13/09/2018
NEWS STORY
Perhaps more than any other driver, Kimi Raikkonen abhors certain elements of a Formula One driver's career these days. Along with those PR outings where one is obliged to make a pizza or nurse a kangaroo, The Iceman particularly loathes having to deal with the media.
Consequently, called to the official FIA press conference for the second successive race meeting, and just days after his confirmation at Sauber for two more seasons, the Finn was on feisty form.
Asked what has happened in recent days and if he could 'talk' the media through the move, he laughed and replied: "I guess you know what happened...
"I don't know what else you want to know," he continued. "This is what happened, and as I've said many times before, it is not up to me, it is not my decision. Anything after that is obviously my decision, but this is the outcome."
Asked why he is returning to Sauber, the response was brutal. "Why not," he replied.
When it is pointed out the difference between Ferrari and Sauber, he laughs and says: "There a lot of difference between all the cars. There's not many cars, if you take this year, that are on the same level. That's how it's always been. We'll see what happens."
Asked what he has been told about the performance of the team, and why he wants to return to Sauber, he smiles: "Because I want to.
"Why do you try to make it so complicated?" he continues. "I mean, I don't know anything more than you guys, purely where they have been finishing.
"I don't know what will happen, nobody knows what will happen next year when it comes to the speeds of the cars and the team. You can always guess, but we'll see what we can do.
"I have my reasons, and that's enough for me, I don't really care about what others think. As long as I am happy with my own reasons, it is enough for me."
Asked if he is still passionate about racing, he hits back, "No. I am just fired by pure head games for you guys. I'm going to spend two years there just not being happy."
Asked when he first became aware that he was not remaining at Ferrari he confirmed that it was at Monza. Then, when asked if he might accept a management role at the Swiss outfit, which saw a reshuffle in June which resulted in a number of surprising appointments to the board including Fred Vasseur and Stoffel Vandoorne's manager, Raikkonen replied: "I signed my contract as a driver and I hope I stay there as a driver.
"Who knows what happens in the future or two years," he added. "There is always speculation but I don't have any contract about that."
Asked what F1 gives him, he smiled and said: "Racing. That is about it. It is the best time of the weekend. Honestly, I always said I will stop when I feel it is right for me. I don't' need to come if I don't feel that. The racing is the part I enjoy the most, that is why we are here."