user icon
user icon
icon
link-icon
<< Return to the news list
Raikkonen shouldn't be making excuses like a rookie - Villeneuve

Raikkonen shouldn't be making excuses like a rookie - Villeneuve

  • Published on 25 Jun 2014 09:29
  • comments 0
  • By: Rob Veenstra
1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve has attacked Kimi Raikkonen for struggling to shine in 2014. After two impressive comeback years with Lotus, Finn Raikkonen was signed for this season by Ferrari, for whom he won his sole title in 2007.

However, two years later Ferrari ousted Raikkonen, and so the news of his 2014 return was a shock to French-Canadian Villeneuve. "Who would have imagined he even comes back to F1 in the first place?" the 43-year-old told Italy's Omnicorse. "Who would have thought he would return to Ferrari? No one -- yet there he is at Maranello."

Villeneuve, however, said 34-year-old Raikkonen - the oldest driver in F1 today - has no right to be blaming the F14-T for his poor season. "For him, the gas is either fully open or nothing," he said. "He is having a series of spins as though he is in formula 3."

"If he can't drive in F1 anymore, he should go home. He is a very experienced driver," Villeneuve insisted, "so he shouldn't be making excuses at every grand prix like a rookie does. He should take two or three races to change how he's driving, and if he can't, that's a problem. You can't go on like this when you're a world champion. You have no right to make excuses."

Villeneuve has a similarly stark opinion when it comes to Sebastian Vettel, the struggling four-time world champion. He thinks Red Bull is beginning to turn its back on the highly successful German. "He is a four-time world champion, but now Red Bull is treating him like they treated Mark Webber. They seem to have decided to focus on Daniel Ricciardo. Now they want to 'kill' Sebastian because he's not right for the Red Bull image," he said.

Villeneuve thinks Vettel must be seriously considering a change of team. "Of course -- you can't have another season like this. Even Helmut Marko has started to criticise him. When you lose the faith of the team and the politics starts to weigh heavily, you're finished," he added. (GMM)
F1 News Daniel Ricciardo Sebastian Vettel Ferrari Lotus F1
<< Previous article Next article >>

Replies (0)

Login to reply

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

BE Grand Prix of Belgium

Local time 

Related news

Test calendar

Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing

Circuit de Catalunya - Winter testing

See full test schedule

Give your opinion!

Will Bottas challenge Hamilton for the world championship in 2020?

World Championship standings 2020

Pos
Team
Points
1
Mercedes
504
2
Red Bull Racing
240
3
Racing Point
169
4
McLaren
149
5
Renault
136
6
Ferrari
130
7
Alpha Tauri
89
8
Alfa Romeo Racing
8
9
Haas F1
3
Show full world champion standings

Driver profile

AU Daniel Ricciardo 3
Daniel Ricciardo
  • Team Renault
  • Points 868
  • Podiums 23
  • Grand Prix 116
  • Country AU
  • Date of b. Jul 1 1989 (31)
  • Place of b. Perth, AU
  • Weight 64 kg
  • Length 1.75 m
Show full profile

Team profile

Ferrari
Ferrari
Show full profile

Formula 1 Calendar - 2020

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Spain
-
Spain
3 - Jul 5
Austria
Red Bull Ring
10 - Jul 12
Austria
Red Bull Ring
17 - Jul 19
Hungary
Hungaroring
31 - Aug 2
United Kingdom
Silverstone
7 - Aug 9
United Kingdom
Silverstone
14 - Aug 16
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Aug 30
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
4 - Sep 6
Italy
Monza
11 - Sep 13
Italy
Mugello
25 - Sep 27
Russian
Sochi Autodrom
9 - Oct 11
Germany
Nurburgring
23 - Oct 25
Portugal
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
31 - Nov 1
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
13 - Nov 15
Turkey
Istanbul Park
26 - Nov 29
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
3 - Dec 6
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit Outer Track layout
10 - Dec 13
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2020

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
-
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
3 - Jul 5
Austria Red Bull Ring
10 - Jul 12
Austria Red Bull Ring
17 - Jul 19
Hungary Hungaroring
31 - Aug 2
United Kingdom Silverstone
7 - Aug 9
United Kingdom Silverstone
14 - Aug 16
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
28 - Aug 30
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
4 - Sep 6
Italy Monza
11 - Sep 13
Italy Mugello
25 - Sep 27
Russian Sochi Autodrom
9 - Oct 11
Germany Nurburgring
23 - Oct 25
Portugal Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
31 - Nov 1
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
13 - Nov 15
Turkey Istanbul Park
26 - Nov 29
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
3 - Dec 6
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit Outer Track layout
10 - Dec 13
United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule
show sidebar