“They both have similar feedback with the car, and there are aspects of
this year’s rules that make the cars across the pit lane a far from easy
aspect for the driver. There is a lot more torque from the engine, a lot
less aerodynamic grip, and the tyres are deliberately less aggressive than
last year.
“All that means they are quite a handful to drive, not too breezy for
anyone, be that at the front or back of the grid. The problems Kimi has with
the car under braking, downshifting, are the same as Fernando, and pretty
much the same as being experienced by other drivers at other teams.
“He’s just going a little slower than Fernando at the moment, but that
gap is closing as the year progresses.”
Raikkonen was the last driver to win the championship with Ferrari way back in
2007. The team have not even won a race in more than a year.
Another heritage team struggling for form has been McLaren, but they head to
Montreal buoyed by memories of Jenson Button’s remarkable win at the Circuit
Gilles Villeneuve in 2011.
Eric Boullier, racing director, praised Button’s “invaluable” and “tireless”
performance so far in 2014.
“Despite our current lack of pace, Jenson continues to be an absolutely
fantastic ambassador for the team,” said Boullier. “Not only is he a
fantastic driver, but he’s also somebody with the feel and experience to
steer the team and give it direction for development. His input has been
invaluable, and he remains a tireless contributor.
“It would be nice to get some more points on the board, but I don’t think
we’ll get a clear idea of how much we’ve progressed until we go back to
Europe.”