![\"Stefano-Domenicali-1\"](\"https:\/\/www.racinginfocus.com\/rif\/gallery\/f1-2013-rif-images\/f1-2013-persons\/Stefano-Domenicali-1.jpg\")
With the Italian team’s number 1 driver Fernando Alonso linked with a sensational switch to Red Bull, the future of teammate Felipe Massa is also uncertain beyond his expiring contract.<\/p>\nFerrari has moved to ease the speculation about its 2014 driver lineup.<\/p>\n
With the Italian team’s number 1 driver Fernando Alonso linked with a sensational switch to Red Bull, the future of teammate Felipe Massa is also uncertain beyond his expiring contract.<\/p>\n
And now linked with a return to Maranello is the team’s 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen, after the Finn’s manager Steve Robertson said talks with Red Bull had ended.<\/p>\n
The Raikkonen-to-Ferrari story got a boost in recent days by Eddie Jordan, a former F1 team boss turned broadcaster, who has in recent times earned a reputation for often correctly predicting driver moves.<\/p>\n
Some of Jordan’s media centre colleagues, however, are not so sure.<\/p>\n
In the wake of Robertson ruling out Red Bull for Raikkonen, Lotus boss Eric Boullier hit the headlines this week when he said the 33-year-old will only stay at the Enstone based team in 2014 at the right price.<\/p>\n
Livio Oricchio, writing in O Estado de S.Paulo newspaper, said he interprets that news as Boullier revealing “he knows he has the advantage now” in the negotiations with Raikkonen.<\/p>\n
Indeed, with the Red Bull door now closed, Robertson went to great lengths to insist Raikkonen still has “plural” options when it comes to 2014.<\/p>\n
“The game has turned in Lotus’ favour,” said the Brazilian correspondent Oricchio.<\/p>\n
That is because many in the paddock doubt Ferrari is really considering pairing its clear number 1 Alonso against a truly top driver like Raikkonen.<\/p>\n
Raul Romojaro, writing in the Spanish sports daily AS, recalled that in 2007, McLaren’s explosive Alonso-Lewis Hamilton pairing ultimately cost the British team the title.<\/p>\n
“The only positive of the disaster was that the lesson was learned about how harmful conflicting interests in sports can be,” he said.<\/p>\n
“I would even say that putting Kimi with Fernando would be a time-bomb with difficult and unpredictable consequences.”<\/p>\n
Another aspect that speaks against Raikkonen’s return is that reports in recent days have suggested Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo is not convinced.<\/p>\n
“It would be an admission by him (Montezemolo) that sending Kimi away at the end of 2009 was a huge mistake,” noted Rafael Lopes, writing for Brazil’s Globo Esporte.<\/p>\n
So, given the speculation, it is no surprise Stefano Domenicali is playing it all down.<\/p>\n
“We have spelt it out many times before,” said Ferrari’s team boss ahead of this weekend’s Belgian grand prix, the first race after the August break.<\/p>\n
“The driver topic is definitely not a priority,” Domenicali insisted.<\/p>\n
“There is much talk outside the company regarding the future, but we must concentrate only on the present, on the fight for the championship,” he added.<\/p>\n
Domenicali also backed Montezemolo’s recent comments, which were interpreted by many as a harsh rebuke of Alonso just as the Red Bull rumours were gaining steam.<\/p>\n
“The words of our president before the summer break must serve as a stimulus, because they were meant as the words of a good family father, who, first and foremost, really roots for our team,” he said.<\/p>\n
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