Breaking news
Formula 1
Raikkonen: Sauber has the tools to build "great car"
Kimi Raikkonen thinks Sauber has all it needs to built a "great car" in 2019, having now had his first test with the team.
Jonathan Noble Yaroslav Zagorets
Published: Dec 7, 2018, 1:14 PM
Copy link
Share on Viber
After five years with Ferrari, Raikkonen is returning to the Sauber outfit that he made his F1 debut with in 2001 after agreeing a multi-year deal.
He had his first experience with it during the post-season tyre test that took place in Abu Dhabi last week.
Although Sauber is in a rebuilding phase following some difficult years, Raikkonen believes the changes that team boss Fred Vasseur has made, allied to its state-of-the-art facilities at Hinwil, put it in a good place to impress.
Speaking ahead of the FIA prize gala in Russia on Friday about his return to Sauber, Raikkonen said: “I am excited. It is different obviously as I have been in the team [before] but there are a lot of different people now.
“They have all the tools, they have a great wind tunnel and they have everything to build a great car. We have a Ferrari engine, so we know what we are going to get.
“I don’t see any reason why we cannot do a good job out of it. We will see next year. For me, it was important to drive the car and see if there are some things we need to fix, but it was pretty straightforward.”
Despite the clear performance differences between this year’s Ferrari and Sauber, Raikkonen said that the experience of the Swiss team’s 2018 challenger was not totally different.
“It felt very similar to what I’m used,” he said. “It’s a different car, looking a bit different, but to be honest it wasn’t all a different feeling.
“We just tested the tyres, not really doing any set-up work, just doing laps and trying to see what it’s like. As a first experience it was okay.”
Kimi Raikkonen, Sauber C37
Photo by: Jean Petin / Sutton Images
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 Viber
Previous article FIA: Aeroscreen only 10% as effective in Leclerc's Spa crash
Next article Wolff makes U-turn on F1's "super" halo decision
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
Sauber
Sebastian Vettel reveals why BMW didn't want him – but Red Bull did
Formula 1
Formula 1
Sebastian Vettel reveals why BMW didn't want him – but Red Bull did
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
Formula 1
You Ask The Questions: Robert Kubica
Lewis Hamilton 'almost signed for Sauber' before F1 debut, says Peter Sauber
Formula 1
Formula 1
Barcelona-Catalunya Pre-Season Testing
Lewis Hamilton 'almost signed for Sauber' before F1 debut, says Peter Sauber
Latest news
Winners and losers from F1's chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
42 min
Winners and losers from F1's chaotic Brazilian Grand Prix
Robert Kubica announces exit from AF Corse’s privateer Hypercar in WEC
WEC
WEC WEC
Monza
1 h
Robert Kubica announces exit from AF Corse’s privateer Hypercar in WEC
Charles Leclerc penalised for Liam Lawson clash; Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman also punished after F1 Brazilian GP
Formula 1
F1 Formula 1
Sao Paulo GP
1 h
Charles Leclerc penalised for Liam Lawson clash; Kimi Antonelli and Oliver Bearman also punished after F1 Brazilian GP
Feature
Discover prime content
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
Formula 1
By Pat Symonds
How F1’s rules got to be so complex
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:
- Become a subscriber.
- Disable your adblocker.
Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here
Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page
Manage Alerts
Subscribe