Massa leaves while Raikkonen rejoins Ferrari for 2014 season

In a space of twenty-four hours, the driver line-up for Scuderia Ferrari in 2014 has been resolved with the news that Felipe Massa has left, with Kimi Raikkonen announced as his replacement.

After serving the Manarello-based squad for eight years, Felipe Massa tweeted on Tuesday night that he would leave Ferrari at the end of this season.

“From 2014 I will no longer be driving for Ferrari,” Massa announced on the social networking site.

“I would like to thank the team for all the victories and incredible moments experienced together. Thank you also to my wife and all of my family, to my fans and all my sponsors.

“From each one of you I have always received a great support! Right now I want to push as hard as possible with Ferrari for the remaining seven races. For next year, I want to find a team that can give me a competitive car to win many more races and challenge for the championship, which remains my greatest objective! Thank you all.”

The Brazilian joined Ferrari in 2006 and scored his first victory at the Turkish Grand Prix that year. In 2008, he came very close to winning the world championship at his home race at Sao Paulo, but lost out to title rival Lewis Hamilton by a single point.

The following season, Massa was seriously injured in a crash at the Hungaroring and was out of action for the rest of 2009. He returned a year later but since then has struggled to get on terms with his new team-mate Fernando Alonso in terms of outright speed.

Since his crash Massa has not added to the eleven wins he scored for the Scuderia. He was on course for victory at Hockenheim in 2010 but was issued the infamous team orders that “Fernando was faster than you” resulting in Alonso scoring the race win instead.

Massa has started more races for Ferrari than any driver, apart from Michael Schumacher.

With Massa out, the rumours of Raikkonen taking over the seat reached fever pitch and by Wednesday afternoon, Ferrari officially confirmed that The Iceman was back at the team.

It has been seven years on since Raikkonen first joined Ferrari and in that year, he won the world championship in a dramatic Brazilian Grand Prix.

By rejoining the team in 2014, alongside Fernando Alonso, the Manarello-based squad has without doubt, the strongest line-up in terms of title success.

Raikkonen’s deal is a two-year contract and it will be deeply fascinating to see how these two champions will get on in terms of bringing home the silverware for Ferrari.

A statement from Ferrari confirmed he will “join Fernando Alonso in the driver line-up for the next two racing seasons”.

“I am really happy to be returning to Maranello where I previously spent three fantastic and very successful years,” said Raikkonen. “I have so many memories of my time at Ferrari, memories which have stayed with me these past years, first and foremost, winning the world championship title in 2007, which was really unforgettable.”

“I can’t wait to be driving a prancing horse car again and to reacquaint myself with so many people with whom I had such close links, as well as working with Fernando, whom I consider a great driver, in order to bring the team the success it deserves.”

As for Fernando Alonso, who competed against Kimi Raikkonen for championship honours back in 2005 while racing for Renault and McLaren respectively, he said of the new partnership: “I’d like to welcome my new travelling companion: together, starting next year, we will have to tackle a very demanding technical and racing challenge.”

“I want to thank Felipe for all the support he has given me and the team during this journey we have made together over all these years,” he added.

“Come the end of the season, it will not be easy to say goodbye to a team-mate like him. He has always been truly professional and loyal to the team and I am sure that right to the end, he will do his utmost for the Scuderia that he loves so much.”

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali added: “I am pleased to welcome Kimi back to the Scuderia, the team with which he won his world championship title.”

“I sense he is very happy to be returning to Maranello and very determined to tackle the work that awaits him in the best way possible.”

Domenicali expressed his gratitude to Massa for eight years of service as one of the team’s racing drivers: “I wish to thank Felipe with all my heart and also on behalf of all our fans around the world, for the extraordinary job he has done for the team over so many years.”

“Felipe has always behaved like a real team player. Together we have lived through some great times and also a few dramatic moments, which have helped to cement a truly unique relationship on both a professional and personal level.”

“He will always be part of our family and we wish him all the very best for the future. Now we must concentrate all our efforts on the remaining seven races of the season and we know that, as always, we can count on Felipe’s contribution, while we work together to reach our goals. Our determination will not waver one iota right to the very end.”

So, an exciting line-up at Ferrari next year in the shape of two former champions. Not since 1953 have the Scuderia got two title winners representing the team. It’s going to be thrilling to see Alonso and Raikkonen fighting for poles, fastest laps, race wins and hopefully championships in the years to come.