Luca di Montezemolo Turns Comedian - Or did He?
Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo has joked that he wants Kimi Raikkonen’s slower and less motivated ’stunt double’ to step aside in 2009 for the real Raikkonen.
The Finn, who only a year ago was wallowing in championship glory having beaten Lewis Hamilton to the title in Brazil, endured a trying season this year, his apparent lack of speed and motivation mid-season triggering speculation about his future at the Italian squad.
And at the final race of the season in Brazil Raikkonen showed a distinct lack of pace – and by implication interest in the outcome of the world championship battle between his team mate Felipe Massa and eventual victor Lewis Hamilton.
“Kimi, was it really you in flesh and bone or was it a friend, a double, who raced for Ferrari in the final Grand Prix?” the Ferrari President said at Ferrari’s end of season World Finals event at Mugello.
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Considering Kimi was signed as Shui’s heir, & the bucks he pulls, supposedly five times Massa’s renumeration, Luca has every right tto go through the roof.
Despite the problem Ferrari had with the car in qualifying trim this year, & the subsequuent tyre temperature issues, Kimi’s performance, relative to the often mocked Massa, was shocking.
If anything Luca is being too soft, a well placed kick in the arse may be what the Finn needs to snap him out of this “don’t give a shit” attitude.
Consider this: Maybe Kimi’s lack of motivation was due to Ferrari’s lack of total support for the Kimster this year? Meaning that he expected Ferrari to push him as a clear No.1 as the reigning champ. Kinda like what Alonso went thru at McLaren last season? Only Kimi’s response was to go soft as opposed to going insane ala Alonso.
Just sayin’.
As far as Luca goes, he’d be the only remaining reason I could hold up as keeping me from becoming a Ferrari fan.
I’m not so sure George, Kimi does not strike me as somebody who is sensitive like Alonso. He seems more of a turn up & drive type of guy. I think, if anything, Kimi was just plain lazy this year.
He was not prepared to all those little extras that came so naturally to Schui, Kimi’s turn up & drive mentality has bitten him the arse.
I fully understand your points Peter, it’s just difficult for me to comprehend anyone not competing at the top of their game without some underlying motive.
Complacency has ruined many a champion in many sports. Which is why the hardest thing to accomplish is back to back titles in any sporting event. But in F1? The only dog of a driver I can recall of late is Ralf S. and that other slacker, Jacques “LeBebe” Villeneuve.
Maybe there was too much Aquavit and night life in his private life, or whatever hooch was his favorite. It’s just incomprehensible that he could fall off as far as he did.