‘Alonso more adaptable than Kimi’

Fernando Alonso is a more adaptable driver than Kimi Raikkonen, according to Ferrari’s recently-ousted technical chief Pat Fry.

The two former World Champions were partnered at Ferrari for the 2014 season, with Alonso out-qualifying and out-pacing the Finn throughout the year.

Alonso, though, has switched to McLaren-Honda for the 2015 season, with Raikkonen’s friend Sebastian Vettel joining him at Maranello this year.

Raikkonen, Ferrari’s last World Champion in 2007, was in impressive form for Lotus before joining Scuderia for a second time after the 2013 season and Fry thinks he knows the reason for the 35-year-old’s contrasting spells of form.

“There were two issues,” Fry is quoted by Brazil’s Totalrace.

“The first is that Fernando is more adaptable and the second is that the limitations of the car and tyres are especially difficult with Kimi’s driving style.

“To get the most out of Kimi, you need to give him the car to do it.

“It was the same at McLaren,” Fry added, having also worked with Raikkonen at the Woking outfit.

“He was very sensitive to the front of the car – when he and [Juan Pablo] Montoya were together, I think we had about seven different front suspensions for the season.”

“To get the most out of Kimi, you need to give him the car to do it.”