Ferrari: Claims Monza defeat fueled by Raikkonen exit 'disrespectful'

Ferrari's Maurizio Arrivabene lashed out at the media for suggesting that the Scuderia's painful defeat at Monza was rooted in the team's decision to drop Kimi Raikkonen for 2019.

The Italian Grand Prix was viewed as a pivotal moment for the Scuderia as well as for Sebastian Vettel whose title chances started to fall apart at Monza.

An all-red front row at its home race offered the prospect of a resounding success, although Vettel had been surprisingly pipped to pole by Raikkonen.

However, a disastrous first lap by the German driver, marked by a run-in with Lewis Hamilton, left Vettel out of contention for an outright win ultimately secured by his championship rival.

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But the news the following week that Raikkonen had been told by his employer on the eve of the race that he would not be retained for 2019 led to speculation that the Finn had perhaps raced on his own at Monza, without any consideration for his team mate.

Arrivabene revisited the theory, but derided the media's claims, albeit with a bout of humour.

"Both Kimi and Sebastian are two great professionals with years of experience on their shoulders," he told Motorsport.com.

"They are not two kart drivers who have just started hanging out at the track.

"What has been said about the timing of this situation are assessments which I find disrespectful against drivers who are great professionals.

"Then, let me say, if every time that Kimi receives news of this nature he responds with a pole position, then it would be worth doing it every weekend."

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Arrivabene also clarified the reasons why Raikkonen was informed of his fate for 2019 on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

"I think it is important to clarify two things. Kimi has always gone well at Spa and Monza, and so Kimi was anxious to get from us an answer about his future," explained the Ferrari boss.

"I think that communicating a decision like that is more appropriate on the eve of a race weekend on a 'friendly' track, rather than at a weekend that promises to be more fraught.

"Ideally it would have been better to communicate during the summer break, but we were not yet ready to do so. And after Monza meant it would still be on the eve of the Singapore weekend."

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