The Anchorman

For most of his eight-year Formula One career, Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen has been called 'The Ice-man'. It's a knee-jerk moniker that could apply to any number of Finns for their generally phlegmatic approach to life. In Raikkonen's case, it is not entirely accurate, and was belied by his behind-the-scenes outbursts when fortunes turned against him at McLaren.

However, championships have a way of settling and changing drivers, usually for the better. In just four races since taking his maiden title at Brazil in October, Raikkonen has changed from the Ice-man to the Anchorman.

The transition reflects the realisation that current Formula One is not as predictable as many assume.

Sure, it didn't take extraordinary pre-season insight to conclude that Ferrari and McLaren would once again lead the pack, that reliability would be excellent among the leading teams, and that drivers could be counted upon to maximise the opportunities that came their way.

Yet, even within these extremely narrow margins, there is still scope for significant swings and surprises. Kimi Raikkonen's 2008 season start - as compared to the same races last season - is a prime example.

In 2007, Raikkonen shot out of the starting blocks to a dominant win on debut for Ferrari. Over the next three races, the quiet smile of supreme confidence faded to frowns of despondency, as two minor podium finishes and a mechanical retirement in Spain dropped him to fourth in the title race, eight points behind surprise leader Lewis Hamilton.

This season, Raikkonen suffered an abysmal start - just one lucky point for eighth in Melbourne - before coming on strong. After victory in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, the Finn has consolidated his championship lead to nine points over Hamilton.

Part of that success hinged on Ferrari's ability to rectify the mechanical problems of Australia immediately. It is also partly due to the 2008 Ferrari being more suited to Raikkonen's style than last year's car. However, Raikkonen himself must also take credit.

Consistency was always going to be a key factor in the 2008 championship. No surprises there; Hamilton was already stressing his goal of scoring points every weekend before the season even started.

However, just four races into the year, Raikkonen is the only driver in the field to have made good on the commitment and increased his points tally at every Grand Prix.

It's also about more than taking points from every opportunity. Being able to stop the opposition's momentum is another deciding factor.

In 2007, Raikkonen's Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa recovered from a poor start in Australia to string together three successive pole positions and force his way ahead of Raikkonen and back into championship contention. On each of those occasions, Raikkonen started the race looking straight into the gearbox of his team-mate ahead.

This year, the Brazilian looked set to repeat the feat, out-qualifying Raikkonen at all of the first three Grands Prix. The championship leader stopped the rot in Spain, his peach of a qualifying lap capping off a weekend in which he had the measure of Massa from Friday onwards.

Kimi Raikkonen © LAT

Individually, these achievements and results could all be ascribed to luck, misfortunes affecting rivals, and the general rub of the green in Formula One. But Raikkonen has given the impression, all season, of being a different and more settled driver.

Throughout his F1 career, Raikkonen has responded to his rivals rather than dictating the terms. In 2003, his McLaren had the reliability to lead the championship, but ultimately lacked the speed. Raikkonen's sole win in 2003 was never a match for Michael Schumacher's half-dozen victories.

Two years later, Raikkonen had speed aplenty - seven wins, equalling eventual champion Fernando Alonso's seven - but lacked the reliability. Even for his maiden title in 2007, Raikkonen would concede that it was more a case of Lewis Hamilton losing it than the Finn winning it.

This season, Raikkonen looks set to put the whole package together, to set the championship pace and win it on his own terms rather than responding reactively to the strengths of his rivals.

Pulling off a second championship triumph, in more compelling terms than the first, would firmly establish Raikkonen as Ferrari's anchorman, franchise driver and successor to Michael Schumacher.

To his credit, Raikkonen has maintained a cordial distance from Schumacher while putting his own mark on the Ferrari effort. While team-mate Massa is in regular contact with the seven-time champion and Ferrari legend, Raikkonen is clearly set on doing things his own way and succeeding on his own terms.

Likewise, the reigning champion seems relatively disinterested in comparisons with Finnish compatriot and former champion Mika Hakkinen.

Raikkonen's win on Sunday put him level with Hakkinen in podium finishes (51 total). Hakkinen still holds a slender lead (20 to 17) in Grand Prix victories, although it took him 37 more starts to achieve that total.

If the Ferrari maintains its current performance advantage, Raikkonen will far exceed Hakkinen's career total. Either way, it is unlikely to faze Raikkonen. He will measure success on his own terms, not via the benchmarks of others.

His quest for back-to-back titles will meet a stern challenge over the next month. Next stop is Turkey, another track where Felipe Massa will expect to win again after commanding victories in 2006 and 2007. Raikkonen will also fancy his chances, having taken the 2005 win for McLaren at the first ever Grand Prix on the Tilke-designed layout.

After that, Monaco and Canada serve as a resurgent McLaren's best chance to swing the momentum in their favour, just as they did in 2007. Although both Ferrari drivers will be glad that Fernando Alonso has been relegated to the role of occasional podium challenger rather than championship contender in 2008.

Heikki Kovalainen and Lewis Hamilton © LAT

If Raikkonen can see off those three races without losing his current nine point championship lead, he will be the standout favourite for the title.

In years past, his current lead would not have inspired confidence. It usually wasn't a case of if Raikkonen's charge would falter, but when.

This year, there is nothing to suggest that he will stumble. Winning his maiden championship, especially from such a seemingly hopeless position with just two races to go, has given the 28 year old the precious commodity of total self-assurance.

However, it's not a gift that lasts forever. Winning his first two championships turned Alonso from rash and angry rookie into a calm and canny professional. Just one season of perceived ill-treatment was enough to bring out the worst in him again.

Likewise, Hamilton was the picture of calm self-assurance for most of 2007. When his luck did eventually turn, as it always must, he became a far less daunting competitor for his rivals.

Raikkonen now faces the same test. If he can see his way through the May minefield, there should be no stopping him.