JUNE 3, 2013

Vettel unsure if Raikkonen as teammate is realistic

Sebastian Vettel admits he is not sure if the idea of having Kimi Raikkonen as his teammate next year is "realistic".

Red Bull has not ruled out replacing Mark Webber, who fell out badly with world champion Vettel over the 'Multi-21' affair, with Finn Raikkonen in 2014.

Asked if he would like to share the Red Bull garage with his friend and fellow world champion Raikkonen next year, Vettel admitted: "I don't know how realistic that is.

"I do get on very well with him," he told Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

However, Vettel insisted that the media image of him and Raikkonen as best friends is "exaggerated".

"We see each other at the races if time permits, as we are both straightforward, honest -- we do get on well together," he said.

"But you don't find your real friends in formula one," added Vettel.

Meanwhile, Vettel said that his handling of the 'Multi-21' affair - when he brashly said he refused to let Webber win in Malaysia because the Australian didn't "deserve" it - simply revealed his true character.

"The image of me that existed before that day was simply wrong," said the triple world champion.

"Malaysia opened the eyes of many in this regard," Vettel admitted.

"If there is something unpleasant to speak about, I have always done it, just normally in the presence of those who really need to hear it, not the people sitting in front of the television.

"This time, it was different," he added.

(GMM)