Ferrari Says Raikkonen, Massa Equals in 2008

Topics:  Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen, Felipe Massa

VOA Sports
January 9, 2008

The new head of Ferrari's Formula One team, sporting director Stefano Domenicali, says reigning driving champion Kimi Raikkonen of Finland will not be given preferential treatment in this year's competition.

Domenicali says Raikkonen and teammate Felipe Massa of Brazil will start the season "on an equal footing." Domenicali says his priority is the good of the team.

The new sporting director says Formula One must put last year's spy scandal involving rival McLaren behind it. McLaren was fined $100 million and stripped of its points in the constructors' standings after a former Ferrari employee allegedly leaked sensitive data to the British-based team.

Domenicali, who replaced Jean Todt, says that for the good of the sport, teams need to look forward. However, he acknowledged that forgetting the spy scandal will be difficult. Raikkonen won the driving championship at the last race of the season, edging British McLaren driver Lewis Hamilton by one point.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.