Fernando Alonso welcomed new team mate Kimi Raikkonen to Ferrari, saying he can learn from the 2007 world champion.
“I have faith in Ferrari and I am happy to be able to work with Raikkonen, a driver who has a rare talent and from whom I can learn a lot,” said Alonso.
“The experience he and I have will be vital to develop the car: the most important thing is that we work together for Ferrari and that a red car is first across the line, no matter which one.”
Alonso, who was rumoured to be considering leaving the team during the season, said he was optimistic about Ferrari’s prospects with the new 2014 regulations.
“Maybe now there are those who believe that it would be better to chose Red Bull, but Ferrari is always the winning hand and one has to have maximum faith in them. I hope we can improve on 2013, maybe making the most of the rule changes to be at the same level as the best.”
Alonso added his preferred number for next year, when drivers will be able to choose their car numbers, is 14. “It’s always brought me luck, ever since I won at the age of 14, on 14th July in 1996, with a kart that had the number 14. Let’s see it if still brings me luck.”
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Image © Ferrari/Ercole Colombo
Lucas Wilson (@full-throttle-f1)
21st December 2013, 9:22
You cant learn a lot from kimi, simply because he never talks.
Angelia (@angelia)
21st December 2013, 9:38
Alonso can learn a lot from that. ;)
FLIG (@flig)
21st December 2013, 10:17
That ^
stefano (@alfa145)
21st December 2013, 10:48
cotd for me
TheBass (@)
21st December 2013, 11:51
@angelia Brilliant. CTOD.
TheBass (@)
21st December 2013, 11:51
*COTD
Lucas Wilson (@full-throttle-f1)
21st December 2013, 12:03
+1
BasCB (@bascb)
21st December 2013, 12:35
Thumbs up @angelia! I would say that was indeed a lesson Ferrari wanted Alonso to learn.
David not Coulthard (@)
21st December 2013, 9:28
Alonso’s going to learn how to “smoke” snus?
Nathan (@il-ferrarista)
22nd December 2013, 15:21
=)) Ahhh snus, thats the scandinavian chewing tobacco
Vibhor Maheshwari (@maheshvi)
21st December 2013, 10:01
Hmm!! so Alonso’s lucky number is 14 … and the next year is 2014.
Any guesses, as to what Alonso might be thinking right now?
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
21st December 2013, 12:18
“I hope Vettel doesn’t pick number 14”
WilliamB (@william-brierty)
21st December 2013, 15:55
…”and that’s why my second choice is #1. Mwu ha ha ha!”
Juzh (@juzh)
21st December 2013, 16:04
He cant take #1 even if vettel doesn’t want it.
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
21st December 2013, 10:03
I was 7 years and 30 days old
zak misiuda (@)
21st December 2013, 10:46
I was 74 days old… Still remember watching Damon Hill win the championship that year though
Ivan (@wpinrui)
21st December 2013, 11:58
I was -2 years, 9 months and 17 days old then… Don’t remember a single thing
mike-e (@mike-e)
21st December 2013, 14:59
I was 10 years and 14 days.
Dion (@infinitygc)
21st December 2013, 15:46
190 days for me.
tmekt (@tmekt)
21st December 2013, 11:47
I was about 2 years 2 months…I can actually remember being ****** about my dad watching races and not playing with me haha
Kim Philby (@philby)
21st December 2013, 21:08
23 years 19 days god I got old…
Robbie
21st December 2013, 22:24
34 1/2 years, 2 days.
PaulT (@pault)
21st December 2013, 22:45
44 years and 358 days. I used to watch every race but I’ve forgotten the details of most of them. Getting old sucks.
salcrich
22nd December 2013, 0:33
Unfortunately I was 50 plus a bit and my undying memory is of buying a paddock pass at Silverstone – wandering round the pits/ paddock then standing at he bottom of the Dunlop bridge and flogging the ticket to another fan for half price ( or what you could get). Everyone went away happy.!
Bullfrog (@bullfrog)
21st December 2013, 10:07
Great choice of photo!
Gaston (@gastonmazzacane)
21st December 2013, 10:22
Even if he doesn’t get any more championships, for sure he will get an academy award for the best actor;)
Fsoud (@udm7)
21st December 2013, 10:49
I was interested in what number Fernando would choose. He’s superstitious around numbers.
Hopefully he wins in 14 :)
Nathan (@il-ferrarista)
22nd December 2013, 15:24
Does anyone know if Fernando is a catholic?? (LH is certainly a practicing catholic)
David-A (@david-a)
22nd December 2013, 15:47
Is Hamilton really Catholic? I think he’s Christian, but I’m not sure if he is a Catholic Christian.
phildick (@phildick)
23rd December 2013, 10:00
He was probably raised a Catholic, but he said in an interview he’s an atheist now. First thing I like about the guy ;)
HK (@me4me)
21st December 2013, 11:38
I like Alonso as a driver and what he does on track, but boy sometimes he talks rubbish.
Robbie
21st December 2013, 13:46
Yeah I don’t know who has had the option to ‘choose’ Red Bull, unless you are a fan and can choose to cheer for them or not, but I don’t think FA has had a choice when it comes to RBR. And I don’t think FA has always had maximium faith in Ferrari, but what is true is that they will always be a top team…it’s practically written in the FIA/F1 constitution, along with the extra money they get and the extra veto power.
Anyway…don’t we have to throw out 2013, so drastic are the rule changes? I think Ferrari and Mercedes should carry the greater potential of nailing their package out of the box, due to their marriage of factory chassis’ to factory engines. That’s still no guarantee, but I’m certainly not assuming it’s going to be an RBR runaway just because of the last 4 years.
Robbie
21st December 2013, 13:49
Just to add…what I do like a lot is that KR is on the team and Ferrari have done a reversal and are now a 2 rooster team. Best move they could have made for the F1 fans, imho. They’re going to be great to watch.
Kingshark (@kingshark)
21st December 2013, 15:16
Did Luca di Montezemolo not recently declare Kimi was official #2 driver?
http://forums.autosport.com/topic/191376-luca-di-montezemolos-christmas-speech-re-kimi-raikkonen/
spoutnik (@spoutnik)
21st December 2013, 20:11
@kingshark Also found this (it’s in german, but google translates it well)
Timothy Katz (@timothykatz)
21st December 2013, 15:18
You don’t think do you, that Red Bull offered the seat to Alonso when Webber was retired?
JamieFranklinF1 (@jamiefranklinf1)
21st December 2013, 19:22
Pretty sure he was referring to Raikkonen, but that’s just me.
NotMyFault64 (@notmyfault64)
21st December 2013, 15:24
Preseason talk…. Just wait until Kimi beats him for 3 races in a row. I will give this “marriage” half the season until fireworks… Not that it would be unexpected, both these guys think they are number 1! It should be fun no matter what….
WilliamB (@william-brierty)
21st December 2013, 15:58
Like how to fool the fans waiting outside the paddock at Silverstone by leaving at 5? Trust me Fernando, I have a signed 1/2 scale replica of Kimi’s helmet that proves that doesn’t work.
pking008 (@pking008)
21st December 2013, 16:33
Fernando, always the politician. now he has to get the Ferrari garage behind himself by saying these things. Let the mind games begin. would be fascinating to watch how this one plays out.
Dane (@n0b0dy100)
21st December 2013, 16:41
Kimi doesn’t seem to care what other say about him. I don’t think Alonso’s mind games will work on him.
aka_robyn
22nd December 2013, 2:33
True, you can’t destabilize Kimi with mind games — but you can try to make the team love you more!
Swindle94 (@swindle94)
21st December 2013, 18:59
Can’t wait to see these two on track next year. Especially if Kimi gets the better of Alonso a couple races in a row. The two could not be more different away from the car.
Mackeine Loveine (@cocaine-mackeine)
21st December 2013, 19:24
Fernando can learn a lot from Kimi because the Iceman never talks and always makes actions instead of talking, as Fernanado does.
quads
22nd December 2013, 0:56
ALO being as usual humble and a gentleman. He did beat RAI to the drivers title already in 2005 and has beaten him comfortably, every season he had a somewhat competitive package since then. Besides, RAI was literally kicked out of Ferrari to make place for ALO – Ferrari, having first hand knowledge about RAI, obviously rated ALO much higher and the results since speak for themself.
Jono (@me262)
22nd December 2013, 6:01
a sensible assessment
Candice
22nd December 2013, 12:38
He didn’t beat Kimi in 2005. Kimi was beaten by his own car and engine that kept failing.
zoom (@zoomracing)
22nd December 2013, 4:34
People saying that Alonso can’t learn from Kimi because Kimi does not talk are missing the point. He can learn a lot from telemetry. People is going to be surprised next year, they expect fireworks?, there will be none,
Nathan (@il-ferrarista)
22nd December 2013, 15:52
Sure, but telemetry is obvious. Of course Alonso will learn from Raikkonen (that’s just Fernandos usual public talk..), I mean behind camera he really talks. Another thing is that they don’t have any negative episodes or history between them, not any that I can remember of, and I’ve watched F1 closely since about 04.
uan (@uan)
22nd December 2013, 5:47
People keep saying Raikkonen doesn’t talk, but that’s not true. He doesn’t talk to the press, but by many other accounts, he does talk (and a quite a bit as well) within the team and among different members of the paddock.
SauberS1 (@saubers1)
23rd December 2013, 16:59
It will be very interesting which driver will get more points the next season with the new regulations. Go Kimi and Sauber F1 Team!