Ferrari launch set for 14 January

Ferrari will hold their team launch for 2007 at Maranello on 14 January, with Kimi Raikkonen expected to get his first run out for the team in the following days.




The Italian outfit will have team management, as well as Felipe Massa and Raikkonen in attendance at the media event, but have yet to confirm their pre-season testing plans.

The Scuderia, notoriously, spend much of January and February testing at their own tracks but should, at the very least, take part in some of the testing planned at Bahrain.

Kimi praises 'friendly' Ferrari

After five years in a McLaren cockpit, Kimi Raikkonen says he can already sense a "friendlier" atmosphere at his new team.

The Finn will test Ferrari's 2007 car for the first time at Fiorano later this month, but he has already visited the Italian team's Maranello factory and attended a day of winter testing in Spain.

With his McLaren contract finally expiring last Sunday, he told the major Finnish newspaper Ilta Sanomat, "I am feeling really good inside this team, even if I am yet to even sit in my car."

"What I have noticed is that the atmosphere here is friendlier than at McLaren. They also do not appear to be too interested in what the newspapers write about me," Raikkonen said.

The 27-year-old's relationship with Ron Dennis is believed to have neared breaking point last year when the McLaren chief warned Raikkonen to stop attracting the attention of tabloid editors.

In a round of rare criticism for the laid-back race driver, Kimi described Briton Dennis as a "control-freak".

In contrast, he said Ferrari boss Jean Todt is a "completely normal guy".

Also referring to Todt, Raikkonen added, "He comes from the rally scene and he has quite a lot of experience with Finnish drivers, so I cannot imagine him getting too excited about trivial matters."

Brundle: Ferrari starts 2007 as favourite

ITV Sport commentator Martin Brundle believes Ferrari starts the 2007 Formula 1 season as favourite, despite seismic changes behind the scenes.

Kimi Raikkonen has yet to turn a wheel for the Italian squad as it heads into the new year with a new infrastructure following the departures of technical director Ross Brawn and engine man Paulo Martinelli.

But Brundle believes the momentum it carried into the winter after Felipe Massa's barn-storming win in Brazil, coupled with its key rivals Renault, McLaren and Honda's switch to Bridgestone, will give Ferrari an edge this year.

"Ferrari ended the season with a lot of momentum and you don't lose that in a hurry," Brundle told ITV-F1.com.

"Ferrari has got the quality in depth and I would fully expect it to come through this tricky patch.

"With its knowledge of Bridgestones, Raikkonen's pace and legendary reliability on its side, for me Ferrari will start the season as favourite.

"But only just…"