F1 2013: Alonso Will Thrive Alongside Raikkonen, Claims Webber
Mark Webber is confident the arrival of Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari will provide the biggest incentive for Fernando Alonso to thrive next season.
Ferrari confirmed that the 2007 championship winner will join their team from Lotus at the end of the season, prompting an immediate debate as to whether he will displace Alonso as their number one driver.
While some predict the Spaniard will be unsettled by the news of Raikkonen's imminent rival, Red Bull's Webber expects the Spaniard to be driven by the shake up and produce better performances from the Spaniard, particularly in qualifying stages.
"I think Fernando will see it as a positive thing," Webber told Autosport.
"The positives for me are that Fernando needs to be pushed more on Saturday afternoons; which he will live for. Kimi will lift him and help him to get a bit more out of himself on Saturday afternoons.
"On Sunday's there is no question, we know Fernando is a brilliant racer, but on Saturday's Kimi will lift him to another level.
"Fernando will also see it as an opportunity to do well against Kimi. He will back himself in this situation."
Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali has already insisted that the decision to sign Raoikken is not a snub to Alonso, amid growing frustration between the Italian team and the Spaniard.
Domenicali believes his team will have the best two options within Formula 1 next season, but Webber has stressed the importance of the new arrival doing his fair of the work out of the spotlight.
"The team will have to be careful on the technical front. Kimi we know is a phenomenal guy, but it will be interesting to see if Fernando feels it will be even in terms of the work rate going on," Webber added.
"It is a big, big technical challenge next year. Both drivers have to out a lot into that and I don't think Fernando will be happy if it's all one sided.
Raikkonen was once favourite to replace Webber himself at Red Bull, after the Australian announced his decision to leave Formula 1 at the end of the season to drive for Porsche in sports car racing next year."
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