Formula 1 star Kimi Raikkonen said on Wednesday that just because he has taken Michael Schumacher's place at Ferrari it doesn't mean he intends to do things 'the Michael Schumacher way'.
Wearing a red Ferrari cap in public for the first time, the 27-year-old Finn spoke frankly about his predecessor's legacy as he answered journalists' questions at this northern Italian ski resort.
"Michael Schumacher was a great driver. But I am Kimi, not Michael. I have my own way of working and I'm not going to change it," Raikkonen said.
He and Brazilian team-mate Felipe Massa, who has already raced one season with Ferrari, were facing their first press conference of the year on the sidelines of the team's traditional winter meeting in the Alps.
Raikkonen has joined Ferrari after five seasons at McLaren, where he finished as runner up in the 2003 and 2005 championships and collected a total of nine wins and 36 podium finishes.
It's hardly a bad record for a F1 driver, but it inevitably pales when compared to Schumacher's.
When he retired at the end of last season, the 37-year-old German was Formula 1's most accomplished driver ever, having won a record seven world championships, five in a row behind the wheel of a Ferrari.
He was poised to clinch his eighth title in 2006, after an amazing comeback in the second half of the season, but his engine blew as he was leading the penultimate race and so his hopes of a glorious exit were dashed.
Schumacher has agreed to stay on at Ferrari where he will act as a "super consultant" to Todt. Precisely what that means is not clear.
Raikkonen, who is nicknamed 'Iceman' for his ability to remain cool at all times, seems to have stepped into the role of Ferrari's no.1 driver, ahead of Massa, who was clearly no. 2 to Schumacher.
But the team has said there is no first and second driver this year. That may be because Ferrari wants to wait to see how quickly the Finn settles in and gets to know his car.
Having already raced with Ferrari for a year, Massa has an advantage here and he was clearly aware of it when speaking to reporters. He also appeared to hint at the possibility of he or Raikkonen emerging as the team's top driver after a few races.
"We're starting on an equal footing but I know I have a unique opportunity. I'm in the right place at the right time. The first races will be very important because we'll see who's the fastest," he said.
Because of his seniority in the team, it is the Brazilian who will start testing the new Ferrari car first, on January 15. His team-mate will get behind the wheel at the end of the month.
"That's not problem for me," Raikkonen said. "I know that we are starting on equal terms, with the same equipment and the same objectives."
