Kimi drops out of 2008 championship hunt

Oct.13 (GMM) Sunday's Japanese grand prix hammered the final nail into the coffin of reigning world champion Kimi Raikkonen's title defence.

The Finn's third place finish was his first podium appearance since June's Magny Cours round, but he nonetheless slipped an insurmountable 21 points behind the championship leader with just two races to go.

Also officially out of the running are BMW-Sauber's Nick Heidfeld and leader Lewis Hamilton's McLaren teammate Heikki Kovalainen.

Singapore and Fuji winner Fernando Alonso, meanwhile, could go on to win the last two races of the season while Hamilton fails to finish, but would still fall 16 points short of a third drivers' title.

Joining Hamilton and Felipe Massa in with a mathematical chance of the title, however, is BMW's Robert Kubica, who collected 8 points at Fuji while his championship rivals faltered.

"We are still in the fight, so let's try," said the Pole, who openly acknowledges that his car is not a match for the two top teams despite his mere 12 point deficit to Hamilton.

"I think Kimi showed last year that everything is possible and I hope we can find a few tenths which will help me in the battle," the 23-year-old added.

Kimi form 'a mystery' to Ecclestone

Oct.4 (GMM) After Kimi Raikkonen admitted his 2008 title defence is now over, F1 chief executive Bernie Ecclestone has declared extreme "disappointment" with the current form of the reigning world champion.

"With Kimi I am extremely disappointed," the 77-year-old billionaire admitted in interview with Germany's Welt am Sonntag newspaper, to be published on Sunday.

28-year-old Raikkonen, despite his sensational late dash to the drivers' crown a year ago, has struggled this season and is now a near-insurmountable 27 points behind the title lead with just three races to run.

Ecclestone said: "Kimi is such a fantastic driver. I thought he had lost his motivation, but then he signed for two more years with Ferrari. It is a mystery to me."

Last year, Bernie tipped Raikkonen's Ferrari teammate Felipe Massa to take out the crown, praising the Brazilian as "stronger, faster and better than a lot of people think".

In 2008, with the 27-year-old now a true contender, the F1 supremo adds: "I have to admit that I have supported Felipe for a long time and helped him wherever I can.

"For so long he has been underestimated. Only recently was he in a position to show his true potential. He now has Kimi firmly within his grasp," Ecclestone said.