F1 News: Lewis Hamilton Questions Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen Axing Decision

Lewis Hamilton has questioned Ferrari’s decision to axe Kimi Raikkonen at the end of the current season, saying he believed they were losing a very “important driver”.

Ferrari made the decision to replace the Finn with Sauber driver Charles Leclerc just prior to the Italian Grand Prix after months of speculation on the duos' futures.

It was being suggested the decision to promote Leclerc, who has impressed in his debut Formula 1 season with Sauber, was the wish of former CEO Sergio Marchionne. The former chief executive suddenly passed away in July and it looked like Raikkonen would get his wish of another year with the Italian team.

The Finnish racer has been more consistent in his performances in 2018 compared to the last couple of seasons and many in the paddock were of the belief Ferrari would retain him.

However, the Italian team chose to fulfill Marchionne’s wishes and promote Ferrari academy driver Leclerc to the works team for the 2019 season. The team were aware it was a gamble, owing to the Monegasque driver’s inexperience in the sport.

Moreover, there is an immense amount of pressure that comes with driving for Ferrari, who were expected to challenge for the title every season. Raikkonen, meanwhile, would move in the opposite direction and drive for Sauber for the next two seasons.

The Finn is Ferrari’s last world champion – he won the title in 2007 beating Hamilton and Alonso by a single point - and the Mercedes driver does not believe Ferrari are making the right decision by letting him leave the team at the end of the ongoing campaign.

“I don’t think Kimi is going to change in the last races,” Hamilton said, as quoted on Planet F1. “He is an extraordinary professional and a fantastic driver.”

“He remains one of my favorite drivers, and I’m convinced that Ferrari is losing a very important driver,” the four-time world champion added. “It does not make sense to me.”

Sebastian Vettel was keen to see Raikkonen remain for at least one more season, insisting Leclerc was too inexperienced to make the step up, but his wishes were not considered as the team hierarchy decided to look to the future.

But Hamilton says he would have spoken to Toto Wolff – the team principal of the Mercedes team – if he disagreed with a driver decision made by the team. The Silver Arrows team are set to retain the Briton and Valtteri Bottas for one more season.

“The trust is there between us. If Toto came up with a crazy idea we’d definitely discuss it. I’d say ‘Toto, are you sure?’” Hamilton said.

The 2018 season, meanwhile, is entering its final stretch with just five races remaining until the end of the campaign. Hamilton leads the Drivers’ championship by 50 points from his fellow four-time world champion Vettel, and it looks almost certain that he will be the first driver of the current era to win five drivers’ titles.