Maurizio Arrivabene: “Kimi’s professionalism is outstanding”. Arrivabene confirmed the moment took place right before the Italian GP.

Scuderia Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene looks back at the moment he informed Scuderia Ferrari Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen of the Maranello team’s decision to promote Charles Leclerc at Ferrari for the 2019 Formula One season. Arrivabene wanted to point out the composure with which Kimi Raikkonen accepted the news of his replacement with the 20-year-old Monégasque racing driver.

Maurizio Arrivabene confirmed the moment took place right before the Italian Grand Prix, a race that the 2007 Formula One world champion finished in second place after starting from pole position, due to tyre issues in the final stages of the event at Monza: “Kimi’s professionalism is outstanding, we have been working together for many years and had asked us to be notified in time regarding our plans for next season. For this reason, before the race at Monza, we informed him of the arrival of Charles Leclerc, a decision which was made in order to allow a very talented young man to grow alongside a champion like Sebastian Vettel. Kimi will be able to run another two years with Sauber, while we could not have offered him a contract beyond 2019. And, despite the news just before the Italian Grand Prix, he raced with great professionalism in Monza”. – Scuderia Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene said, as reported by Italian daily newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport on Monday.