Raikkonen: I'm not Michael Schumacher and won't change my ways

By Elmar Dreher Jan 10, 2007, 13:59 GMT

Madonna di Campiglio, Italy - Kimi Raikkonen vowed he won't be changing his ways as he steps into the shoes of seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher as Ferrari's main hope in the challenge for the 2007 Formula One title.

The 27-year-old Finn, who has joined the Italian racing team from McLaren, made it clear at the scuderia's first official media event with their new driver Wednesday that as far as he was concerned the Schumacher era was over.

'I'm not going to change my way, it works well enough,' he told journalists at the Italian ski resort of Madonna di Campiglio.

Raikkonen said he felt under no pressure replacing the retired Schumacher or to prove that criticism from McLaren over his alleged lax approach to the sport and love of a drink - in stark contrast to Schumacher's ultra-professional approach - was wide of the mark.

McLaren failed to win a race last year after Raikkonen, who has nine career wins, had finished championship runner-up the previous season.

'Even if I had changed my style it would not have changed the results at McLaren,' he said.

'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.'

Of the criticism of his lifestyle, he added: 'I don't really mind what people say. I'm not Michael Schumacher and the team doesn't expect me to be. 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.'

It remains to be seen whether the Italians will warm to an often unemotional driver dubbed the 'iceman' by McLaren boss Ron Dennis.

Raikkonen says he has no plans to attend a language school to learn Italian, but the driver has been pleased by the warmth of the Ferrari welcome so far and believes language won't be a barrier.

'So far it has been nice and easy and much easier to work with this team than any other in Formula One for me,' said Raikkonen who began in Formula One with Sauber before moving to McLaren.

'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.'

Compared to Brazilian teammate Felipe Massa who was full of praise for Schumacher, Raikkonen remained relatively reticent about his predecessor.

'Michael was the top driver for many years. People will always compare you to the previous driver, that is normal, but I will just do my own thing,' he said.

Massa, 25, described Schumacher as 'an incredibly good teacher for me' who had helped him develop a new attitude to driving.

'It is a great loss for the whole of Formula One that Michael is no longer here. He was a great world champion, a dream,' he said.

However Massa said the titles won in the last two seasons by Renault's Fernando Alonso - who has now joined McLaren - showed that Formula One would continue to be strong without Schumacher.

Ferrari are set to launch their new F1 car on Sunday at a presentation at the team's base in Maranello.