Kimi to debut new Ferrari

Newly crowned world champion Kimi Raikkonen will be the first to sample Ferrari’s 2008 car.

According to the German news agency DPA, the 28-year-old Finn is scheduled to test the car with which he will defend his crown in 2008 on January 7, the day after it is launched.

The launch and test will take place at Fiorano, the Italian team’s private circuit located near the Ferrari headquarters at Maranello.

Raikkonen’s maiden test in the 2008 Ferrari will coincide with the presentation of top rival McLaren’s new challenger in Stuttgart, Germany.

The next day, the Mercedes-powered team will begin testing the MP4-23 with two completed single seaters at an exclusive three day session at Jerez, Spain.

Wow, the holidays went by quickly! In my eyes, the season will have already started when Kimi tests his new challenger, the F2008. Can’t wait!

Massa believes in equality
From Sportbox.tv

Felipe Massa claims Ferrari will once again operate a policy of driver equality during the 2008 season.

The Brazilian finished fourth in the drivers’ standings last season, but believes the fact that team-mate Kimi Raikkonen was eventually crowned world champion will not lead to preferential treatment next term.

"The strategy will not change," said Massa. "Thanks to team work we had a great season.

"We will continue in the same way because when you win championships there is no reason to change."

Felipe raises a good point in that why should there be any sort of change between his and Kimi’s status within the team when they became world champions. However, if Ferrari prefer to maintain a clear favourable driver as they did with Schumi, then it would undoubtedly be their new world champion Kimi.

If the title wasn’t won in the end by Kimi, he still had the upper hand through the second half of the season and this will continue into 2009. Massa did a great job this year and he’ll improve too so good luck to him.