As Ferrari launch their new car, world champion Kimi Raikkonen says that team-mate Felipe Massa will be his closest rival in 2008.
World champion expects team-mate to be closest rival in 2008
Kimi Raikkonen is hoping for a two-way fight for this year's Formula One World Championship between himself and Ferrari team-mate Felipe Massa.
Last season's title battle saw Raikkonen ultimately claim victory ahead of McLaren-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton, while Massa finished in fourth place behind Fernando Alonso.
This year, though, Raikkonen believes his team-mate will be up there challenging for the world title alongside him.
Challenge
However, the Finn's assertion does not necessarily mean he has discounted the challenge posed by McLaren, nor the possibility of Alonso helping Renault return to the front of the pack.
"I hope the title will be between me and Felipe," Raikkonen said. "But for sure McLaren will be back.
"We don't know how Fernando will go with Renault. We can guess either way, but we might not get the right answer.
"They had a difficult season last year, but this year might be a different story."
Massa remained coy when asked for predictions about who Ferrari's main rivals will be, saying there could be a few surprises.
"It's hard to say now. We know there might be surprises, teams who have become more competitive, like teams who after having a difficult year have understood what direction to work on," the Brazilian said.
"So it's hard to say who will be the main rival. All we know is that we'll have rivals, whether on a grey, white or blue car.
"We just need to work to be ahead of whatever rivals."
Launch
The duo were speaking as Ferrari launched their new car, the F2008, on Sunday, with Raikkonen handing it a track debut on Monday at Fiorano.
According to designer Aldo Costa, the F2008 is an all-new car and it must also comply with the FIA's new regulations which require gearboxes to last four grands prix, as well as the installation of a standard ECU.
"It will be completely new, even though you can't make radical changes because of the regulations," Costa told
Gazzetta dello Sport in December.
"The front of the car will be different, as far as the monocoque is concerned, with differently shaped sidepods, and the wing will be new too."
The Scuderia have already confirmed that the car's aerodynamics package will undergo major changes before the season begins in Australia in March.
