The inevitability is now reality: Kimi Räikkönen will not be a Ferrari driver beyond the end of the 2018 Formula One season.
A veteran of eight campaigns with the Scuderia, as well as being their last world champion – back in 2007 – the Finn has been given his marching orders to make way for Charles Leclerc.
Despite nearing 39, the fan favourite Räikkönen will not be dropping off the grid, but rather returning to where his career began, back in 2001, at the revitalised Alfa Romeo Sauber team.
On a two-year deal which will see the ‘Iceman’ through to the age of 41, Sauber and their team principal in Fredric Vasseur have labelled their new signing an “important pillar of our project”, highlighting what will be largely a development role.
Whilst Räikkönen’s days at Maranello were numbered, the case of retaining him for another season was at its strongest of late. Consistency has been his trademark in 2018, with a tally of nine podiums to his credit – including a run of five consecutive.
Overall however, the second stint at the Scuderia for their former world champion has been a disappointment. The lack of a race win since his last, which came in 2013 for Lotus, is the obvious detractor – though reliability and strategic blunders from the team’s end also stand out.
GEPA pictures/Red Bull Content Pool
Following Sebastian Vettel’s arrival in 2015, Kimi was the clear number two driver, though some of the calls made by the Ferrari pit-wall since then have been painful. Monaco 2017 and even the Hungarian Grand Prix later that year are examples where the Finn could have broken his drought of wins.
Though now the switch has been made, the long-awaited decision for Ferrari to promote a young driver must be embraced. Given their reluctance in the past to appoint up-and-comers, the belief in 20-year old Leclerc must be strong.
It would be no surprise if Leclerc’s promotion is a ploy to fully galvanise Vettel, whose errors of late have gravely jeopardised another title tilt.
Complacency, perhaps, and the lack of challenge from his teammate have mellowed the four-time world champion, resulting in costly errors.
It would be disappointing if the reigning F2 champion merely slots into Räikkönen’s shoes – those of the subordinate – as the resurgent Räikkönen this year has done little wrong to lose that coveted seat.
With Sauber on the rise, having become closer in ties with Ferrari through their Alfa Romeo partnership, Räikkönen may not be floundering as a backmarker as his long career slowly comes to an end. Ex-Ferrari designer Simone Resta will design his first car for the Swiss team ahead of 2019, while the latest-spec Prancing Horse power-unit will be at its heart.
In what has been an extraordinary season for driver movement, the confirmation of Leclerc’s promotion and shockingly pleasant news that Räikkönen will stay in Formula One at Sauber, are the latest bold moves.
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