races of his career, in 2001 with Sauber.

That streak ended at the first race of 2002, where the "Iceman" was a fighting third in his first race for McLaren, behind Michael Schumacher and Juan Pablo Montoya. And it was largely uphill from there: a world championship with Ferrari in 2007, a sabbatical and successful comeback with Lotus and 20 race victories.

But then he returned to Ferrari last season, struggled with the car and promptly turned in his worst-ever finish—12th in the drivers' standings. The unflappable Finn, it seemed, had been flapped.



This season promised more.

Raikkonen has a new team-mate, his friend Sebastian Vettel, and a new car that incoming Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene specifically asked his engineers to design around Raikkonen's strengths, per ESPN F1's Laurence Edmondson.

So far, though, Raikkonen hasn't really delivered on that promise. Yes, he was second in Bahrain, but Vettel has been on the podium in four of the five races this year and he won in Malaysia.

What is next for Raikkonen after another disappointing weekend in Spain, where he finished fifth and was unable to get past his countryman Valtteri Bottas, who recently denied rumours he is in line for Raikkonen's seat next year, per Autosport's Ian Parkes?

If he can get comfortable in the car, Raikkonen has the ability to regularly challenge Vettel and at least fight for the third step on the podium.

Against healthy Mercedes cars, it is hard to see him winning a race in 2015, although, as Vettel demonstrated in Malaysia, it is possible if the right circumstances come together.

Raikko...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Formula 1

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