Categories: F1 News, Reports and Race ResultsFerrari

Less politics after Alonso departure helping Ferrari - Kimi

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Kimi Raikkonen says Fernando Alonso's departure from Ferrari has led to less politics within the team which is pushing it forwards.

Alonso was Raikkonen's team-mate at Maranello last season but left for McLaren having failed to win the drivers' championship in five years with Ferrari. With Sebastian Vettel replacing the Spaniard, the current line-up enjoys a closer relationship. Speaking at the Ferrari Finale Mondiali event at Mugello last weekend, when asked if the partnership with Vettel is easier for the team, Raikkonen replied: "It is easier.

"I think we have a very straightforward, open working ways in the relationship. There is not similar politics that there was in the past and I’m sure that helps the whole team. We can work with the two cars doing different things and help not only both of us but the team and get a similar thing that we want from the car.

"It’s more easy for the team to push forward because we like the same things and enjoy those things, plus the atmosphere in the team helps the whole team to go forward."

Asked to explain those comments in Brazil, Raikkonen replied: "What’s there to explain?

"It’s what it is and that’s how it has been. The team has grown closer and working well together. All the changes that have been made have been the right ones, into the right direction. There has been a plan that everyone has been following. We still have quite a bit of work to be done, to be exactly where we want to be.

"The team is working better, as one team, I think you’ll get the same answer from all the people if you ask them. It’s one of the bigger reasons why we’re getting the results."

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Andrew Lewin

Andrew first became a fan of Formula 1 during the time when Michael Schumacher and Damon Hill were stepping into the limelight after the era of Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell and Aryton Senna. He's been addicted ever since, and has been writing about the sport now for nearly a quarter of a century for a number of online news sites. He's also written professionally about GP2 (now Formula 2), GP3, IndyCar, World Rally Championship, MotoGP and NASCAR. In his other professional life, Andrew is a freelance writer, social media consultant, web developer/programmer, and digital specialist in the fields of accessibility, usability, IA, online communities and public sector procurement. He worked for many years in magazine production at Bauer Media, and for over a decade he was part of the digital media team at the UK government's communications department. Born and raised in Essex, Andrew currently lives and works in south-west London.