Wolff: Raikkonen's Ferrari exit a 'blow' to F1

After five years at Ferrari, Raikkonen is moving to Sauber for 2019 because his bosses elected to take Charles Leclerc instead.

Raikkonen had a strong season in 2018 compared to recent years with a pole position in Italy and a win in the United States.

Being as popular with the fans as ever, many questioned why Kimi would want to drive for a lesser team.  

Wolff also believes that F1 will suffer from not having him racing in one of the top teams.

"I think it changes a lot for F1 that Kimi is not in Ferrari anymore in a car that is able to win races," said Wolff, in an interview with Autosport.

"He is a formidable character. He is one of the very few people in this day and age, with social media and the ego getting out of control, that stays true to himself.

"He has his values and stays true to his values, and he is authentic. That is what the fans love. So Kimi not in a Ferrari is a blow for all of us.

"But at least he is not out of it completely. He is in Sauber and it is shame that, with Fernando [Alonso] going completely and Kimi changing from Ferrari to Sauber, we are losing two unbelievable personalities in some way. Kimi and Ferrari as a combination was attractive."