Tuesday, March 13th 2007, 17:57 GMT
Former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn says that his team would have gladly picked Fernando Alonso as Michael Schumacher's successor had he been contractually available.
Jean Todt recently stated that Ferrari never approached Alonso, but Brawn suggested that this should not be taken to mean that the team did not want the Spaniard.
"There were only ever two drivers considered to replace Michael - Kimi and Alonso. Everything just fell in place very quickly with Kimi," said Brawn in an interview with the BBC Sport website.
"We took the view that the team was strong enough, and that speed was the most important thing. It was really between the two - and one was available and one wasn't at the time.
"You have to remember as well that Jean has got a long history with Scandinavian drivers from his time in rallying, and he likes their introverted, quiet approach.
"Alonso would also have done a great job, I'm sure. I don't think there's that much between the two of them.
"Alonso has won two world championships and has shown he can do it. But the reasons why Kimi hasn't are not down to him."
Brawn acknowledged that Ferrari will find Raikkonen a very different prospect to Schumacher, but believes that the change will actually invigorate the team.
"He's probably not as forthright as Michael was when he joined Ferrari, but Michael was a double world champion," Brawn said.
"They are different people. Kimi is a quieter person. But the thing to do with people like that is to listen very carefully to them because they often have an awful lot to say, you just have to give them a chance to say it.
"It can be quite exciting for the team. It's a new challenge and that can be quite stimulating."
Felipe Massa appeared to have the edge on Raikkonen in recent testing, but Brawn thinks that the Brazilian still has to make the most of his talent.
"Michael still had Felipe very much under control by the end of the season," he said.
"But Felipe has progressed an enormous amount and if he keeps up that rate of progress he'll be a massive competitor in F1 in the future. It's just a question of whether he does."
Brawn also dismissed speculation that his departure might destabilise Ferrari and prompt a return to the in-fighting that characterised the team's long title drought.
"We were, in the period I was there, able to implement and instil certain philosophies and all the people involved are still mindful of that and will instil them into the team," he said. "They are all very sensible people."
