Raikkonen plays second fiddle at Ferrari, says Mika Salo

Former F1 driver Mika Salo is convinced that Kimi Raikkonen is Ferrari's de facto number 2 driver for 2017.

Ferrari's controversial pit stop strategy in last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix, where all signs pointed to the Scuderia favouring Sebastian Vettel, has pundits claiming that only one driver can bring the title back to the House of Maranello.

"Vettel has a good chance of winning the world championship," said Salo who enjoyed a brief stint at Ferrari in 1999.

"He's doing a very good job against Hamilton. Kimi is already quite a lot of points behind, so basically he's the second driver in everyone's eyes.

"Of course Kimi may not believe it until it is mathematically impossible to win the championship, but the team's interest means Kimi is probably the second driver," Salo added.

Prost and Alesi chime in on Ferrari team order dispute

However, Salo said that playing second fiddle does not mean that Raikkonen will be the subject of draconian 'team orders'.

"That sort of thing cannot happen anymore, although it may be a bit worse than a pit strategy or something else.

"We haven't seen it yet, but I bet we will if Vettel continues to lead and Kimi happens to be faster somewhere. There may be the need to change places," he added.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.