Ferrari: Too early to decide Kimi’s future

It hasn't been a good couple of weeks for Kimi Raikkonen, but the good news for the Finn is Ferrari won't make a decision on his future on the back of recent results.

The 2007 World Champion came in for some criticism after the Canadian GP as Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene felt he "threw away" a podium finish after he spun on his outlap following a pit stop.

It meant there was some added pressure on Raikkonen to perform in Austria, but he endured another nightmare weekend as he failed to make it out of Q1 following some miscommunication from the pitwall.

He later revealed they "changed the plan but I was never told".

That wasn't the end of his woes as he crashed out on the first lap at the Red Bull Ring on Sunday.

With the Finn's contract at Ferrari up at the end of the season, many are starting speculate whether or not the Prancing Horse will stick with him next year after the latest debacles.

However, Arrivabene insists it is too early to make a decision and the recent events won't play a major role.

"There are many many things to consider and now is too early to tell him something or to decide something," he said. "I could look too defensive or protecting Kimi, but we are not even halfway through the season.

"Try to be in my position, and going to Kimi to say you are out or you are in or whatever. I want the guys to be concentrated on what they are doing and to give the maximum."

He added: "It's not a question of today or yesterday. It's an overall view that is conducting our decision.

"I was talking about performance – performance means a kind of holistic approach.

"How is the feeling with the engineers, how hard is he working, how quick is he?

"We will decide when it is the appropriate time, for him and for us."

Raikkonen lost control of his car at Turn 2 on Sunday and went on to smash into Fernando Alonso and the Spaniard's McLaren ended up on top of the Ferrari.

Both admitted after the race that they are not too sure what happened and when asked if there was a problem on the car, Arrivabene replied: "Honestly I don't think so.

"I thought Alonso touched Kimi, but apparently it's not true. Alonso doesn't have any responsibility.

"Apparently there's no images on the camera of Alonso so we have to trust Kimi.

"He said the car had wheelspin and that's it. Alonso didn't touch him."