Ferrari to push Raikkonen into new simulator

Jan.2 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen will be expected to work hard this winter at the wheel of Ferrari's new simulator.

The Finn is no fan of the technology, but its importance has grown in recent years under the regime of very limited track testing.

Still, it was only a year ago that Raikkonen, then at Lotus, insisted he "learns nothing" in a simulator.

But Ferrari has invested heavily in the technology, even if president Luca di Montezemolo would prefer if his red cars could test on a real track.

"It's a joke," he is quoted by Reuters. "We have been forced to invest a huge amount of money in this terrible, artificial, machine instead of being allowed to test here (Fiorano) and at Mugello.

"Kimi will be extremely busy since the beginning of January to work in this strange machine that I don't like at all," Montezemolo added.