Ferrari, Part 1
In his maiden season at Ferrari in 2007, Räikkönen held off the challenge from teammate Felipe Massa, and both McLaren’s, to clinch the title. As well as being his only championship victory, he is also Ferrari’s last World Champion to date.
Ironically, his championship win was helped along by his former team Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, who had a tumultuous 2007 campaign trying (but ultimately failing) to manage the relationship between Alonso and Hamilton – respectively, the defending, consecutive double World Champion, and his ultra quick junior teammate who almost became the World Champion in his rookie season.
2008 proved a difficult year for all the drivers, as for the first time since 2001, traction control was now banned. This proved a great challenge in the wet, especially at the British GP where numerous drivers – including Räikkönen – spun out several times throughout the race.
Kimi only achieved 2 wins in 2008 – at Malaysia and Spain – but a total of 9 trips to the podium was enough to secure 3rd in the final standings, behind Massa & eventual champion Hamilton, but it wasn’t enough to defend his title.
Ferrari as a whole had an unsuccessful 2009 campaign – their Ferrari F60 car was woefully uncompetitive in contrast to earlier years, and with Massa seriously injured at the Hungaroring – after a flying suspension coil, from Barrichello’s Brawn BGP 001, hit him on the head – the burden ultimately lay on Kimi’s shoulders to bring home some points for the Scuderia.
Massa’s injuries prematurely ended his 2009 season, and left Ferrari in an embarrassing predicament as they promoted their woefully slow and uncompetitive test driver Luca Badoer into the race seat alongside Räikkönen.
But it wasn’t enough, and Kimi finished the season only 6th, with a mere five podiums and a sole race win at the 2009 Belgian GP.
KPH car blog 