2008 Drivers – Part 1/11: Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen

Nationality: Finnish

DOB: 17/10/79

Races: 122

Wins: 15

Podums: 48

Pole Positions: 14

Total Career Points: 456

 

 

Felipe Massa

Nationality: Brazilian

DOB : 25/04/81

Races: 88

Wins: 5

Podiums: 17

Pole Positions: 9

Total Career Points: 201

 

 

Kimi Raikkonen raced just twenty times in Formula Renault before being picked up by the Sauber team in 2001 to race in Formula One. After one season at Sauber, he spent five years filling the boots of fellow Finn Mika Hakkinen at McLaren, where he got the nickname “Iceman”, for his supposed calmness behind the wheel. His first Formula One win came at the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix, a season that would him see him miss winning the Championship by just two points.

 

In 2007, he took the place of a certain seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher. Some wondered whether he could fill his mighty German boots, but a fascinating 2007 season saw Kimi take the Championship by a single point and grab his first Championship. It is the way Kimi never gave up hope and battled to the end, mixed with Ferrari’s incredible reliability record that gives Kimi a great chance to retain his title.

 

PREDICTION: 1^st

 

Felipe Massa spent 2001 as a test driver at Sauber, where he would get to know Kimi Raikkonen in their early careers. It was in 2002 where Massa made his debut for Sauber, before becoming Ferrari test driver, than returning to Sauber for two years. He made his Ferrari debut in 2006 and finished a respectable third in the Championship; a year in which Felipe saw his first podium finish – a third place in the European GP – and indeed his first victory, taking the chequered flag in the Turkish GP.

 

He followed this up with a fourth place in 2007, where he was once again teamed up with Kimi Raikkonen. Massa won three races, one race more than the previous season, but could not advance on his position. In his 35 races at Ferrari, he has retired just four times, and one of them was a Black Flag. Ferrari have tremendous reliability; reliability that make them reigning constructor champions, but I’m not so sure Felipe has got it in him to be the next champion.

 

And, interesting fact – Mr. Massa goes into the 2008 season as a husband, having married Anna Rafaela Bassi at the end of 2007.

 

PREDICTION: 4^th