Kimi Raikkonen insists he will not change his approach to Formula 1 after moving from McLaren to Ferrari this season.
The Finn appeared in his first press conference as a Ferrari driver at the team’s traditional winter skiing event at Madonna di Campiglio on Wednesday, with questions focusing on his ability to successfully replace Michael Schumacher.
Although the 27-year-old’s speed is renowned, doubts remain as to whether he can match the retired seven-time world champion’s legendary work ethic and inherit the German’s mantle as the team’s inspirational figurehead.
But Raikkonen says that despite not winning a world championship at McLaren, it was not his style that was the problem, but rather the car's shortcomings – and that he will continue to work in his own way at Ferrari.
"I'm not going to change my way, it works well enough," he was quoted as saying by Reuters.
"Even if I had changed my style it would not have changed the results at McLaren.
"The problem was not what I did with my training or in my private life, it was more to do with the car not lasting the race or not being quick enough.”
“I'm not Michael Schumacher and the team doesn't expect me to be," he added.
"I work in a different way. We just need to find the best way to work together and I don't see a problem with that."
Although the Finn has yet to test for Ferrari, he made his first public appearance with the team at Jerez during the sessions before Christmas.
And he already believes that the Italian squad is the best team he has worked with in F1, following five seasons at McLaren and a debut year at Sauber.
"So far it has been nice and easy and much easier to work with this team than any other in Formula 1 for me," he said.
"People said it would be difficult but so far it has been completely the opposite. I have only good things to say about it.
"I expect to have a good relationship and to have fun."
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