It's an huge torment. A Mike-style quiz question (Mike was a famous italo-ameican tv quiz presenter who recently died). They ask me in bars, resrourants, newsstands, squares. A good sign: at least common people don't accept the (mediatic) brainwash. In a few words, from the grandmother to the grandson, they ask me, thinking I'm some kind of truth oracle: why did Ferrari decide, although it's unofficial yet, to fire Raikkonen? Blondie's recent, very brilliant results (he would be 1st in WDC, considering his results since Hungary) made laughable all attempts to make him look like he's over. On the contrary, without Kimi, after Massa's drama, the Red Car would have fallen into a black hole.

So why (did they fire him)? I've been asking this from well informed persons. People at the roots of Ferrari's Power. No names and no surnames, these are 'secret informations from the company'. Everybody's free, of course, to agree or not. As those who read this blog, or my crazy articles on Carlino, Nazione and Giorno (three italian newspapers who share part of the contents) know, I OBVIOUSLY DON'T AGREE.

Are you ready? Let's go.

At first we have to complete the reasoning, at least that's what the sources of this dumb journalist say. Fernando Alonso is about to come to Maranello, not some unknown guy. They mean: we change a top driver with another top driver.

Further clarification: Ferrari people consider the link between Alonso and the sponsorship agreement with Banco Santander offensive. Alonso, they say, is so strong he doesn't need any reference! However Banco, for 2010, will also sponsor McLaren. And the big spy isn't surely coming back there...

What do they dispute to Raikkonen? Nothing, from the results POV: in Fiorano they know F60B is an awful car, it wasn't competitive at the beginning and when it improved the blondie often brought it on the podium. Badoer's flop and Fisico's crisis, forced to handle a very difficult car, show all the merits of the nordic and Massa.

So? So, in the buttons room they say Kimi has a defect. He's instinctive. He's an individualist. His relationship with engineers is always expeditious. A few words, a few hints.

Inside Ferrari there is a generation grown with Schumi. Big Michael was completely different than the finn. He tormented techies for hours. Alonso seems to be like the german. Or at least that's what Domenicali thinks .

New F1 rules forbid tests between GPs. Thus, the contribution of the driver to the car development, with no tests, is fundamental. Kimi, according to this reasoning, is less precious than Massa. Even in this case, according to those in charge at Fiorano.

Last but not least, something they don't say. Alonso, when Hamilton was his teammate, got mad. Alonso can be handled better with Massa, who already was partner of a guy called Schumacher. With Kimi, who is a former WDC, the spaniard would always be under pressure. That was their logic, until the brazilian accident in Hungary: a misfortune that, toghether with the return of the blondie, risks to create problem to future Ferrari.

Can you think about that? A 2010 season with Raikkonen WDC in another team.

Published by Leo Turrini Tue, 15/09/2009 - 12:26