Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo claims that Kimi Raikkonen's move to the Italian outfit has so far gone better than the team expected.
The Finn, who was the last driver to win the Drivers' Championship for Ferrari, left the Italian outfit at the end of 2009 after a disappointing defense of his world title, but rejoined the Maranello team for the 2014 season.
Although there are concerns about how Raikkonen and his long-time-rival-turned-team-mate Fernando Alonso would get along, Di Montezemolo revealed how impressed he has been with the Finn's attitude so far.
"Kimi has been better than what I expected," Di Montezemolo said during an interview at Fiorano.
"He has been welcomed by the fans all over the world, he is far more popular with the fans, and that is important inside the team."
The Ferrari boss also downplayed the suggestions of strife between the two former World Champions and added that he is confident that their rivalry will bring the best out of each
other.
"What about [the comments that] putting them together - Alonso and Raikkonen - could be dangerous?" he added.
"In F1 I accept the attitude to equalise everything, sometimes too much, but everything provides potential dangers.
"I think Fernando knows that he drives not for himself but for Ferrari, and Raikkonen knows that he is in the second half of his career, and [there are] two very important years for him in front. Experience, responsibilities.
"I think that the main reason why I am positive is because Kimi in particular in the races is very strong, so will be in condition to get points off even some of Fernando's competitors to get points for the team.
"And he is a very correct guy. Since he has been with us we have not got even one moment of problems.
"They are responsible and I think the presence of Kimi will be extremely important and useful to not leave Fernando alone at the front of the grid to fight from the first lap to the end.
"[Stefano] Domenicali has spoken very clear to both of them, and they have the honour and the responsibility to drive for Ferrari.
"Every driver while I have been here knows that he has to drive not for himself but for the team.
"If some driver wants to drive for himself there are many possibilities, they can do their own team, they can go in a different team, but in Ferrari these are the rules - and that is very clear."
The Finn, who was the last driver to win the Drivers' Championship for Ferrari, left the Italian outfit at the end of 2009 after a disappointing defense of his world title, but rejoined the Maranello team for the 2014 season.
Although there are concerns about how Raikkonen and his long-time-rival-turned-team-mate Fernando Alonso would get along, Di Montezemolo revealed how impressed he has been with the Finn's attitude so far.
"Kimi has been better than what I expected," Di Montezemolo said during an interview at Fiorano.
"He has been welcomed by the fans all over the world, he is far more popular with the fans, and that is important inside the team."
The Ferrari boss also downplayed the suggestions of strife between the two former World Champions and added that he is confident that their rivalry will bring the best out of each
other.
"What about [the comments that] putting them together - Alonso and Raikkonen - could be dangerous?" he added.
"In F1 I accept the attitude to equalise everything, sometimes too much, but everything provides potential dangers.
"I think Fernando knows that he drives not for himself but for Ferrari, and Raikkonen knows that he is in the second half of his career, and [there are] two very important years for him in front. Experience, responsibilities.
"I think that the main reason why I am positive is because Kimi in particular in the races is very strong, so will be in condition to get points off even some of Fernando's competitors to get points for the team.
"And he is a very correct guy. Since he has been with us we have not got even one moment of problems.
"They are responsible and I think the presence of Kimi will be extremely important and useful to not leave Fernando alone at the front of the grid to fight from the first lap to the end.
"[Stefano] Domenicali has spoken very clear to both of them, and they have the honour and the responsibility to drive for Ferrari.
"Every driver while I have been here knows that he has to drive not for himself but for the team.
"If some driver wants to drive for himself there are many possibilities, they can do their own team, they can go in a different team, but in Ferrari these are the rules - and that is very clear."