Kimi's future - No racing in 2010?

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20th September 2009, 14:36
Malbec

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saint Devote

But why would Ferrari get rid of the Finn and retain Massa, paying out millions? It makes more sense to retain Raikkonen alongside Alonso.

The victory at Spa was a peformance was Kimi all the way.

Kimi's performance does not warrant a seat at Ferrari when the Italian team have a choice of him, Alonso or Massa. His performance has fluctuated considerably when it was expected that he'd slot in where Michael left off and be the lead Ferrari driver. It isn't a coincidence that Massa was the lead Ferrari driver last year and continued to be so this year until his accident.

Factor in his astonishingly high salary and no wonder Kimi doesn't look particularly attractive for Ferrari.

Massa is also on a very low salary for someone in his position, having been snapped up by Ferrari when he really didn't look very good and was on his way out of F1.

Another thing, Massa is far more popular within the team than Kimi, he speaks Italian and wasn't forced upon the team unlike Kimi who was chosen by Luca De Montezemolo against the team seniors' wishes.

The only fly in the ointment is Massa's injury, will he be quite as quick when he comes back compared to before?
20th September 2009, 15:12
ioan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saint Devote

These stories do not make sense.

Depends on one's point of view.
As far as I'm concerned is exactly what I was expecting to happen since last season already.
20th September 2009, 15:28
Saint Devote

Quote:

Originally Posted by ioan

Depends on one's point of view.
As far as I'm concerned is exactly what I was expecting to happen since last season already.

Why?

How does it make sense to you that Ferrari pay tens of millions of euros for nothing and get rid of a driver like Raikkonen but retain Massa - with the added uncertainty whether he is able to race properly again?

Then when there is a driver like Hulkenberg around why would Mercedes want to place Rosberg in a Brawn or Mclaren for example? Rather provide angines for Williams and stow Hulkenberg in a Mclaren alongside Lewis and Kubica to Brawn.

If the current believed permutations go ahead then the silly season will indeed have earned its name.
20th September 2009, 15:37
Malbec

Quote:

Originally Posted by ioan

As far as I'm concerned is exactly what I was expecting to happen since last season already.

Precisely. The only surprise for me is that Kimi was retained on such a lucrative salary last year. That was what didn't make sense, not that he is being kicked out. I guess Alonso's availability made all the difference.
20th September 2009, 16:44
ioan

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saint Devote

Why?

How does it make sense to you that Ferrari pay tens of millions of euros for nothing and get rid of a driver like Raikkonen but retain Massa - with the added uncertainty whether he is able to race properly again?

Because Kimi has been anything but consistent during the last 2 seasons.
Because they will have Alonso on board in Kimi's place, which means a very consistent driver who you can rely on, exactly as Felipe.
Because even if Felipe won't be 100% as good as before, I hope he will be even better, Ferrari will have Alonso plus Felipe or any other young promising driver they will want to give a chance to.
Also why keep pis$ing money down the drain hoping that Kimi will stay awake for the next race?!

Since the point system change back in 2003 consistency is the key to win championships and that's why Alonso will be in a Ferrari. McLaren had him and failed to make it work I'm pretty sure that Ferrari will deal with him differently i.e. won't favor any of their drivers over the other, just like they did with Felipe and Kimi.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saint Devote

Then when there is a driver like Hulkenberg around why would Mercedes want to place Rosberg in a Brawn or Mclaren for example? Rather provide angines for Williams and stow Hulkenberg in a Mclaren alongside Lewis and Kubica to Brawn.

AFAIK Mercedes refused to supply Williams with engines so no Hulkenberg to Mercedes powered team possible.
20th September 2009, 17:12
ioan

Quote:

Originally Posted by henners88

With respect, I think the reason it failed at Mclaren was because they didn't favour one over the other. Alonso got unsettled because the environment wasn't dedicated to him solely as a number one. I know people like to think Lewis got to sit on Ron's lap and be top dog but that simply wasn't the case.

Yeah, sure! :D
What did Ron say after the 2007 Japanese GP?
Ah yeah, I remember now: "We were not racing against Kimi, we were racing against Alonso!"
This denotes no favoritism at all, if you're Ray Charles, otherwise it was there for everyone to see.
:wave:
20th September 2009, 17:35
DexDexter

Quote:

Originally Posted by ioan

Because Kimi has been anything but consistent during the last 2 seasons.
Because they will have Alonso on board in Kimi's place, which means a very consistent driver who you can rely on, exactly as Felipe.
Because even if Felipe won't be 100% as good as before, I hope he will be even better,

Kimi was also very consistent before he went to Ferrari, so one never really knows what's going to happen with Alonso or any driver when he changes teams. But as I've written before, how do think Alonso will cope when he realises that the team likes Felipe more?
20th September 2009, 17:40
Dzeidzei

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylan H

...unlike Kimi who was chosen by Luca De Montezemolo against the team seniors' wishes.

I always had the impression Luca, Jean and Michael all wanted Kimi to join Ferrari. So which seniors are you referring to? And could find any support for that claim?
20th September 2009, 17:45
DexDexter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dzeidzei

I always had the impression Luca, Jean and Michael all wanted Kimi to join Ferrari. So which seniors are you referring to? And could find any support for that claim?

I suspect Jean Todt was the man who most wanted Räikkönen at Ferrari. That would make sense since the guy has a long history of working with Finnish drivers.
20th September 2009, 19:00
Saint Devote

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dylan H

Kimi's performance does not warrant a seat at Ferrari when the Italian team have a choice of him, Alonso or Massa. His performance has fluctuated considerably when it was expected that he'd slot in where Michael left off and be the lead Ferrari driver. It isn't a coincidence that Massa was the lead Ferrari driver last year and continued to be so this year until his accident.

Factor in his astonishingly high salary and no wonder Kimi doesn't look particularly attractive for Ferrari.

Massa is also on a very low salary for someone in his position, having been snapped up by Ferrari when he really didn't look very good and was on his way out of F1.

Another thing, Massa is far more popular within the team than Kimi, he speaks Italian and wasn't forced upon the team unlike Kimi who was chosen by Luca De Montezemolo against the team seniors' wishes.

The only fly in the ointment is Massa's injury, will he be quite as quick when he comes back compared to before?

Kimi Raikkonen delivered a world title to Ferrari and did so when if not for his self-confidence very few drivers would have done so - despite Mclaren doingtheir utmost NOT to win the title in 2007.

Felipe Massa did not win a title and he constantly needs mental coaching from Smedley.

Raikkonen won at Spa, not because of Ferrari but because of Raikkonen.
Ferrari expected what Kimi delivered - a championship.

I doubt that they wanted another Schumacher otherwise they would not have hired Kimi. di Montezemolo knew what they were getting.

There is only ONE Schumacher and I doubt we will see another driver with the ability and drive it takes to achieve what he did at Ferrari.

Prior to his accident, Raikkonen's Monte Carlo podium beats Massa's Nurburgring podium.....!

Since Hungary Raikkonen is the driver that has scored the most points in the championship and won a race for Ferrari - yes indeed definitely a driver to be gotten rid of.

Raikkonen was paid as a champion - that always makes a difference.

No driver is "forced" upon a team by the CEO. He is the CEO and anyone that objects is welcome to leave and should they not perform their jobs according to their best ability they ought to be fired.

So what if Massa speaks Italian or is more popular - that is the absolute worst reason to favor Massa over a driver such as Raikkonen.

The "Italian team" is not THAT Italian anymore, it is cosmopolitan - in the decisive positions it was a German, an Englishman and a Frenchman that gave Ferrari its first title in TWENTY YEARS!!! And a Brazilian and Finnish driver today - get the picture?

And the carbon fiber - dratted American invention and is STILL manufactured in sunny North Carolina and the Ferrari tub was for sometime manufactured in England when John Barnard was there with Rory Byrne - Brit and a white South African.

I think that unless a third car is allowed or unless Ferrari really are prepared to pay Kimi his FULL 2010 retainer as he is demanding then the team will be Raikkonen and Alonso. The Spaniard is not going to hang around a dying Renault team when Ferrari beckons.

The Sucderia cannot take the chance on Massa, if they want to win in 2010.

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