Raikkonen delivers hopeful Ferrari verdict after tough years: 'I can see encouraging signs'

Ferrari have now gone without a drivers’ title since 2007, when the Finn capitalised on Lewis Hamilton’s late heartbreak in Brazil at the final race of the season to secure the first and only world championship of his career. Things have not been much better on the constructors’ side either, with Ferrari still chasing a title that has eluded the team since 2008 - another dramatic finale at Interlagos, although this time it was Hamilton who had the last laugh against the Scuderia.

The Finn enjoyed two separate spells at Ferrari, first racing for the Scuderia from 2007 to 2009 before temporarily stepping away from Formula 1 to focus on rallying. He later returned to Maranello from 2014 to 2018, although that second stint proved far less successful, with his victory in Austin in 2018 standing out as the main highlight before moving to Alfa Romeo for the final chapter of his career.

Since then, several high-profile names have followed in Raikkonen’s footsteps at Ferrari, including Sebastian Vettel, Charles Leclerc - despite the Monegasque not yet becoming world champion - and most recently Lewis Hamilton. For now, however, the Italian team still appear unable to consistently fight for titles, although 2024 marked the first season in years in which Ferrari genuinely battled for the Constructors’ Championship before ultimately losing out to McLaren at the final race in Abu Dhabi.

Speaking to Quotidiano Nazionale, Raikkonen admitted he had hoped Ferrari would find a new world champion soon after his departure at the end of 2018. While the Scuderia are still waiting to end that drought, the 2007 world champion revealed he has started to see encouraging signs from the Maranello-based outfit.

Ferrari’s first-ever fully electric supercar has already become one of the most talked-about automotive launches of the year, with Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc now sharing their early impressions of the groundbreaking new EV.

Leclerc admitted the silence inside the cockpit initially felt unusual for a Ferrari, although both drivers praised the artificial sound generated in performance mode for helping maintain a connection between driver and car. The Monegasque also highlighted the amount of new technology packed into the project, acknowledging how significant the transition to a fully electric Ferrari is for the brand.

Hamilton, meanwhile, was particularly impressed by the car’s stability and low centre of gravity, explaining that the EV remained incredibly planted through corners with almost no body roll. The Briton also praised the simulated shifting experience, describing it as a unique feature that kept the driving sensation engaging despite the absence of a combustion engine. Leclerc concluded by stressing that the Ferrari still delivers the special feeling traditionally associated with the brand, despite entering a completely new era with an all-electric supercar.