Andrea Stella, Fernando Alonso's race engineer at Ferrari, has singled out Kimi Raikkonen as a challenger for the 2012 championship. The buzz in the sodden Spa paddock is that four-time Belgian grand prix winner Raikkonen is a true contender for Sunday's victory at the wheel of a Lotus.
And the Finn, who in 2007 won the title for Ferrari, is still within shouting distance in the drivers' standings, just a point shy of Lewis Hamilton's fourth place.
"Of course Kimi can challenge Fernando in the championship," Stella told Finland's Turun Sanomat. "He has a good car. "I remember 2007 very well, when we came from far behind with him right to the top."
Raikkonen, 32, agrees that his 48-point deficit does not mean he cannot win in 2012. "I have almost as good a chance as anybody else," he said in Belgium.
But Raikkonen also admitted he is not desperate to add a second title to his tally. "I've always said I am happy that I won one championship," he said. "It's good if there are more, but whether I win more championships or not would not change my life. When I have the opportunity, I will try my best," added Raikkonen.
Ferrari engineer: "Raikkonen can win title"
- Published on 31 Aug 2012 19:52
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- By: Danny Sosef
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
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Spain
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Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
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Gilles Villeneuve
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Red Bull Ring
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Silverstone
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Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
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Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
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Circuit Zandvoort
4 - Sep 6
Italy
Monza
Driver profile
- Team Aston Martin
- Points 631
- Podiums 9
- Grand Prix 205
- Country ES
- Date of b. Jul 29 1981 (45)
- Place of b. Oviedo, ES
- Weight 68 kg
- Length 1.71 m
- 188,130 comments on Aston Martin
78 members have this team as their favourite
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Team profile
- Team name Lotus F1
- Base Enstone, United Kingdom
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 7
- Romain Grosjean 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Romain Grosjean 10
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Jolyon Palmer 30
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- 65,124 comments on Lotus F1
- 17 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Lotus F1
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