Ferrari extend Raikkonen's contract

[fasteddy]

By Edd Straw    Friday, September 12th 2008, 11:52 GMT

Ferrari have extended reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen's deal to the end of the 2010 season, ending speculation that Fernando Alonso will be joining the team.

A team statement read: "Ferrari announces that it has extended its agreement with Kimi Raikkonen to the end of the 2010 race season.

"Therefore, the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro driver line-up remains unchanged for the next two coming seasons."

Raikkonen's teammate, Felipe Massa, signed a deal through to the end of 2010 last year.

Raikkonen has endured a difficult season in 2008 and his chances of retaining his crown look slim with five races to go.

Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo said last month, however, that he expected Raikkonen to return to his best form soon.

"All this criticism (of Raikkonen) reminds me of when (Filippo) Inzaghi was at Juventus: if he didn't score for three games, everyone would say he was in crisis," said di Montezemolo.

"It can't be forgotten that he's the world champion, and that last year he won in his first season with Ferrari, while many people never thought he would do so. Now he has 17 victories and I hope he'll get back to winning ways in the next Grand Prix in Belgium. Anyway, he's not a driver in crisis.

"Kimi is motivated and we must work to put him in the conditions to start races nearer the front, especially on these new circuits which I don't like and are bad for F1: you can't overtake on them, and nine times out of ten the man on pole wins."

[fasteddy]

Q & A with Kimi Raikkonen

By Jonathan Noble    Friday, September 12th 2008, 14:13 GMT

Q. It is looking very good today?

KR: It is probably the best that the car has been. Little by little we have found what we want for the car and at least today it was pretty good.

Q. You have extended your contract, are you more positive now?

KR: I haven't been worrying about anything. It was my decision, so I knew what I could do and what is possible. It doesn't change anything for this year or the future - I still try to do the best I can. And hopefully now we have started to find the way we want and hopefully we can get a good result.

Q. In the race conditions do you feel you are on a par with the McLaren?

KR: Today it looks like we are faster. I am very happy with how things are today.

Q. Was signing a new contract a difficult decision to make?

KR: No. I enjoy it here. Of course when you have a hard time it is sometimes not easy, but it doesn't mean you don't enjoy the driving, or I am not motivated. It is just not fun when things are not always as you want, but we have been working hard and getting things where we want which is the main thing.

Q. So retirement was never an option then?

KR: I never said it was. It was all you guys. It was not what I said. I said I had a contract for the next year at least and then we see after that. I have a couple more years and we look when the times comes for what happens after that.

Q. Why did you decide to stay at Ferrari?

KR: I always had a contract for next year anyway. I never said I was going to retire, it came from you guys. I still enjoy it. I still drive as well as I can. Sometimes when the results are not coming it is not such good fun but it doesn't mean that I don't enjoy it. It was not a very difficult choice. I enjoy working with the people, so I am happy.

Q. So an easy decision to make?

KR: I knew that I had next year so I could have waited even longer, but we came to a solution with the team and everyone happy.

Q. And you feel Ferrari are best placed to help you win another championship?

KR: I wouldn't go anywhere else. I won last year and we are still not out this year. I still enjoy it, even though sometimes it is not such good fun. When the results are not coming, it is nothing to do with the team or me ? it is just that we didn't get it right together. We are making things go in the right direction though.