Source: Ferrari Media

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Vettel sad to see best teammate ever Raikkonen leave Ferrari

Vettel sad to see "best teammate ever" Raikkonen leave Ferrari

24-09-2018 12:30
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Nicolás Quarles van Ufford

After four years of sharing a garage, Kimi Raikkonen will leave Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, leaving the German very sad, as he dubs Raikkonen as the best teammate he's ever had in Formula One.

The Ferrari duo will have driven 82 Grands Prix together at the end of the year after the last race in Abu Dhabi, which is the fourth most any duo have ever driven together at one team. The number one, of course, is Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello at Ferrari, who are the only duo to have cracked 100 races together, ending up on 104.

Second, in David Coulthard and Mika Häkkinen at McLaren with 99, and Vettel's partnership with Mark Webber at Red Bull lasted 94 races.

"Kimi is the best teammate I've ever had," Vettel told Speedweek.

"We can look at the whole numbers, but those aren't the most important thing.

"The most important thing is the respect you have for the other; Kimi and I had zero crap right from the start, and nothing will change that until Abu Dhabi."

With the calmness he projects, Raikkonen has often been exactly been what Ferrari needed, a team that often finds itself in the middle of drama for some reason or another. 

How Charles Leclerc will do, Raikkonen's replacement at the Italian team, remains to be seen, but Vettel isn't too bothered about that yet.

"This is a great opportunity for Charles, but at the same time I'm sad because of Kimi.

"We may be different in character, but there was always immense respect between us.

"This characterizes the atmosphere in the team."