Ferrari are likely going to sign Kimi Raikkonen to a two-year contract extension to keep him with the team through at least the 2020 Formula 1 season. However, this would not be a smart move.
Despite the fact that Ferrari were reportedly ready to sign Alfa Romeo Sauber rookie Charles Leclerc to replace 2007 Formula 1 champion Kimi Raikkonen starting in the 2019 Formula 1 season as well as the fact that Ferrari and Leclerc reportedly reached an agreement that the 20-year-old Monegasque had not yet signed, Raikkonen is likely set to return to Ferrari on yet another contract extension.
The 38-year-old Finn will likely sign a two-year contract extension to remain with the team through at least the 2020 season despite the fact that he has not yet won a race since returning to the team in the 2014 season (he also drove for the team from the 2007 season through the 2009 season).
With Ferrari’s other driver, four-time Formula 1 champion Sebastian Vettel, also set to continue driving for Ferrari through at least the 2020 season as a result of the fact that he signed a contract last summer to remain with the team through that time, it is clear that Ferrari were not ready to give up Raikkonen, who has played a “support role” for Vettel, for a driver who would likely be able to contend for wins and championships himself and give Vettel a run for his money.
While the whole idea of Raikkonen playing a “support role” for Vettel in an attempt to help the 31-year-old German win his fifth career Formula 1 championship to move into a second place tie on the all-time titles list with Juan Manuel Fangio behind only Michael Schumacher, who won seven championships, seems like a great idea for both Ferrari and Vettel, it hasn’t worked so far, and it likely won’t work in the future.
More from Formula One
- Formula 1: Top Red Bull threat identified for 2024
- Formula 1: Why the Max Verstappen retirement obsession?
- Formula 1: Williams ‘mistake’ hints Logan Sargeant’s future
- Formula 1 awaiting key confirmation for 2024 season
- Formula 1: The ‘championship’ Max Verstappen only leads by 3 points
So why would Ferrari re-sign Raikkonen to continue doing something that hasn’t worked competition-wise in the past?
While it has worked in that it has given Ferrari two teammates who have good relationships with one another both on and off the track, Ferrari are 16-time constructor champions with drivers who have combined to win 15 driver championships. They are here to win. So, again, why would they re-sign Raikkonen?
In the 2015 season, which was Vettel’s first season driving for Ferrari, and the 2016 season, Ferrari were not quite on the level of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport, so it is understandable that Vettel was not able to beat Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton for the 2015 championship or Nico Rosberg for the 2016 championship.
But last season, the two teams were pretty evenly matched. In fact, at the summer break, Vettel led Hamilton by 14 points (202 to 188) in the driver standings. However, down the stretch, Hamilton was able to capitalize on Vettel’s missed opportunities and win the championship by 46 points (363 to 317).
This season, Ferrari have been even better than last season. Yet Hamilton currently leads Vettel by 24 points (213 to 189) in the driver standings at the summer break, as he has once again been able to capitalize on Vettel’s missed opportunities.
For Vettel to win his fifth career Formula 1 championship, he is going to have to take advantage of Ferrari’s improvements and capitalize on the opportunities that he has. If he wins his fifth championship, it will be because of him, not because of Raikkonen.
Re-signing Raikkonen to play a “support role” for Vettel when it hasn’t helped Vettel win a championship so far and will likely make little, if any, difference in the future does not seem like a smart move by Ferrari, especially when they could sign the young, promising Leclerc, would could be an instant championship contender upon signing with the team.
The 2016 GP3 Series champion and 2017 Formula 2 champion, who would likely end up continuing to drive for Sauber or moving to Haas, the other two Ferrari-powered teams, for the next two seasons if Ferrari do end up re-signing Raikkonen, could push Vettel to be more opportunistic than he has been as well, so the team would have two strong championship contenders as opposed to one who knows that his teammate won’t be giving him a serious run for his money and therefore is more prone to getting too comfortable and making mistakes.
Plus, by re-signing Raikkonen, Ferrari would run the risk, albeit a small one, of Leclerc, who is a member of the Ferrari Driver Academy, leaving the Ferrari organization and signing with a team such as Aston Martin Red Bull Racing since now the earliest season during which he can sign with Ferrari for is the 2021 season.
Why risk letting a driver who many people believe is a future Formula 1 champion sign with a non-Ferrari team?
If Ferrari do end up signing Kimi Raikkonen to yet another contract extension through at least the 2020 Formula 1 season like they are expected to do, do you believe that them doing so would be a smart move, or do you believe that they would be better off signing Charles Leclerc?