Martin Whitmarsh: « Kimi Räikkönen would be a good choice »

It will surely be one of the most exciting duos on the grid if the deal goes through between Kimi Räikkönen and McLaren-Mercedes, but harmony between the drivers is the number one priority for Martin Whitmarsh. Driver Lewis Hamilton has expressed that he is very happy with his teammate and friend, Heikki Kovalainen. The Briton doesn’t seem too thrilled about the arrival of Iceman, as in addition to having a serious rival for the title, the Finn would feel somewhat at home given his past with the Woking team. The head of the Silver Arrows team is confident that the Finnish driver would easily adapt alongside Lewis, and now that Ron Dennis is no longer there to watch over his protegé, McLaren will have no qualms about fielding Kimi Räikkönen alongside Lewis Hamilton.

« All these things we hear are appealing with Kimi, who is not calculating at all. He is absolutely pure and straightforward. Moreover, you see what you get with Kimi. Everyone knows he is one of the drivers who can compete for victory in every Grand Prix. I think he is technically underrated. He is a very strong driver in races, and I believe he will fit well into this team if we choose to go in that direction, » stated the team boss.

Added to this, Martin Whitmarsh admits that harmony within the team is the primary criterion when choosing Lewis Hamilton’s teammate, as McLaren will try to avoid the controversy that hit them in 2007 when Lewis Hamilton teamed up with Fernando Alonso. And it’s a factor that, in truth, plays in favor of driver Heikki Kovalainen.

« I think we are very happy at the moment because there is tremendous harmony in the team, and our two current drivers are not individualistic. They are very open with each other, and they are friends now. Teammates don’t necessarily have to like each other, but it’s not a prerequisite. They need to be honest and open and not calculating, which has been part of the necessary ingredients this year, » continues the team boss from Woking.

« We started with a very slow car at the beginning of the year and we had other controversies. Now we are competing for podiums, so I must say I am personally proud of the way the team rolled up their sleeves throughout the season. I attribute this to the true harmony between people who love working together. And for the future, whatever line-up we bring forward, we want the same thing, » concluded Marin Whitmarsh.