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Sebastian Vettel’s former Ferrari team-mate Kimi Raikkonen says he doesn’t think the four-time world champion has “a bad relationship as people are making out” with the Italian outfit.
Vettel endured a miserable first weekend of the 2020 Formula 1 season last time out at the Red Bull Ring, getting knocked out in the second qualifying segment and compromising his race with a spin after an ill-judged attempt to pass Carlos Sainz Jr.
The German will be replaced by Sainz at Ferrari next year, and admitted in the lead-up to the Austrian Grand Prix that Ferrari never offered him a new deal – and that this caught him by surprise.
Team principal Mattia Binotto was mildly critical of Vettel’s performance in Austria, while Vettel said he was happy he spun only once given how difficult his car was to drive.
But while there has been speculation that the relationship between Vettel and Ferarri is now untenable, and suggestions he may not even see out the season, Raikkonen cast doubt on such claims.
“I spoke to him last weekend, quickly, before the start and that’s all I know,” said Raikkonen, who was Vettel’s team-mate at Ferrari between 2015 and 2018.
“I don’t know what’s going on there, it’s none of my business and I think it’s unfair to comment if somebody is treated badly or not because I don’t know what’s going on.
“I doubt that they have a bad relationship, as people are making out.
“Sometimes it goes this way that you leave the team or you choose to leave, whichever way it is.
“I wouldn’t put too much [into] saying how difficult it is for him right now after one race.
“It wasn’t the most easy for us [at Alfa Romeo] either so I’m sure they can be much stronger than they were last weekend.”
Much like in Vettel’s case, Raikkonen did not leave Ferrari of his own volition after 2018, when he was overlooked in favour of Charles Leclerc.
But Raikkonen’s sole win of what was his second Ferrari stint came after the Leclerc announcement, and when asked whether he’d been treated any differently in that late-season period he said: “Absolutely not.
“I’m certain that they [Vettel and Leclerc] get exactly the same treatment. Both of them.
“It’s in their benefit to try to get the best result on both cars so I don’t see why they would do anything else.”
