McLaren are convinced Kimi Raikkonen will be able to handle the pressure of world title fight when they give him the car in which to challenge for the drivers' crown. The 23-year-old Finn left everyone at McLaren impressed by his speed, courage and technical feedback in his first season with the Woking-based outfit this year.
Raikkonen finished sixth in the drivers' standings on only his second season in Formula One leaving his bosses confident he can be a world beater once he gets a competitive car. McLaren managing director Martin Whitmarsh said: "We haven't produced a car that has allowed Kimi to be a title contender this year, so he hasn't had the pressures that Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard have enjoyed and endured in recent years. But, if we had the package, and when you look at his psyche, you think he can handle it. One thing's for sure, he certainly will be able to next year or the year after."
Whitmarsh admits he was impressed by Raikkonen's focus and coolness in the cockpit last season after McLaren had gambled by signing the raw Finn from Sauber to replace his countryman and two-time champion Hakkinen. Whitmarsh added: "At the German Grand Prix, for example, he was being aggressive in Turn One, clipping a bollard a metre and a half inside the apex. He hit it in Saturday practice and broke the front wing, so he knew the perils, but in qualifying he hit it again, really attacking the corner. He came on the radio and basically asked: 'Is my front wing still there?'. He got a quick yes and I don't think he lifted at all, but he had the presence of mind to ask."
He continued: "He'd also knocked the front off the nose and could feel the wind in the cockpit, but he was content so long as he knew the wing was there! He certainly gets ticks in the boxes for bravery and presence of mind. He has a range of tools to tune the car and he understands them and uses them. He's got enough mental capacity to know what's going on. You suddenly think: here's this young, inexperienced driver talking to the engineers and you realise this guy knows what's going on, he knows what to do about it and he's got the confidence to do it."
Raikkonen, who was given his chance by Sauber after just 23 car races, scored 24 points last year and outqualified Coulthard 10 times in 17 attempts. The Espoo-born driver was denied his maiden win in France when he hit a patch of oil with just a few laps left handing Michael Schumacher the victory which clinched his record-equalling fifth drivers' crown.
Filed by Shane Murray
