He is going to have a strong team-mate though, because
Heikki Kovalainen is no slouch. The Finn is definitely a hot-shot behind the wheel and that is something Fisi is going to have to keep in mind. But again, championships are won by developing a team around you and producing results on a regular basis and that is something that Fisi has got to do.
Q:
Will
Kimi Raikkonen and
Felipe Massa be able to keep the Scuderia at the top of the pack?
MB:
That is also something that we are all going to have to wait to see. Anticipation levels are high to see what Raikkonen does in a
Ferrari. You have to say, he knows how to win grand’s prix. He has done that several times and the time is right now to see Raikkonen have a new era, because I think he will have a level of maturity now to take the weight of Ferrari on his shoulders and get stuck in and do something with it. But he is an individual with some differences attached to him, which are plain to see and we have all seen those. He gets the job done when needed but it is going to be something different to have the 'red car' sitting there waiting for him on a Sunday afternoon. That is something he hasn’t had to deal with yet and it does have pressure attached to it.
Q:
Two more Brits will join the fold in 2007, with
Anthony Davidson and
Lewis Hamilton joining
David Coulthard and
Jenson Button in race seats. What do those two drivers’ need to achieve?
MB:
Well firstly it is great to have four Brits in
F1 - that is fantastic. The Lewis Hamilton scenario is something, which is still for me, a little bit of a concern. There is going to be a lot of pressure on his shoulders to deliver, maybe not in the teams’ eyes, but in the world’s media’s eyes, outside of the pit lane, because he comes in with such high credentials. He will be the first black driver in
Formula One and that in its own right is going to be something very difficult to deal with, in terms of the amount of requirements and time that is going to be taken away from what is needed behind the wheel. Also as much as they will probably try and shield him from those outside pressures it will mount. Lewis is however, a remarkably calm and collected young man. He knows how to win races and he can definitely operate behind the wheel to the highest levels. I have no doubt he will deliver some outstanding results. He is alongside the current world champion, Alonso and that is something - if he is focused and I am sure he will be - he will be able to take on board and learn from. I think that could really benefit him and he will learn at a greater pace than many other rookies, because he has got someone of that level in the other car. So we shall see.
