Breaking news

Formula 1

Ferrari faces risks if it drops Raikkonen, says Prost

Ferrari could find a quicker driver to replace Kimi Raikkonen for 2017, but such a move may not be the best thing for the team, reckons Alain Prost.

Jonathan Noble

Jonathan Noble

Edited: Jun 23, 2016, 3:18 PM

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Kimi Raikkonen, Scuderia Ferrari and team-mate Sebastian Vettel, Scuderia Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF16-H

Kimi Raikkonen, Scuderia Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF16-H

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF16-H

Alain Prost

Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari SF16-H

Raikkonen’s contract at Maranello runs out at the end of the year, and there have been growing question marks about what Ferrari chiefs will do in light of recent mistakes the Finn has made.

However, Ferrari is also well aware that Raikkonen works well with teammate Sebastian Vettel and, after Raikkonen moved aside for Vettel in Baku last weekend, the team knows the benefits of not having friction between its stars.

Speaking at the FIA Sport Conference in Turin, former Ferrari driver Prost understands that the Italian team faces a tough choice – especially with promising talent like Carlos Sainz and Sergio Perez potentially available.

“Everybody can see the positive points and the negative points,” said Prost about the Raikkonen situation. “There are one or two drivers on the market who could be quite good for Ferrari, maybe a little bit quicker, but you do not know [for definite].

“One thing you also have to take into consideration is the pressure at Ferrari. Sometimes you can see some very good drivers in an average team and, when they go to a top team, they do not perform the same because it is a little bit different.

“The positive sign for him [Raikkonen] to stay is that he has a very good relation with Vettel and you have a number one and number two, not on paper, but in fact. For the ambience it is not bad.

“To be honest, I don’t blame them [Ferrari] and I don’t criticise. I am sure they are going to make the right decision.”

WATCH: Alain Prost talks to James Allen...

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Read also :

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Facebook

Share on Twitter

Share on WhatsApp

Share on Linkedin

Share on Pinterest

Share on Viber

Previous article Brazil facing "bad" time but F1 race is safe, insists promoter

Next article Opinion: "Crazy" Baku can be F1 gem despite dull debut

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

More from

Jonathan Noble



Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours

Formula 1

Formula 1

Brundle awarded OBE in King’s New Year’s honours



The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season

Formula 1

Formula 1

The new rules dilemma that will define the 2025 F1 season



Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress

Formula 1

Formula 1

Australian GP

Verstappen issues Red Bull title warning in push for RB21 progress

More from

Kimi Raikkonen



David Coulthard explains why Robin Raikkonen's rise resembles Max Verstappen's

Formula 1

Formula 1

Spanish GP

David Coulthard explains why Robin Raikkonen's rise resembles Max Verstappen's



On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement

Formula 1

Formula 1

Italian GP

On this day: Michael Schumacher wins… and stuns tifosi with F1 retirement



Red Bull signs Kimi Raikkonen’s son as junior driver

Formula 1

Formula 1

Italian GP

Red Bull signs Kimi Raikkonen’s son as junior driver

More from

Ferrari



The six drivers doing double duty in Portimao GTWCE and Barcelona WEC this weekend

WEC

WEC

Barcelona

15 h

The six drivers doing double duty in Portimao GTWCE and Barcelona WEC this weekend



Fred Vasseur "not sure" if Red Bull is currently F1's best team

Formula 1

Formula 1

Singapore GP

Fred Vasseur "not sure" if Red Bull is currently F1's best team



'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown

Formula 1

Singapore GP

'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown

Latest news



Spire, Chris Gabehart reject Joe Gibbs Racing premise on deleted texts

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Charlotte II

5 h

Spire, Chris Gabehart reject Joe Gibbs Racing premise on deleted texts



Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Charlotte II

9 h

Ricky Stenhouse explains his side of Michael McDowell conflict



Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test

IndyCar

Indy IndyCar 10 h

Barnes: Why IndyCar’s updated licensing system fails its own integrity test



Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics

NASCAR Cup

NAS NASCAR Cup

Charlotte II

11 h

Why NASCAR is not penalizing Stenhouse, McDowell for post-race theatrics

Feature

Discover prime content



Christian Horner's inside story of how Red Bull built its own F1 engine

Formula 1

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Christian Horner's inside story of how Red Bull built its own F1 engine



Exclusive video: Christian Horner interview on his Red Bull exit, Mercedes rivalry and more

Formula 1

By Autosport

Exclusive video: Christian Horner interview on his Red Bull exit, Mercedes rivalry and more



Why Mercedes' latest 2026 F1 update is no downgrade

Formula 1

Singapore GP

By Jake Boxall-Legge

Why Mercedes' latest 2026 F1 update is no downgrade



'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown

Formula 1

Singapore GP

By Stuart Codling

'Senior moment' or breakdown of trust? The implications of Hamilton's Singapore GP meltdown

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts

Subscribe