Shumacher 'no problem' with Kimi

By Nikos
September 1 2005

It has been talked about for a while now, but Kimi to Ferrari? Does it seem likely, will he stay at McLaren? Are the disappointments from McLaren in 2003, 2004 and possibly 2005 going to send him packing? Is next season pivotal for his decision where he will drive in 2007? Read on to find out…

Schumacher ‘no problem’ with Raikkonen
As his team-mate at Ferrari in 2007

Kimi & Schumi
Could they be team-mates in 2007 at Ferrari?
Germany's seven-time Formula One world champion Michael Schumacher claims he is not opposed to having Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen as his Ferrari team partner for the 2007 season.

The 36-year-old Schumacher has always been the undisputed number one with the Italian team - with a lesser known driver providing back-up rather than competition - but he insists he would not be afraid of having the capable Raikkonen as his Ferrari wing man.

"I would have no problem driving with him (Raikkonen) at Ferrari," Schumacher said in the Berliner Morgenpost.

Mercedes star Raikkonen, 25, recently denied a report in German newspaper Bild that he had signed a pre-contract to race for Ferrari in 2007. It is still unclear whether Schumacher plans to continue racing in 2007 with his manager Willi Weber revealing a decision would not be made until early 2006.

"Michael will decide between March and April 2006 whether he will drive in 2007," Weber informed Bild daily.

Schumacher lies 40 points behind Spaniard Fernando Alonso in the world championship standings but insists he is not angling for a move from Ferrari when his contract expires in 2006.

"I want to state that I am still happy at Ferrari regardless of the results at the moment," Schumacher told his homepage www.michael-schumacher.rtl.de. "I am also not thinking of leaving Ferrari and joining another team. To be honest I do not know how often I have said that but nothing changes."

Schumacher was recently linked with a move to McLaren - where he would link up with Raikkonen - after meeting with the team's sporting chief Norbert Haug


I think it is safe to assume that Raikkonen will be staying at McLaren, not going off to Ferrari.
However, if McLaren fail to deliver him a title next year Ron Dennis should help Kimi pack his bags now, as surely the disapointment of 2003, 2004 and maybe even 2005 - where McLaren clearly have the fastest car but for various reasons throughout the season couldn't capitalise.

At the start of the season the car was poor at the 'hot-lap' qualifying system, when Mercedes introduced the new engine - coincidence or not - the reliability of the MP4-20 took a downward turn.
Now with 5 races remaining, McLaren are only 9 points adrift of Renault, but Kimi is a massive 24 points adrift of Alonso.

Alonso was also rumoured to go off to Ferrari, would we expect to see Alonso & Kimi at Ferrari in '07 or just the one?


Your Thoughts

Bookmark or share this story with: