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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
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2021

Date
Grand Prix
Circuit
-
Bahrain
26 - Mar 28
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
16 - Apr 18
Italy
Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
30 - May 2
Portugal
Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
7 - May 9
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
21 - May 23
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Monte Carlo
4 - Jun 6
Azerbaijan
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France
Paul Ricard
2 - Jul 4
Austria
Red Bull Ring
16 - Jul 18
United Kingdom
Silverstone
30 - Aug 1
Hungary
Hungaroring
27 - Aug 29
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
3 - Sep 5
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
10 - Sep 12
Italy
Monza
24 - Sep 26
Russian
Sochi Autodrom
1 - Oct 3
Singapore
Marina Bay Street Circuit
8 - Oct 10
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
22 - Oct 24
United States of America
Circuit of the Americas
29 - Oct 31
Mexico
Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
5 - Nov 7
Brazil
Interlagos
19 - Nov 21
Australia
Albert Park
3 - Dec 5
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
10 - Dec 12
United Arab Emirates
Yas Marina Circuit
See full schedule

Formula 1 Calendar - 2021

Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
-
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
26 - Mar 28
Bahrain Bahrain International Circuit
16 - Apr 18
Italy Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari
30 - May 2
Portugal Autódromo Internacional do Algarve
7 - May 9
Spain Circuit de Catalunya
21 - May 23
Monaco Monte Carlo
4 - Jun 6
Azerbaijan Baku City Circuit
11 - Jun 13
Canada Gilles Villeneuve
25 - Jun 27
France Paul Ricard
2 - Jul 4
Austria Red Bull Ring
16 - Jul 18
United Kingdom Silverstone
30 - Aug 1
Hungary Hungaroring
27 - Aug 29
Belgium Spa-Francorchamps
3 - Sep 5
Netherlands Circuit Zandvoort
10 - Sep 12
Italy Monza
24 - Sep 26
Russian Sochi Autodrom
1 - Oct 3
Singapore Marina Bay Street Circuit
8 - Oct 10
Japan Circuit Suzuka
22 - Oct 24
United States of America Circuit of the Americas
29 - Oct 31
Mexico Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez
5 - Nov 7
Brazil Interlagos
19 - Nov 21
Australia Albert Park
3 - Dec 5
Saudi Arabia Jeddah Street Circuit
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United Arab Emirates Yas Marina Circuit
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