DOMENICALI CLEANSED THE BELIEF IN KIMI's CONTINUANCE

by - 7/14/2009 09:21:00 p.m.

The cold ride in the rumours about Kimi Räikkönen being smoked out from Ferrari already next season will probably grow even bigger in the Spanish and Italian media when the 2007 WDC is now in his sixth pointless race during the season.

Räikkönen stopped the German GP after 34 laps.

The reason was a stone on lap 14 that left a big hole in the cooler because it pierced the side pontoon's safety net. That again caused a leakage of fluid which again lead to weakening engine powers.

Räiikönen stopped the race before the engine broke down.

According to the rumours Ferrari will publish that Alonso will come to Ferrari in Monza on September 11th?

– Don't believe in rumours like that, Domenicali says and pats me on my shoulder.

Can you clarify Kimi's situation?

– There is nothing new. I'm sure everybody remembers last year. Back then this rumour was exactly the same, Domenicali explained.

Then why does so many seem to have definite information about Alonso's contract with Ferrari?

– Believe the team and the facts, not the rumours, Domenicali said.

Domenicali is a team principal but the driver contracts are made by Luca di Montezemolo. He is known to appreciate Alonso highly while Jean Todt again didn't want the Spaniard to Ferrari.

In the press conference Domenicali was asked if Räikkönen's performance so far had been sufficient.

– One has to be careful while analysing the performance of our drivers. One has to take into consideration the car's situation and the tyres' situation. Our approach is that you never hear the team complain about one single engineer or driver. We only talk about our team's performance and the drivers are part of the team, Domenicali said.

– The most critical element this season is to understand what happens to the car on different tracks in different temperatures and with different tyres. The situation seems to be the same in every team. Now we did a good job but our competitors aren't sleeping either like the rise of Renault, McLaren and Force India proved. Lewis Hamilton lost the race because of a tyre puncture and Renault made a spectacular laptime in the end of the race, Domenicali summed up.

Turun Sanomat, Nürburgring/HEIKKI KULTA [translated by Nicole]

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