Domenicali: Signing Raikkonen was 'right decision'

Former Ferrari boss Stefano Domenicali insists Kimi Raikkonen was the right choice for the Maranello team.

Although ousted last year, it was Domenicali who signed Raikkonen to be Fernando Alonso's teammate in 2014.

The Finn struggled alongside the Spaniard, but his contract for 2015 has been honoured and this year Raikkonen is paired with friend Sebastian Vettel.

Interestingly, Vettel revealed last week that his own first contacts with Ferrari date all the way back to talks with Domenicali in 2008 and 2010.

On Raikkonen, however, Domenicali said: "I have never regretted bringing Raikkonen back to Maranello.

"It was the right decision in 2013 and I would do it again," he told the blog of F1 insider Leo Turrini.

As for Vettel, Domenicali admitted: "I have never hidden my admiration for Sebastian. It would have been great to work in the same garage as him, but it didn't work out that way."

What ultimately transpired is that Ferrari ousted the 49-year-old Italian, but Domenicali now works for the German carmaker Audi.

He insists he is happy with his new role.

"Ah, you want to know what competitive programmes Audi will have in the future?" Domenicali smiled to Turrini. "Come to Ingolstadt and I will tell you."

About the author

Leopold

Leopold Pleijsier founded F1-Fansite.com in 2001 and has followed Formula 1 since the early 1980s. He writes about daily F1 news, race weekends, drivers and the sport’s history.

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