LONDON: Kimi Raikkonen is leaving Ferrari for Sauber and will be replaced by rookie Charles Leclerc.
Raikkonen, who won the 2007 Formula One title with Ferrari, will be heading back to Sauber from next season while Leclerc will take his seat alongside Sebastian Vettel.
The 20-year-old Leclerc is touted as one of the most talented young drivers in F1 and had been widely expected to move to Ferrari if Raikkonen left.
The young driver from Monaco had earned praise from across the F1 paddock — including from world champions Vettel and Lewis Hamilton — after a strong showing in his debut season with Sauber.
“Dreams do come true,” Leclerc wrote on Twitter. “I’ll be driving for @scuderiaferrari for the 2019 Formula 1 World Championship. I will be eternally grateful to @scuderiaferrari for the opportunity given.”
Raikkonen will be back with the team where he started his F1 career in 2001. The Finn signed with Sauber for the next two seasons.
“Signing Kimi Raikkonen as our driver represents an important pillar of our project, and brings us closer to our target of making significant progress as a team in the near future,” Sauber team principal Frederic Vasseur said on Tuesday. “Kimi’s undoubted talent and immense experience in Formula One will not only contribute to the development of our car, but will also accelerate the growth and development of our team as a whole.”
Raikkonen has 20 wins and 100 podium finishes in his F1 career. Nine of those wins came with Ferrari, where he had been since 2014. He also was with the team from 2007-09 before leaving to compete in the World Rally Championship for two years. He returned to F1 in 2012 to drive for Lotus, where he stayed until rejoining Ferrari two years later.
“During these years, Kimi’s contribution to the team, both as a driver and on account of his human qualities, has been fundamental,” Ferrari said in a statement. “He played a decisive role in the team’s growth and was, at the same time, always a great team player. As a world champion for Scuderia Ferrari, he will always be part of the team’s history and family. We thank Kimi for all of this and wish him and his family a prosperous future.”
Leclerc, a member of Ferrari’s driver academy, won the GP3 title in 2016 and the F2 title in 2017 before joining Sauber in F1 this season. His highest finish was sixth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.
“It’s been a great pleasure to support Charles Leclerc in his rookie year in Formula One,” Vasseur said. “Since his arrival, he has given the team great motivation. We have constantly improved and we will work hard until the end of this season to achieve the best possible results together. We are aware of Charles’ talent and are confident that he will have a bright future.”
Kimi Raikkonen is leaving Ferrari to be replaced by Charles Leclerc
Kimi Raikkonen is leaving Ferrari to be replaced by Charles Leclerc
England comeback win against New Zealand gives Pakistan last shot at T20 World Cup semifinals
- Pakistan have to beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or chase down the co-host in 13.1 overs
- England have already qualified but completed Super Eights three-for-three unbeaten
COLOMBO: New Zealand failed to clinch a Twenty20 World Cup semifinals place when it lost to England by four wickets on Friday, leaving Pakistan a last chance to qualify.
New Zealand looked set to join England in the semifinals when it reduced England to 117-6 in the 17th over in pursuit of 160. But big hits by Will Jacks and Rehan Ahmed got England over the finish line with three balls remaining in a thriller.
“Would have made our lives easier if we won,” New Zealand captain Mitch Santner said. “We played a pretty good game. Credit to England. Jacks and Rehan with the finishing touches, it was a good bit of batting.”
The odds still favor New Zealand going through from the Super Eights but Pakistan has a last-ditch chance on Saturday against Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
Pakistan has to beat Sri Lanka by 64 runs or chase down the tournament co-host in 13.1 overs.
England had already qualified but completed the Super Eights three-for-three unbeaten.
That record was in jeopardy for much of the chase.
Phil Salt was out in the first over and fellow opener Jos Buttler for a two-ball duck in the second over. Buttler has only 62 runs in seven matches and his 10th career duck set the all-time record for England in T20s.
“He’s played 150 games for England,” captain Harry Brook said of Buttler, “and people need to take a little step back. He’s probably the best white-ball player to play the game. He’s in a rut but it’s exciting to know what he could produce in the next few games.”
Brook and Jacob Bethel were gone inside nine overs then Tom Banton and Sam Curran struggled to share 42 runs in 35 balls. England was left needing 43 runs off 19 deliveries with four wickets on a used pitch that was turning.
Ahmed replaced Jamie Overton because of the pitch and took 2-28, and he made his bat also count.
He sent the second ball he faced over the long-on fence as he and Jacks turned the game with 22 runs in the 18th over bowled by Glenn Phillips. They plundered 16 runs from the 19th bowled by Santner and cruised home.
Jacks was unbeaten on 32 including a six and four boundaries. Ahmed faced seven deliveries for 19 which included two sixes and a boundary.
“Having gone out on a knife edge I’m over the moon,” Jacks said after his fourth player of the match award in the tournament. “Rehan played a brilliant innings. Everyone struggled to get going on that pitch and the six he hit second ball got them rattled and I fed off him.
“Feel confident right now, calm in the middle. That can be vital. We’re going in the right direction, three wins in the Super Eight, we’re very happy.”
Santner chose to bat first, as both teams wanted, and his team made 159-7.
Tim Seifert and Finn Allen opened with 64 in seven overs but they lost wickets frequently from then on. Phillips top-scored with 39. New Zealand scored only 24 runs in the last three overs.
Spinners Jacks, Adil Rashid and Ahmed took two wickets each.
