ABU DHABI – Sebastian Vettel is relishing the prospect of working with Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari in 2015, calling him “the least complicated driver on the grid.”
After months of speculation, it was confirmed yesterday that Vettel would be joining Ferrari for 2015 after six seasons with Red Bull, replacing the McLaren-bound Fernando Alonso.
Despite a difficult return to Maranello in 2014, Raikkonen was confirmed to be staying with Ferrari yesterday, and Vettel said that he is looking forward to racing alongside the Finn.
“Yes,” replied Vettel in monosyllabic fashion, as Raikkonen is infamously known to do, before smiling as the press room broke out into laughter. “I think he would probably reply the same if you asked him.
“Kimi is probably the least complicated driver on the grid so in terms of performance on the track, when we talk about the skills Kimi has, I don’t think there is a single person in the paddock who doubts his skills, including myself.
“From a personal point of view, on a personal level, very straightforward. I don’t expect any complications because I think we have a good relationship but more so, I think we have great respect for each other which I think is always very healthy to deal with in these sort of situations coming up.”
Vettel has signed a three-year deal with Ferrari, spearheading the new era that has been ushered in at Maranello. After six unsuccessful years, the likes of Stefano Domenicali, Luca di Montezemolo and Fernando Alonso have all headed for the exit, and a new regime under Marco Mattiacci will truly come into force in 2015.