By IANS
London : Ferrari’s Formula One team boss Jean Todt insists Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen are on an equal footing and free to race each other as the title race hots up.
The Ferrari chief made the statement after it appeared Raikkonen eased off to allow Massa victory in Sunday’s Turkish Grand Prix.
The two Ferrari drivers were tail-to-nose in the laps prior to their second pit stops, which saw Raikkonen pit first.
Massa came in a lap later but emerged in front of his team-mate on the track.
The Finn therefore backed off and Massa went on to claim his second successive Turkish GP victory.
The win meant the Brazilian moved ahead of Raikkonen in the drivers’ standings with just one point separating the two.
And because no driver has a clear advantage over the other, Todt insists that Massa and Raikkonen are free to race each other.
“It will be something that will be inappropriate for drivers like Felipe and Kimi, doing such a good job, after 12 races with just one point difference,” he said, reacting to a suggestion that the two drivers should act as a team on the track.
“They made some mistakes, but that is normal. We are human beings, and at the moment there is not any plan to make any kind of strategy favouring one or the other.”