03/01/2007
NEWS STORY
Talking to Finland's Ilta-Sanomat, Kimi Raikkonen has said that his first impressions of life at Ferrari are good, with the Italian team clearly more relaxed than his former employers McLaren.
Having made a trip to the team's Maranello HQ and popped in to watch progress at Jerez, the Scuderia's final test of 2006, Raikkonen is convinced that the 'atmosphere' within the Italian team is much better, easier going, than at Woking.
Raikkonen describes Ferrari team boss Jean Todt as "a normal bloke" while dismissing Ron Dennis as a "control freak".
"The atmosphere at Ferrari is friendlier than McLaren," says the Finn. "They are not interested in what is written in the newspapers about me."
Make no mistake, there are many who are convinced that the marriage between the Maranello outfit and 'The 'Iceman' will not be an easy one, with some predicting that it will end in tears. Though Todt is an easy going chap, he has a job to do and Ferrari has an image to maintain.
Should the Finn make the headlines for the wrong reasons he will find out just how easy going the Italian team is, as others have before him. The dumping of Eddie Irvine, having almost secured the title for the team in 1999, being a good example.