F1: McLaren quarrel to 'help' Ferrari - Kimi

[Rory Phoulorie]

Wednesday, 15 August 2007

Aug.15 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has backed his Ferrari teammate by encouraging their championship rivals at McLaren to keep quarrelling in the fight for the 2007 title. Brazilian Felipe Massa said this week that, with both he and team colleague Raikkonen trailing their Mercedes-powered opponents in the drivers' classification, he is relieved that he enjoys amiable relationships at his own team. 26-year-old Raikkonen, who is 20 points behind McLaren's championship leader Lewis Hamilton, agreed: "It can be good for us if the others do not get along so well at the moment. "An atmosphere like that for sure does not help for the championship fight," the Finn told Switzerland's Motorsport Aktuell. Raikkonen added that the internal working environment is one of the "fundamental differences" between Ferrari and Ron Dennis' team, for whom he drove between 2002 and last year. But he also urged Maranello based Ferrari to improve the reliability of the 2007 car if it wants to overhaul McLaren for the crowns. "The car is fast, no question," Kimi said. "We must only reach the finish line more often."

F1i