From GMM
Ferrari is making a mistake by allowing Kimi Raikkonen to keep fighting for the 2008 title, according to former two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi.
The Brazilian, who won two drivers' titles in the early 70s, believes the Finnish reigning world champion should fall in line behind teammate Felipe Massa rather than try to bridge his 21-point gap to the championship lead.
"Sometimes Kimi takes points off Felipe and sometimes the other way round," the 61-year-old told The Sun.
Fittipaldi believes McLaren lost last year's championship by adopting a similar policy of driver parity with teammates Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
"It's the mistake McLaren made last year with Lewis and Fernando Alonso," he confirmed.
World champion Raikkonen, who is 20 and 21 points respectively behind Massa and Hamilton with four races to go, said as recently as this week that he will continue to fight for his own championship so long as he can still theoretically win it.
"Only when I no longer have a mathematical chance will I be totally at the service of the team," he is quoted as saying by Motorsport Aktuell.
Fittipaldi, meanwhile, believes neither of F1's championship contenders is the best driver in the 2008 field.
"Fernando is the most complete driver because he is experienced, knows how to set up a car and is doing incredible things with a difficult Renault," he said.
"He showed in the first race in Australia, and then again at Spa, that he is still capable of driving a grand prix car faster than anyone."
photo:WRI2
Ferrari is making a mistake by allowing Kimi Raikkonen to keep fighting for the 2008 title, according to former two-time world champion Emerson Fittipaldi.
The Brazilian, who won two drivers' titles in the early 70s, believes the Finnish reigning world champion should fall in line behind teammate Felipe Massa rather than try to bridge his 21-point gap to the championship lead.
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| Emerson Fittipaldi and Stefano Domenicalli |
"Sometimes Kimi takes points off Felipe and sometimes the other way round," the 61-year-old told The Sun.
Fittipaldi believes McLaren lost last year's championship by adopting a similar policy of driver parity with teammates Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
"It's the mistake McLaren made last year with Lewis and Fernando Alonso," he confirmed.
World champion Raikkonen, who is 20 and 21 points respectively behind Massa and Hamilton with four races to go, said as recently as this week that he will continue to fight for his own championship so long as he can still theoretically win it.
"Only when I no longer have a mathematical chance will I be totally at the service of the team," he is quoted as saying by Motorsport Aktuell.
Fittipaldi, meanwhile, believes neither of F1's championship contenders is the best driver in the 2008 field.
"Fernando is the most complete driver because he is experienced, knows how to set up a car and is doing incredible things with a difficult Renault," he said.
"He showed in the first race in Australia, and then again at Spa, that he is still capable of driving a grand prix car faster than anyone."
photo:WRI2