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Kimi commits future to Ferrari as Hamilton's appeal is slammed by F1 rivals
David Smith, Evening Standard12.09.08
Kimi Raikkonen, whose grip on the Formula One title has weakened rapidly in recent weeks, today committed himself to Ferrari until the end of 2010.
Raikkonen chose the Italian Grand Prix at Monza to sign a one-year extension to his contract with Italy's national team that, at £10million a season, had already established him as the highest paid driver on the grid.
By putting pen to paper the Finn effectively ended speculation that he would hang up his helmet either at the end of this season or next year, having given the impression he had become disenchanted with F1.
With Brazilian team-mate Felipe Massa also signed to Ferrari until 2010, Raikkonen has ended the hopes of Fernando Alonso driving one of the iconic red cars in the near future.
The double title winner is now expected to seek a move from Renault to either Honda or BMW-Sauber.
Raikkonen celebrated his new deal by setting the fastest time of 1min 23.861sec in the second practice session for Sunday's race, the first session having been washed out by torrential rain.
With the Saubers of Robert Kubica and Nick Heidfeld occupying the next two places on the time sheet, the best Championship leader Lewis Hamilton could manage was fourth place.
That was not the only blow to the British driver today.
With officials at the FIA confirming they will consider an appeal from McLaren against the championship leader's demotion from first to third in the Belgian Grand Prix at their Paris headquarters on Monday week, Hamilton found rivals lining up to condemn his driving last Sunday.
If the FIA wanted evidence to support the three stewards who found fault with the manner in which Hamilton overtook Raikkonen at the very next corner after cutting a chicane, despite initially handing the lead back to his rival, they had only to listen to those with an intimate knowledge of Spa.
As it stands, Hamilton goes into the Italian Grand Prix with a lead in the title chase of only two points over Massa, rather than eight were he to have kept a fifth win of the season in Belgium.
But Toyota's Jarno Trulli is among those who believe he would never have been able to overtake Raikkonen on the startline straight at Spa had he driven through the final chicane in the correct manner.
The Italian said: "The rules are very clear. If you cut a chicane and you get an advantage you just have to drop back and in Lewis's case he shouldn't have attacked at the next corner."
It was, perhaps, not surprising that Alonso, who endured a bitter relationship with Hamilton at McLaren last season, should put the boot in.
The Spaniard, who has had his own scrapes with authority, said: "I agree with the stewards this time. Sometimes not but this time, yes.
"Lewis needed to step back, do the chicane properly like Kimi, and then try to overtake on the next lap."
David Coulthard believes the crucial error on Hamilton's part was to attempt to pass Raikkonen by out-braking him on the outside going into the chicane.
Coulthard said: "The race track is defined by the white lines. In Monaco, you don't cut corners, you hit barriers.
"You can argue it was not Monaco, but the driver would have respected the corner if there was a barrier there. Lewis knew there was no barrier so he cut the corner."
Reader views (13)
People love to villanise Schumacher for colliding with Hill and Villeneuve, yet it was just aggressive driving when Senna did it to Prost and vice versa.
- Dermot, Cork, Ireland
all just mind games from some of the other drivers, it's getting a bit 'handbags at dawn'
For the record though, some of Hamilton's driving at Monza was far more aggressive than at Spa, so if the marshals are to be totally consistent, they either keep the Spa penalty as it is and possibly impose extra ones for Monza OR scrap the penalty at Spa altogether and re-instate Hamilton's first place, keeping the Monza result as it stands (personally, I favour the second).
By the way, P. Crispin, Schumi was NOT driving for Ferrari when he shunted DamOn Hill in Adelaide in '94, he was at Benetton (or maybe you are confusing this for the time when he tried to take out Villeneuve, when he WAS driving for Ferrari)
- Anon, Hong Kong
There has been nothing but complaining from Massa, Alonso and the rest of the Prima Donna's. Hamilton makes them look sick once the rain starts. With more overtaking on the track (not in the pits) this year than the past ten combined the old men at FIA must be having heart attacks. Maybe the usual parade has become the norm, let them race for a change. Schumaker shunting Damen Hill to keep the title was fine and dandy, but then he was driving a Ferrari. Being a fan of most motor sports, NASCAR and the Indy Racing Series have more overtaking excitement in one race than F1 has most seasons. This year has been the exception and great for F1. Let them race and bang a few times, otherwise it might as well be a video game.
- P. Crispin, Pago Pago, American Samoa
I totally agree, Jill. The only limit for Lewis Hamilton is his own stupidity. James, maybe it was in last year's Hungary clasification laps, when Ron Dennis told LH via radio "do as you're damn told?". As a very well known journalist uses to say, LH is sleeping in the bed he made for himself.
- Todd, worthing, england
Lewis will still go on and win this years F1 Championship. Dont you all know its things like this that push ambitious and hungry people to acheive more? Yes, the rules are rules and I dont think they are 'ganging' up on him, it is just another reason to penalise and when you have all eyes on you, you just don't do things like that. Its his competitive nature and haste that Lewis must control, look what made him lose last years Championship?!! Lewis - control yourself and PS - Nicole is fine, I am looking after her. 
- F1 Critic, London, England
Why does this report not mention that Pat Symonds who is Alonso's director of engineering at Renault, came out in full support of Lewis and said he made a legitimate manoeuvre? It seems the British media are not fully behind Lewis as they report half the facts. There is a petition in favour of overturning the penalty which has reached over 57,000 of true F1 fans. How come all those drivers think Lewis deserved a penalty when not one team reported it at the time? How come the race director gave the OK to Lewis's team at the time and then he was penalised later? I think race fans have been really short-changed as we want to see proper racing which is what Lewis is best at. Those other drivers should be ashamed of themselves as they have something to gain from criticising him. Niki Lauda, Sir Jackie Stewart, Eddie Irvine, Ralf Schumacher and millions of F1 fans are all up in arms about it because it was a travesty of justice. I wonder if Max Mosley had a hand in it.
- B Cave, London
The FIA are in danger of becoming the Health & Safety Executive equivalent in the F1 world. As well as stifling the F1 drivers natural competitive instincts, are they trying to take away the outragous monouvres, alah Schumaker, Senner, Mansell, Hunt etc that kept us glued to our TV's on race day?
- Richard Hartfield, Eposm, United Kingdom
What can we expect from these bitter and twisted drivers? Their real problem of course was, Hamilton made them all look like a bunch of formula one novices. Surprise! Surprise! Alonso says Hamilton was in the wrong, now where have heard that before?
- James Hennessy, london england
Everyday,we have drivers in India who could do such maneavours and get going .Lewis did it in F1 and blunder it was.
the guy is good but too rash."Something is rotten in state of F1"
Lewis do it right and win it.
Dont win cutting corners dear pal you are a champ indeed.
- T.K.Balu, chennai,india
I feel that first the way Hamiltons attempt to overtake was blocked should be looked at, followed by the way Hamilton handed back the lead.As far as I know there is nothing in the rules preventing a immeadiate overtake afterwards.
- Dawson Williams, Paphos, Cyprus
Oh dear,all these ' Ladies ' are so jealous of talent...
- Michael, Tiptree.UK
It was clear hamilton gave way after the chicane,and made a good and safe overtake at the next corner so i tink he should be given the win. In my opinion something or someone is trying to stp Hamilton from getting the championship.
- John Upton, Baudrevill.France
At last some common sense! Many of the drivers consider that he was harshly penalised but I have read of none who do not think that he was in the wrong and did deserve a penalty. If you watch the reruns of the incident as I have, it is clear that Hamilton gained a clear advantage, allowing him to pass Raikkonen at the nest corner, by cutting the chicane. This is NOT in the spirit of the sport. The hysterical outbursts by the British media and press has been embarassing to say the least. Lewis has been involved in too many controversial incidents in his short career. He may be a potential World Champion but his arrogance and refusal to ever admit that he may be in the wrong has begun to grate.
- Jill Besterman, Jersey, Channel Islands
