Ferrari are under huge pressure to perform in 2014 after failing to win the
championship since 2007.
The team announced the 2014 challenger would be called the F14 T after an
online poll, in which a total of 1,123,741 votes were cast. It retains the
team’s current pullrod front suspension concept in the design.
Raikkonen’s move appeared to unsettle two-time world champion Fernando Alonso,
who was rumoured to be seeking possible alternatives to Ferrari during last
season.
The pair will give Ferrari one of the strongest driver line-ups on the grid,
but it remains to be seen if the two can work effectively together, and how
Alonso will adapt to seeing his pre-eminence within Maranello come under
threat, after four season with the comparatively uncompetitive Felipe Massa.
Whether Alonso and Raikkonen can effectively co-exist will be one of the most
fascinating stories of the season, as the Finn is unlikely to accept No 2
status within the team while it is hard to see the highly political Alonso
accepting a position as ‘joint No 1’.
Three-time world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, for one, thinks there will be
fireworks, but believes that ultimately the Spaniard will prevail.
Asked who would score more points over the season, Stewart said: “Probably
Fernando. I think he has probably got the best toolkit – up here [his head].”
But Stewart warned Alonso would have to calm his emotions on the days
Raikkonen is faster.
“He will [have a problem with it when Raikkonen beats him].” Stewart
said.
“If he allows that to upset him… the one thing I learned is emotion is
the most dangerous thing you can have. If you start getting emotional, do
things, say things you wish you had never said, behave differently, you make
mistakes.”
“If you block out something because you got angry, people remember it.
It’s the same in a car. If you over-drive it, it doesn’t talk to you in the
same way.”
After the launch on Ferrari’s website, team principal Stefano Domenicali said: “The
technical challenge is the biggest we have seen in the last 10 years in F1.
“The season will be very, very long, so it is important to start with a
very reliable car and then keep having the development on the aerodynamic
side that was not there last year.
“I expect the first days of testing to be very challenging, and we must
avoid falling under the big pressure we have. We need to stay very focused
on the job.”