Italian press backs Raikkonen for 2018

Aug.1 - The Ferrari-partisan Italian press has backed reports the Maranello marque looks set to keep Kimi Raikkonen at the team for 2018.

It is expected the fabled Italian team will announce the new deals for Sebastian Vettel and Raikkonen at Monza.

So after the duo finished first and second in Hungary, the Italian press heralded the way Ferrari's current drivers work together.

"Vettel won with Raikkonen's help," said La Gazzetta dello Sport.

"In truth, Raikkonen is the true winner, having played servant for Vettel because he could have easily overtaken and won.

"He will be at Vettel's side for another year."

Corriere dello Sport calls the German and Finnish pairing a "dream team".

"Ferrari was invincible in Budapest thanks to the power of clear ideas," said the newspaper. "At Ferrari, it is understood that one wins the drivers' title only if all row in the same direction."

Tuttosport added: "No one should be allowed to separate these two drivers."

And Corriere della Sera remarked: "Hungary reminded us that formula one is a team sport. Raikkonen waived the victory and receives a contract extension, as Ferrari has a perfect duo that Sergio Marchionne will want to keep."

Indeed, while Mercedes operated a questionable policy of driver equality with Lewis Hamilton and Valtteri Bottas in Hungary, former F1 driver Mika Salo said the Ferrari pecking order is just logical.

"The points difference became so big at the beginning of the season that Kimi is forced to accept it," he told Ilta Sanomat newspaper.

"I don't know whether Kimi could have passed Vettel, but for Ferrari (what happened is) ok as formula one is still a team sport."

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