As ever your posts make me laugh!Quote:
Originally Posted by Saint Devote
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As ever your posts make me laugh!Quote:
Originally Posted by Saint Devote
Mclaren are in no rush.
Besides which, Prima Donnas and people who don't like work are only worth employing when they get results.....or take a massive pay cut.
Steve Robertson said to Mtv3 that the negotiations are ongoing but nothing has been decided. He said there is no deadline and they'll continue as long as it takes... He also confirmed that Kimi is not interested in driving for any other team besides Mclaren.
http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/f1/uutise...2009/11/995657
If true, 80 points and three wins (my modest prediction if he goes to McLaren) means $22,000,000 for the Kimster. With his severance from Ferrari, that's a lot of acquavite.Quote:
Originally Posted by Boudica
The Robertsons have been spotted around Woking where they met up with Martin Whitmarsh.
http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headline...12165603.shtml
I am stuck in a time warp? :s mokin:Quote:
Originally Posted by Valve Bounce
So...with Button likely to join McLaren, does this mean we've seen the final Grand Prix of Kimi Raikkonen?
Mclaren do the right thing and sign Raikkonen pleaasee :(
Things are looking tricky for Kimi but I still think there is room for Kimi in F1. It's strange situation if you get more money when not driving than inside the car. I really hope he stay in F1 and keep rallying as a hobby.Quote:
Originally Posted by Malllen
I don't know if this has been mentioned elsewhere, but why not Kimi at Mercedes GP? Would he not have a good relationship with them from his days at McLaren? If it is indeed Button-Hamilton and McLaren, why not Raikkonen-Rosberg at Mercedes?
Maybe the reason Button is going to Maclaren is that Mercedes wants Kimi on their new team. But probably not. I'm guessing Mercedes signs Heidfeld to pair with Rosberg.
I say he will take a year off.
Yes, and once Button fails to do anything against Hamilton in the McLaren, they'll come begging for Kimi.Quote:
Originally Posted by fousto
yep,Quote:
Originally Posted by gloomyDAY
but kimi might end up at Renault.
If he wants to drive in 2010. He might take a year off as well IMo, The money is real good if he does so. Recharge the batteries and see where things play out with RBR, Mclaren, Brawn, and Renault, or even Sauber.
Re Meester Jones
I believe the thinking is that:
- If Russ (and Merc confirmed to Autosport that they've locked Mr Brawn down as team principal for a fair number of years as part of the buyout) wasn't prepared to pay X to Bunsen as part of the budget-balancing, he's not likely to sanction paying twice that to Kimi.[/*:m:1zz467f2]
- Kimi's publically stated that it's McLaren or nothing for 2010[/*:m:1zz467f2]
- Kimi's redundancy payout drops by €7m if he drives for another team next year, so he and his 10%ers aren't likely to drop their demands; and[/*:m:1zz467f2]
- There's a suggestion that the guy Merc REALLY want is Vettel, and he's off-limits for now...[/*:m:1zz467f2]
If Kimi takes a year off, it will be over IMO.
Kimi will be in the World Rally Championship in 2010.
Yes in F1 for sure, but I'm sure Kimi is driving next year. If it's not F1 then it is in WRC. In finnish media they are saying today that Kimi is negotiating with Citroen for full season in WRC and then it's all over for formula one and that's a pity!Quote:
Originally Posted by F1boat
Wow. In Citroen? That's very interesting. It will be very surprising if Citroen signs an unknown WRC quantity, but on the other hand the media noise will be awesome and this will be very good for the World Rally Championship.Quote:
Originally Posted by Julle69
I'm not so sure about that. We have seen such guys before, who have left F1 and then later suddenly realized that they still want to race. Villeneuve being one of the latest examples. :p : Another question is that what is Kimi ready to accept in 2011 and beyond. If his attitude is continually "only Ferrari or McLaren and nothing else", he is not going to find a drive. But if he is ready to accept driving for other teams, he might be a contender for various seats... for reasonable price, of course.Quote:
Originally Posted by F1boat
Anyway, I don't blame Kimi for leaving F1 and if he didn't have 100% will to keep going (didn't want to keep racing at any cost even if it hadn't been financially as beneficial), then taking a break and having a new kind of life regime instead of F1 might do only good for him to realize, what does he really like to do the most. Looking forward to see him in other adventures. :up:
It has been announced that Kimi won't drive next year :( :(
Ah, thank you.Quote:
Originally Posted by Somebody
True about Brawn, but I think Ross was all handcuffed cash-wise and I doubt that Mercedes is in the same boat. They could make and even bigger splash by signing him, especially since the team is a double-winner.
RIP Kimi Raikkonen's career.Quote:
Originally Posted by Jarno
Very sad to see this happen.
He should have accepted Toyota's offer. With a big name like his they would have stayed in the game.
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21984.html
Raikkonen's career is far from over. I am disappointed that he will not race in 2010 and if Mercedes Benz were apparently not so stuck in the nationalistic groove, he would have been a fine replacement.Quote:
Originally Posted by Koz
There never was a possibility that he would jooin a no hoper team like Toyota was - he is driver that seeks a winning car from the start. Nothing else.
If he joins Red Bull Racing for 2011 - it will be superb and he could become another driver that has taken a sabbatical and returned to win the championship.
Good riddance, then... :D
As fast and brilliant as he may often be, his personality is a nightmare for teams, sponsors, and fans, and if he asks exorbitantly huge amounts of money, why WOULD a team hire him in the current climate of cost-saving where not even the reigning world champion can get a substantial pay raise from his own team... (granted, we ARE talking about Jenson Button here, but still...) :p :
The reason is – I think – that Kimi didn't like to pay 2 million only to get a drive and that would be the result if he had accepted the McLaren effort. Ferrari/ (Santander) pays him that much that he still has the biggest salary of all F1 drivers (without to drive a meter). Rally next...Quote:
Originally Posted by Saint Devote
Will see if he is back 2011 – however now we have a F1 circus without Kimi … and I will keep my fingers to Vettel next year.. I like Massa but … never more Ferrari.. first Schumi with all his tricks and now a bank which pay and decide who will be Ferrari driver.. They paid out one of the biggest concurrent they had.. (Rumours are saying - 17 million euro only to Kimi).
Alonso has a good seat - Schumi will not be there next year to help Massa and it will make it a bit more difficult for him next year.. and easier to Alonso..
:wave:
Adios Kimi!
See you at Red Bull Racing in 2011.
I wish Kimi all the best in his non-F1 career. I'd be very happy if he becomes successful in the WRC.
You do know that he is actually one of the most popular current F1 drivers? Outside his native country as well. It's a sad day for F1 that a driver like Kimi is not there in 2010. Yes the guy is different, shy, introvert (even for a Finn) but the reason I like him so much is that he does what he wants and cannot be controlled by any corporate types or anybody else. That's rare in F1 these days, most of the drivers are puppets of the teams.Quote:
Originally Posted by maximilian
I gotta say that I've followed F1 since 1982 when I was a small kid and for the first time I'm not sure whether I watch it next season. I will probably (when I get over this disappoinment). :(
To all the Finns, how serious is Kimi about the WRC?
Nobody really knows, but he was very quick from the go, posting similar times with very promising Finnish rally drivers (who had a similar car) in Jyväskylä. Anyway, I'm not interested in rallying at all, couldn't care less, sorry rally fans.Quote:
Originally Posted by F1boat
Unlikely, the decision was taken a board level influenced solely by P&L. The Toyota board don't exactly have a glorious history of understanding F1. They thought Ralf Schumacher would be their saviour once upon a time, and look where that got them. I don't think they were ever seriously considering Kimi.Quote:
Originally Posted by Koz
Kimi has a contract with Red Bull for 2011 and will come back refreshed and ready.Quote:
Originally Posted by henners88
Vettel will be off to Mercedes in 2011 and thats where Kimi comes in, with Heidfeld the one-year stop gap until then.
I'll check this in a year - bet you I'm right :)
I don't know, ever since he won the championship he hasn't looked at all bothered!
I never liked the Robertsons anyway, Keke Rosberg was always the best man to manage Finnish drivers. When Mika Häkkinen was driving and he had Keke as a manager, you sort of knew that a deal would be reached, cause Keke was/is just so good at it (even getting JJ Lehto a drive at Benetton). Keke wisely told Nico not to go to Mclaren as a sidekick to Lewis and look where he is now, number one driver for Mercedes.Quote:
Originally Posted by henners88
I feel for you. But I am always interested when drivers change their discipline.Quote:
Originally Posted by DexDexter
Shame...F1 is poorer without Kimi. Still at least we may get De La Rosa back :S
With Raikkonen out the way, who is going to crash into Sutil now?Quote:
Originally Posted by I am evil Homer
My opinion is that rallying is only a nice hobby for Kimi. Despite he was setting promising stage times in Neste Rally there is really long way to be in TOP. And if Kimi is seriously driving only winning is target and he can't get it in WRC in short time. He should make 3-5 years commitment to rallying to see if he is capable to be a winning driver also in rally world. I don't think he will do that. I heard from the media that Kimi is planning to do few rallies and maybe Le Mans next year. Let's hope he will make a come back for 2011. But still McLaren or Mercedes hasn't announced all their drivers!Quote:
Originally Posted by F1boat
Well that's a blow!
Something is wrong with Formula one when a very recent WDC is left out in the cold.
Will he be a Prost and come back and add another WDC to his record? Or a Mika, who found he just never rediscovered the fire to return.