F1 | Ecclestone: “Raikkonen will do very well with Sauber”

La Kimi Raikkonen victory in Austin recalled how the Finn still has a lot to give to Formula 1. And from next year the young 39-year-old will do so at the helm of Alfa Romeo Sauber, after Ferrari decided to focus on the very young player Leclerc for the 2019.

Raikkonen's change of steering is blessed Bernie Ecclestone, who was interviewed by the Swiss newspaper HandelsZeitung said: “I think about Kimi a lot. I'm sure he will do very well in the Swiss team. I was always disappointed that the best engineers from Mercedes or Ferrari almost never went to Sauber. Even though their infrastructure is great, it is very difficult to convince people from Italy or England to travel to Switzerland.”

A new adventure that could benefit Ferrari itself: “Now Sauber is Ferrari. The relationship with Kimi further testifies to this. The team will benefit from it,” assures Ecclestone. Who is also certain of how this combination will allow the Maranello team to have an extra weapon in the fight with Mercedes: “Mercedes is doing an excellent job. But it's not good for business when such a situation arises. That's why I regret that Ferrari win the championship so rarely".

Who is the favorite for 2019? “I would still bet on Mercedes: They have so much money at their disposal that they will always be on top. Ferrari is an Italian company: this means that it can often surprise you but also that it sometimes lingers too long in its strategies. Mercedes, on the other hand, is very German, aligned and decisive on strategies."