F1 | "But how; Hasn't Seb stopped yet?” Raikkonen's fears, mutual loyalty with Ferrari...

Squire yes, groom no. Precious ally, not spare tire. Dressed in red, do not become faded red. Kimi Raikkonen, as the well-known team player that he is, praised and magnified the double podium in Melbourne, professed to be happy for Vettel's success, satisfied with his third place, and let doubts and suspicions fall into thin air - like the gentleman he is more than legitimate.

But the adrenaline in the race is something else, it betrays the most sincere emotions, when you give everything for a team, with the utmost loyalty, you don't want to feel betrayed. “Don't fuck me like this!”, so Iceman loses his usual coolness, getting angry not so much because of Vettel's strategy, but because of the perception of an imperfect transparency on the side of his wall.

The border line is thin, and the total risk of the virtual safety car took care of putting a stone over it. Result on the track overturned and you go in peace. And who knows how it would have ended under normal conditions between Sebastian and Kimi. Because there is no doubt that the German was behind, from qualifying, and in a completely linear race he would have remained behind. “You told me I could drive safely, but he hasn't stopped yet...". Kimi can't stand it, he can't stomach that "communication fault" which could have cost him dearly. Better to set the record straight.

Ferrari can boast of finally having two drivers on the same level, such is Raikkonen's sincere and immediate feeling with the SF71H. Only in this way can the Cavallino hope to undermine Mercedes' primacy, sending them into confusion, annoying them, with a two against one, hoping to keep Bottas behind, somehow weakening Hamilton's position.

But beware of relegating Kimi to a subordinate role, beware of sacrificing him in strategies, never like this year can Raikkonen be the tip of the balance, with a consistency of performance that he has sometimes lacked. The Cavallino will have to be loyal and transparent, "playing" as a team, as a collective, and not for the individual. More points for Kimi today could mean more points for Vettel tomorrow, because a fit and motivated Raikkonen could be a foolish advantage. Having the Finnish veteran on the front row is a luxury, because rarely do you find drivers who are fast and at the same time so available towards the team and their teammate.

The Red team is united, cohesive, and annoying one of the team's leading men, to the point of making him respond sharply on the radio in the middle of the GP, is the best possible assist for the rivals. Keeping the morale of the troops high and deploying two equally hungry "dioscuri" is the best way to make Mercedes wobble. The World Cup also and above all depends on a perfect strategy. As a team, not an individual.

Antonino Rendina

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