Ferrari: Räikkönen can cope with Alonso
Interviewed by Gazzetta dello Sport, Stefano Domenicali, the director of Ferrari, painted a flattering portrait of Kimi Räikkönen and believes he has all the abilities to support Fernando Alonso this season.
The Formula 1 season will mark the return of Kimi Räikkönen to the Scuderia Ferrari fold, after an initial stint from 2007 to 2009 that resulted in a world championship title (2007) and a relatively tumultuous breakup between the Italian team and the Finnish driver.
Stefano Domenicali, director of the Scuderia, believed that K. Räikkönen had evolved and that he was now a different driver, very involved in his new environment: « I found him more mature, like all of us, more experienced, very close to the team. He has already come often [to the factory], and he will return to Maranello practically every week. »
But for the Italian technician, the most important thing is the qualities of *Iceman* and his ability to move in a highly competitive environment, as he will be opposed by the double world champion of 2005 and 2006 and Ferrari driver since 2010, Fernando Alonso: « He is aware of his abilities. Kimi knows which team he is in, he knows it’s a very important challenge for him, he knows he has to work with an ace like Fernando, with whom he will have to work in symbiosis. » A cooperation between the two world champions that has already begun under the best auspices, [according to the Spanish driver](https://exampleurl.com).
S. Domenicali spoke about the choice to pair the two men and the interest of such a duo to bring the Prancing Horse back to the top of the discipline: « Our decisions are made rationally, not emotionally. We realized the need to pair Fernando with a driver who has extra motivation and experience that allows him to handle a challenging season like this one. » And, in this regard, Kimi Räikkönen’s almost natural detachment seems to be a key quality: « A driver who knows how to handle the pressure of teaming up with Alonso and racing for Ferrari, where you are always in the spotlight and where finishing second is a tragedy. »
However, the stacking of names on paper is not enough to win titles, and the only truth will be that of the race: « Few drivers have such credentials. The track will tell us if we made the right decision, » he concluded.
