Back to the future: What will Kimi Raikkonen bring to Ferrari?

Only time will tell if Alonso and Raikkonen can knock Vettel off the top. (Getty Images)

More importantly, though, despite his greater maturity, there are still signs from Alonso that he hasn’t completely shaken off the petulance of his youth. Certainly at Monza this year, we saw signs of the Alonso of old, berating his team on the radio and looking decidedly unhappy post-qualifying, despite the later denials. A challenge from Raikkonen may well end up bringing out the worst, rather than the best, in Alonso.

So, we may or may not have fireworks at Ferrari in 2014, but have Ferrari made the right choice with Raikkonen? First of all, the team was absolutely right to replace Massa. The Brazilian, who came agonisingly close to the world drivers’ championship in 2008, has been a shadow of his former self since a career-threatening injury suffered at the Hungaroring in 2009. Massa has had ample opportunity at Ferrari, but despite flashes of his old speed, he has not been able to deliver results on a consistent basis.

Having made the decision to replace Massa, was Raikkonen the right choice? Well, that one’s a little more difficult. We know that Nico Hulkenberg was under serious consideration for the second Ferrari seat. The German is undoubtedly quick and hugely talented, and personally one love to see him given a chance at a top team. Signing Hulkenberg would have maintained the current position with Alonso as the number one driver in the team, but in doing so Ferrari might have recreated a situation that was even more akin to the 2007 McLaren position than Alonso-Raikkonen.

Hulkenberg would likely have gone to Ferrari as a ‘number two’ to Alonso, though. Just what would have happened if he proved quick enough to actually challenge Alonso? That situation may well have been the one that would have been the most likely to bring out the absolute worst in the Spaniard.

Instead Ferrari opted to go with Alonso-Raikkonen. On paper the partnership is the strongest one in Formula 1; two former world champions who are arguably at the peak of their powers. However, this isn’t a long-term pairing. Both drivers are in their early thirties and you have to think that their time in the sport is drawing to its conclusion. Doesn’t this leave Ferrari with a problem in a couple of years?

The answer to that question is no. Simply put, Ferrari want Sebastian Vettel in the team. Vettel recently signed a one-year contract extension at Red Bull, which will keep him at the team until the end of the 2015 season, coincidentally the same point at which Raikkonen’s deal with the team will run out.

So it all looks very neat. Raikkonen is brought in to bring consistency to Ferrari and strengthen the team in the short-term until the arrival of Vettel in 2016. Is that how things will turn out? Who knows!