Fernando Alonso is going all out to destroy his new teammate Kimi Raikkonen as soon as possible.
“In the first three races Fernando is trying to destroy Kimi psychologically. He will try, at all costs, finish ahead of teammate and get the team to rally around him,” Villeneuve said.
“Fernando’s plan is obvious – he wants to beat Kimi at all costs,” said the French Canadian. ”In the tests it was all calm, but in Melbourne Fernando showed his true potential.”
Villeneuve believe Raikkonen will fight back and insists, “Kimi is not an ‘Iceman’ – he has created this image to isolate himself, but like any driver, he doesn’t like bad results.
“But I don’t think Kimi fans should worry – he also had problems with the handling in 2007 but he still became world champion. I think the rule changes will even play into his hands,” Villeneuve told Germany’s Sport Bild. ”In qualifying, Alonso will be faster, but this year that’s not so important.”
Many people agree that Fernando and Kimi have well matched abilities on track and are exceptionally talented drivers. What makes the difference, in my view, is the attitude. Some fans might find cool the Finn’s laid-back approach. (Typical example: When the other drivers are keeping focused on the possible re-start of a red-flagged race, Kimi is changing to shorts and is gorging on ice cream.) The Spaniard is committed on and off track. Fernando beat Michael twice, when the great seven times champion was in top form and had a well sorted Ferrari. Fernando, like Michael, are able to win in an inferior car. Michael’s and Fernando’s involvement and hard work are great team motivators. “I don’t care, it’s not my job, I take the first plane after the race, see you at the next race week-end” attitude does not rally the team around in support and does not help cure the car’s handling problems. My prediction is the Spaniard will win the inter-team battle this season. Time will tell.
We also said in our analysis that Alonso will beat Kimi. http://news.playf1.net/analysis/what-could-happen-in-2014
@Groot: you might be partly right; but mentioning Michael schoemaker in this battle, doesn’t mean anything… The greatest cheater of all times, could have beaten always, had the Ferrari not been allowed by FIA to use all the dirty tricks possible, including traction control. Otherwise, you could see other drivers beating him as well… if somebody did not deserve 7 championships, it is schoemaker. If his ever was inferior, he was full of forbidden gadgets and dirty behaviour tricks when driving. Personally, I believe he finally got what he desreved, and I am not alone with such an opinion – ask Hamilton, if you don’t believe…
Regarding the internal fight between Kimi and Fernando (whom I both respect as the two best drivers on the grid), it all depends if Kimi was brought to Ferrari for real racing, or he sold his soul for the no. 2 for good money. I don’t believe Luca Will allow them to race each other equally.
@eurit35: I find your comment surprising, to say the least. I wish Michael fully recovers and spends many-many more years with his family, happy and in good health. I don’t know what to understand from “Personally, I believe he finally got what he deserved, and I am not alone with such an opinion – ask Hamilton, if you don’t believe… ” What should I ask Lewis? Is he the “chosen one” who decides the punishment or reward? If it is not the 7 championships, what is it you think Michael deserved and got? I assume you most likely mean that you believe a man must lay in a coma in hospital for 3 month, possibly never fully recover or even die in order to pay for some wrong judgment calls while competing in sport in past, like colliding with Hill and Villeneuve or for stopping in the middle of the track in qualifying in Monaco. Really?! And it seems that you also believe Lewis Hamilton shares similar hateful satisfaction. Did Ayrton also deserve his tragic end because he had crashed into Allan, in your personal opinion? I did not forget Michael’s mistakes on track, but I remember his career mostly for the many races he drove with sheer brilliance: Spa starting the 18th and winning in the rain, Hungary in 1998, France winning with 4 pit stops as opposed to 2 or 3, finishing in 2nd place in Barcelona with the car stuck in 5th gear and making a pit stop like that and many other. Did you watch those races? In his early days, he won races in a primitive Benetton-Ford with manual gear-box and foot clutch against experienced champions driving semi-automatics and who later had exclusive technology like ABS, traction control, active suspension and special fuel. Did FIA allowed those things that time to favour him? Sometimes the rules play into your hand, sometimes work against your strengths. If Michel is an evil man (in your view) because he crashed into his opponent deliberately and for his imperfect character he deserves his health or life to be under threat, then how good is the character of a man who finds satisfaction and believes justice has been made when another man is badly hurt in a freak ski accident?
So easy to talk man… so easy. Maybe everything you said is right, but just for a moment try to respect a person who’s in deep pain. My prayers for you Michael!