Keeping Raikkonen over Leclerc 'too risky' for Ferrari

Ferrari risked "missing the boat" on Charles Leclerc by keeping Kimi Raikkonen in 2019, according to the Finn's former karting boss, who says the veteran now only sees Formula 1 as "a hobby". Peter de Bruijn believes Raikkonen's switch with Leclerc to Sauber could end up benefitting all parties.

Raikkonen is set to race in F1 into his forties after signing a two-year deal with Sauber, while Leclerc has replaced him at the Scuderia on a similar deal after backing up GP3 and Formula 2 titles with a strong rookie season.

De Bruijn says Raikkonen was determined to remain in F1 after being informed that he would be dropped by Ferrari, but suggested that the Iceman's ruthlessness might have waned.

"He just does not want to stop, not at all, he has too much fun in it and just wants to keep on driving," De Bruijn told GPUpdate. "He just sees it as a hobby and - at least, the racing itself - it's all beautiful.

"If it had been up to me, he would have stayed with Ferrari for another year.

"As a team you also have to think about the future and Ferrari would not want to miss the boat in terms of young riders - such as Leclerc, [Esteban] Ocon or [Max] Verstappen - so I think they were afraid of losing Leclerc and that forced their decision.

"But the combination of Vettel and Kimi is extraordinary, of course, two grown-up guys who can get along well with each other. With Leclerc, a young dog is added and you get a fight, that is not necessarily bad for the team but it can also cause problems.

De Bruijn believes Raikkonen's experience will be of more use to Sauber than Leclerc's flair has been in 2018.

He added: "Leclerc is of course a super talent - he was already in karts - and it is fantastic what he shows in Formula 1. But at that age, of course, he cannot take a whole team with him, so I think Kimi is a good acquisition. He knows very well what is going on in teams.

"If there is anything wrong with the organization, he can explain what needs to change. He will not win so quickly in that Sauber, but I do see that he can always be in the top ten."

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