Raikkonen surprised by Ferrari F1 boss Domenicali's departure
Kimi Raikkonen has admitted Stefano Domenicali's departure from the Ferrari Formula 1 team took him by surprise, though he does not think it will disrupt the squad
Domenicali resigned earlier this week in response to Ferrari's poor start to the F1 season.
He has been replaced by Marco Mattiacci, formerly CEO of Ferrari's North American operations.
"I think everyone is a bit surprised but obviously it was Stefano's own decision as I understand it," said Raikkonen when asked by AUTOSPORT for his reaction to the shake-up.
"If he felt like that, fair enough. Life goes on.
"He was a great guy. I worked with him for many years and I spoke to him often. But that's how it goes.
"We can handle this sort of thing."
Raikkonen said he knew little about Mattiacci - "I don't know him. We've probably met before" - but thinks Ferrari's management structure will ensure a seamless transition.
"He's got great people around him to help him so I don't see that there will be any issues," he said.
"I'm sure he'll do everything in his power to push things forward."
The Finn backed team-mate Fernando Alonso's insistence that replacing Domenicali with Mattiacci would not have an immediate impact on Ferrari's form, although he believes steady progress is being made.
"Even if you change things around, you cannot make a miracle because we know where we are and we have to improve. It won't change overnight," said Raikkonen.
"In the rules there is quite a lot of space for improvement. We can find quite big things suddenly. But it might be the same thing for other teams.
"We understand things better after a few races and we have already improved a lot since the first race. Obviously it's hard to see it when everyone is doing the same.
"I think Bahrain was always going to be one of the most difficult races for us. But we have improved."
Previous article
Thursday's press conference - Chinese GP
Next article
Rosberg planning 'clear the air' talks with F1 team-mate Hamilton
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Drivers | Kimi Raikkonen |
| Teams | Ferrari |
| Author | Jonathan Noble |
Albert Park Circuit Modifications Project
Mercedes-AMG F1 Team: Bahrain GP Race Debrief
The delay that quashed Aston Martin’s last F1 venture
Aston Martin’s only previous foray into Formula 1 in the late 1950s was a short-lived and unsuccessful affair. But it could have been so different, says NIGEL ROEBUCK
Verstappen exclusive: Why lack of car-racing titles won't hurt Red Bull's ace
Max Verstappen’s star quality in Formula 1 is clear. Now equipped with a Red Bull car that is, right now, the world title favourite and the experience to support his talent, could 2021 be the Dutchman’s year to topple the dominant force of Lewis Hamilton and Mercedes?
Are we at peak F1 right now?
For many, many years Formula 1 has strived to do and to be better on all fronts. With close competition, a growing fanbase, a stable political landscape and rules in place to encourage sustainability, 2021 is on course to provide an unexpected peak
How crucial marginal calls will decide the Red Bull vs Mercedes battle in F1 2021
The longer Red Bull can maintain a performance edge over Mercedes, the better the odds will be in the team’s favour against the defending world champions. But as the Bahrain Grand Prix showed, many more factors will be critical in the outcome of the 2021 Formula 1 World Championship
How Williams’ new structure adheres to a growing F1 trend
Williams held out against the tide for many years but, as MARK GALLAGHER explains, the age of the owner-manager is long gone
When a journeyman driver's F1 career lasted just 800m
Nikita Mazepin’s Formula 1 debut at the Bahrain Grand Prix lasted mere corners before he wiped himself out in a shunt, but his financial backing affords him a full season. Back in 1993 though, Marco Apicella was an F1 driver for just 800m before a first corner fracas ended his career. Here’s the story of his very short time at motorsport’s pinnacle
The nightmare timing that now hinders Mercedes
Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton took victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix despite, for a change, not having the quickest car. But any hopes of developing its W12 to surpass Red Bull's RB16B in terms of outright speed could not have come at a worse time.
How Raikkonen's rapid rise stalled his team-mate's F1 career climb
Kimi Raikkonen’s emergence as a Formula 1 star in his rookie campaign remains one of the legendary storylines from 2001, but his exploits had an unwanted impact on his Sauber team-mate’s own prospects. Twenty years on from his first F1 podium at the Brazilian GP, here’s how Nick Heidfeld’s career was chilled by the Iceman
