Raikkonen joins Ferrari for 2014 - team

Image
AFP Paris
Last Updated : Sep 11 2013 | 7:26 PM IST
Finnish Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen will rejoin the Ferrari stable on a two year contract for the 2014 season, the team announced on Wednesday.
Raikkonen, 33, the 2007 world champion, will drive alongside Spain's Fernando Alonso, the man who replaced him at the Italian stable in 2009.
"Welcome back, Kimi! read a headline on the team website.
"Scuderia Ferrari announces that it has reached an agreement with Kimi Raikkonen. The Finn will join Fernando Alonso in the driver line-up for the next two racing seasons," continued the statement.
He will take over from Brazilian Felipe Massa to form an experienced partnership who can boast more than 50 Grands Prix wins -- 32 for Alonso and 20 for Raikkonen -- and three world titles between them.
Raikkonen's success in 2007 was the last time Ferrari won a world title, after which British duo Jenson Button, in a Brawn, and Lewis Hamilton, in a McLaren, claimed the championship before Red Bull's Sebatian Vettel began his three-year domination.
Raikkonen left F1 in 2009, moving to the World Rally Championship, and was replaced at the Italian team by Alonso.
The flying Finn won nine Grands Prix with Ferrari, having also won nine during a five-year spell at McLaren, where he twice finished runner-up, in 2003 behind Michael Schumacher and then in 2005 to Alonso.
After a stint in NASCAR he returned to F1 in 2012 with Lotus, where he has won two Grands Prix.
The departing Massa said he wanted to remain in F1 but has yet to find a drive for 2014.
"For next year, I want to find a team that can give me a competitive car to win many more races and challenge for the Championship which remains my greatest objective!" he said.
Massa spent eight years with Ferrari since joining from Sauber in 2006.
In 2008 he came within a couple of bends of winning the world title, only for Lewis Hamilton to snatch it by overtaking Timo Glock two corners from the end of the Brazilian Grand Prix.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Sep 11 2013 | 7:26 PM IST

Next Story