Where is Kimi racing next year?

[sticky667]

Hate to break it to everyone but, Ron is still a major shareholder in Mclaren. If you think he doesn't have a say on the driver line-up then you're dreaming. He's a big chunk of money behind the team still.

[ISLAMATRON]

I think they are assuming that Ron Dennis "Chose" to back Hamilton over Alonso whom he had just signed to a 4 year 160 MILLION dollar contract.

Somehow they think Ron Dennis would sign a driver for 40 Million dollars a year and then not give him the team's full backing and favor a rookie, because that is clearly the type of decision making that made Ron Dennis such a successful business man.

Alonso had his chance at a top seat against a top driver and could not hack it, simple as that.

[ESPImperium]

I think that if Toyota get their budget approved for 2010, i can see them try and entice Kimi for one year on a £1.25million per race deal (excluding bomuses) for next year, as i think that Toyota are a team that have the car that on the right track (Bahrain) with the right driver can win a race or two. And thats the thing that the suits Tokyo so despratly want.

I know that Trulli is amster qualifier and a race winner in his own right, but i think that Kimi has the race craft, the ability to take the car to a land that the car dosnt deserve to go and take the race win that they so easily could have had by now.

But the driver is the ehing that they need to get the car to be based arround, and i think that the Toyota tech guys need to try this aproach as well, design the car for the driver, not put a driver in a car and say drive it, like what they did do with Ralf Schumacher, and now to my eyes Trulli.

[sticky667]

I think they are assuming that Ron Dennis "Chose" to back Hamilton over Alonso whom he had just signed to a 4 year 160 MILLION dollar contract.

Somehow they think Ron Dennis would sign a driver for 40 Million dollars a year and then not give him the team's full backing and favor a rookie, because that is clearly the type of decision making that made Ron Dennis such a successful business man.

Alonso had his chance at a top seat against a top driver and could not hack it, simple as that.

i thought it was 5 yrs.

anyways. i agree about alonso. he was there at the end of the yr in the points, just couldn't handle the politics to go with it.

[mx_tifoso]

I really want this thread to die so it's ironic that I'm contributing.

From Formula1.com:

Q: It’s common knowledge that you have a contract with Ferrari for 2010, but it seems the team have three drivers and only two cockpits. Are you interested in a drive? Will Ferrari have to make a decision by getting you all to play a round of musical chairs?

Kimi Raikkonen: I always can only repeat that I have a contract - and that has not changed. If they want to talk with me, we need to sit down to talk. I am fully committed, as otherwise I would not have signed the contract in the first place. Musical chairs… that would be a funny idea!

So it seems that there have been no "talks" yet and all is well.

Raikkonen + Massa in 2010.

[ESPImperium]

Q: It’s common knowledge that you have a contract with Ferrari for 2010, but it seems the team have three drivers and only two cockpits. Are you interested in a drive? Will Ferrari have to make a decision by getting you all to play a round of musical chairs?

Kimi Raikkonen: I always can only repeat that I have a contract - and that has not changed. If they want to talk with me, we need to sit down to talk. I am fully committed, as otherwise I would not have signed the contract in the first place. Musical chairs… that would be a funny idea!

Thats the real Kimi answer, the last sentence only.

[mx_tifoso]

We don't even know Kimi Mattias Raikkonen. He's not going to speak casually all the time, he has to speak formally and professionally when the occasion calls for it. So I wouldn't call BS whenever he is serious and professional.

[modbaraban]

Musical chairs… that would be a funny idea!

That could actually be a great idea for qualifying!

[sticky667]

they should have a shootout in Bahrain qualifying

[Madnessisfame]

I think that if Toyota get their budget approved for 2010, i can see them try and entice Kimi for one year on a £1.25million per race deal (excluding bomuses) for next year, as i think that Toyota are a team that have the car that on the right track (Bahrain) with the right driver can win a race or two. And thats the thing that the suits Tokyo so despratly want.

I know that Trulli is amster qualifier and a race winner in his own right, but i think that Kimi has the race craft, the ability to take the car to a land that the car dosnt deserve to go and take the race win that they so easily could have had by now.

But the driver is the ehing that they need to get the car to be based arround, and i think that the Toyota tech guys need to try this aproach as well, design the car for the driver, not put a driver in a car and say drive it, like what they did do with Ralf Schumacher, and now to my eyes Trulli.

Toyota indeed has the budget and no doubt Kimi can deliver...but if both don’t synchronize to tailor a super car then it will be difficult to be in front for a podium win...see Kimi doesn’t have the patience to make the car…drivers input and style customizes the car to edge further fractions of each second…Massa isn’t better than Kimi but more focused and had scored more

[Michiba]

he'll go to Maclaren if santander are willing to pay his exit fee

[Ted68]

From Update F1. Link to the article at the bottom.

Finn to leave Ferrari?
Sep.25 (GMM) The signs are increasing on almost a daily basis that Kimi Raikkonen is set to vacate his Ferrari cockpit after November's 2009 season finale.

The Finn remains under contract for the 2010 season, but it is well known that the Italian team would prefer Fernando Alonso to be Felipe Massa's teammate next year.

Previously, when asked about the rumours, 29-year-old Raikkonen would wearily refer only to his 2010 contract, and even the headline of an interview with F1's official website on Thursday insisted that Kimi is "fully committed to Ferrari for 2010".

But to the Finnish broadcaster MTV3 on the same day, Raikkonen acknowledged that the agreement alone "does not mean that I will drive next year for Ferrari".

"Perhaps they want to talk about something," he added.

Raikkonen's manager Steve Robertson added: "Kimi has a contract with Ferrari, but as everyone knows, contracts can be broken.

"We are talking with Ferrari but we are also listening out for other offers," he admitted. "At the moment we do not know 100 per cent that Kimi will stay with Ferrari."

Moreover, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo now rarely mentions the name of the team's Finnish driver, and on Thursday the Italian came tantalisingly close to letting the cat out of the bag.

Speaking with Spanish reporters at an event in Madrid, he said in a video posted on the website of the sports newspaper Marca: "We are very happy about having so many fans in Spain, and next year, with Alonso..."

Montezemolo stopped himself, laughed, and pointed a finger at the similarly-amused ranks of pressmen.

Later, he said: "I can confirm that Massa will be the first driver, and the third driver will be Giancarlo Fisichella.

"After Singapore, Stefano Domenicali and I will meet and decide who will be (in the) second car. Soon we will make the announcement," said Montezemolo.


http://formula-1.updatesport.com/news/a ... /view.html

[xpensive]

Musical chairs… that would be a funny idea!

That could actually be a great idea for qualifying!

What if you combine musical chairs with an old Le Mans-runningstart for the race, we would have quite a show?

[modbaraban]

LMAO. CVC would love it too.

[xpensive]

Just imagine Hamilton and Alonso running for the same car?