Alesi on Raikkonen joining Alonso

Whenever I tell my friends outside motor racing that I'm racing at Goodwood, I always say that I cannot explain just how incredible it actually is. It is always amazing!

I first came here in 2000 for the Festival of Speed. That is more like a big party, more a big show, but the Revival is a real racing event like no other. What makes it so special is that everyone plays their part: not just the drivers, but the public too - just look at the grandstand and the pits. It's the most beautiful event in terms of historic racing for me.

As a driver, you need a lot of respect for the Goodwood circuit. The speeds are high, easily reached, and in these types of car the high-speed conditions makes them very interesting to drive.

You need to think about the safety of the car when you're driving; you have to be respectful about that too. The attitude behind the wheel is not 'drive to the maximum' but to enjoy these wonderful moments. I think everyone would like my position to drive a car like the 250 GTO - I'm not an ex-Formula 1 driver in this car, I'm just a lucky guy!

I also really enjoyed being on the podium at Monza the week before; that was also a magic moment. I spoke with Adrian Newey and Christian Horner over the weekend at Goodwood, and I told them that all the boos were not against Vettel or Red Bull, it's just that the public there are all Ferrari fans.

I remember when I first moved from Ferrari to Benetton, I finished second behind Michael. I didn't get a boo, but I'm sure if I had to speak, like they have to now, I would have been booed!

Alesi enjoyed being on the podium at Monza, despite the booing © XPB

Red Bull and Vettel are doing such a great job, they deserve their success. It's not luck or coincidence they keep winning. Sure, last year, Fernando Alonso was unlucky twice at the start, in Belgium and Japan, and he drove a super championship but he didn't have the car or the speed to win on the track. This year, Red Bull are making perfect weekends with the car, the strategy and the pitstops.

Now Ferrari has signed Kimi Raikkonen to partner Fernando next year. Following the whole story, I think Fernando made a big mistake when he started to fight Ferrari. They had to prepare the team in case he wanted to quit.

When he was looking around there was no room for him anywhere else, at one stage it looked like he was thinking to have one year off. At Ferrari, they cannot have Massa and a young driver.

So I am sure they prepared the Kimi deal with that in mind. I know the announcement was after Monza, but I am sure they already had something signed when Fernando was upset and Kimi was available.

As I know from my time at Ferrari, when they sacked Alain Prost, you cannot criticise a team like Ferrari. All the big teams, with their huge effort and budgets, their image cannot be attacked by any driver.

How will Kimi and Fernando be as team-mates You know, it's like the beginning of a marriage. After the wedding we will see what happens - sometimes it doesn't last very long!

It's going to be interesting to see how they compare. I think the role of [team principal] Stefano Domenicali is going to be more difficult. Straight away he must be clear with both of them, although Kimi is not the kind of guy who listens to rumours or reads the newspapers.

Alesi expects Alonso to be pushed next year © XPB

It will be easy for Domenicali from Kimi's side, it's Fernando who will have to understand that the cake is now cut into two parts! I think Ferrari is not just looking to compete for the drivers' championship but also the constructors'.

Felipe Massa did eight years with Ferrari and he's done a great job, working hard - sometimes he was like Fernando's test driver on a grand prix Friday. Sometimes you have sacrifice someone to change the spirit in a team.

I think the comeback of Kimi with Lotus, after his years away in rallying has been amazing. He was not rallying like he drove in F1 - he was just enjoying himself with less pressure. He has been extremely into it since he came back, and Romain Grosjean is not a bad driver at all to compare his speed against. Some people don't realise that Kimi is a sensitive guy, he's not an animal in the way he behaves as so many people think.

I'm sure Kimi will push Fernando more next year.