Ferrari - No driver issues

No favouritism: Raikkonen and Massa

The team works for both drivers and if we can give them a competitive car - as we hope we do - we won't have any psychological pressure from inside.

Stefano Domenicali
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Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali has downplayed concerns that the rivalry between the Scuderia drivers could cost them this year's world title.

Since teaming up in 2007, Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa have traded positions as Ferrari's leading driver. While it was Raikkonen who topped the charts in their first year together, even winning the drivers' title, it was Massa who led the way in 2008.

The Brazilian proved to be Ferrari's best driver last season, challenging Lewis Hamilton for the world crown all the way to the finish line.

However, he lost out by one point with Raikkonen a massive 22 points behind his team-mate in third.

This year, though, it's a clean slate with both drivers preparing to vie for the title and with neither having number one status it could prove to be problematic for Ferrari.

Domenicali, however, is confident there won't be any issues between his drivers sabotaging one another's campaigns.

"Last year we didn't lose a single point due to mismanagement by our drivers," he said.

Fresh

"The team works for both drivers and if we can give them a competitive car - as we hope we do - we won't have any psychological pressure from inside."

As for his drivers the Ferrari team boss heaped praise on Massa, who he reckons displayed his speed and class during the 2008 campaign.

"I've met a very fresh and motivated Felipe Massa. He matured a lot over the last season. His strong point over these years was that he always believed in himself.

"I think he's mentally ready and mature enough to manage the pressure, from inside and outside."

He also spoke of Raikkonen, who Domenicali believes will be able to put his disappointing 2008 campaign behind him and return even stronger this season.

"Kimi can't wait to get back into the car and he'll have the possibility at Portimao," he said.

"He wants to show that he's himself again, after President Montezemolo's joke, that it was his twin brother driving by the end of the season.

"Kimi has and always had an enormous capacity: knowing how to detach himself. This allows him not to feel any pressure from outside."