At first he was hailed as the prodigal son of Ferrari, but there has been little to be enthusiastic about in Kimi Raikkonen’s second tenure with the fabled Scuderia.
Having endured a layoff from Formula One after being dismissed from Ferrari in 2009, the 2007 world champion returned to Maranello in 2014 after a short spell with Lotus following his 2012 comeback.
Much has been made of the Finn’s results during this second coming, and there has been plenty of criticism about Ferrari retention of his services up until this point.
Seven podiums have been yielded across the four years, with zero achieved in the tumultuous 2014 campaign, when Räikkönen was upstaged by the outgoing Fernando Alonso. Compare that also to the six wins that his current teammate Sebastian Vettel has accumulated since joining the team in 2015.
Once one of the boldest drivers on the grid, the Iceman has been quite tentative in getting his elbows out in recent years, which can be argued as one of the factors in his lack of results.
Placid could be another adjective to describe the 37-year-old’s racecraft of late, while the Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne has branded the driver a ‘laggard’.
Despite all that, many of Räikkönen’s shortcomings can be accounted for by ill fortune.
Last weekend’s British Grand Prix saw yet another hardship in the form a Pirelli tyre puncturing in the dying stages of the race, forcing the surrender of a well-earnt second-place finish.
On many occasions has Räikkönen been hung out to dry by Ferrari when it comes to pit stop strategy, with it clear on whom the Scuderia have their mortgages for the championship.
Having claimed his first pole position since 2008 at this year’s Monaco Grand Prix and leading the opening portion of the race, it should have been a given that the Finn would race to his first win since 2013.
A strategy masterstroke from Vettel, however, saw the German capture the lead of the race having pitted five laps after Räikkönen did, once again leaving the former world champion grieving his misfortune.
Despite podium appearances at both Silverstone and Monaco, the look of disdain on the Finn’s face was apparent. The desire for success still flows in the Iceman’s veins.
Raikkonen expressed as much during the podium interviews at Silverstone, telling the crowd that “unlucky situations keep following us”.
Being one of the most popular drivers on the grid due to his enigmatic persona and consistency in creating hilarious team radio conversations, it would be difficult for the sport to see Räikkönen fall off the grid, particularly with an unfulfilled second chapter at Ferrari.
Once again Kimi is the key piece in the puzzle that is Formula One’s silly season. Will Ferrari wield the scythe this year to send their driver packing?
If that were to be the case, then it would be poignant see the Finn standing on the top step of the podium one last time.
Monaco demonstrated that he still has the speed to be a front runner in Formula One, though it remains a matter of all the stars aligning in the remainder of 2017 for Kimi Raikkonen to bow out a winner.
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