Toyota offers Kimi 2010 drive; waiting on the Iceman
October 19, 2009 by SJ Skid
Filed under People & Events, Top Story
The market for Kimi Raikkonen is heating up — and there’s got to be some kind of “The Iceman can cool it off” punchline.
Toyota has officially offered the soon-to-be former Ferrari driver a seat in 2010, but reports say Kimi’s managers are hoping to see a little more. ["More" goes a little unexplained, but it clear is more money.]
Even more surprising: Toyota has offered Trulli a seat but seem poised to let Timo Glock go! [Why then is Trulli so mad?]
The BBC has the Kimi/Trulli news, citing Reuters:
Toyota say they have offered a contract to Kimi Raikkonen to drive for them next season.
“We don’t play too many games,” said Toyota motorsport president John Howett on the F1 team’s negotiating position.
“We put on the table what we can afford and what we think is a serious offer in the current market,” added Howett.
Reuters news agency reported that the management team of Raikkonen, who is being tipped for a return to former team McLaren, wanted more from Toyota.
The Finn, who is due to leave Ferrari in November, said he would only consider driving for a competitive team and that he could even walk away from the sport.
Jarno may well be in the car next year but it’s not at all clear
Toyota motorsport president John Howett
Toyota, who made their debut in 2002 but have never won a Formula 1 race, have Italian Jarno Trulli and Germany’s Timo Glock driving for them at present.
“I think genuinely we could work well with him, give him a car that’s quick,” added Howett, expanding on Toyota’s hopes of luring the 2007 world champion to their team.
“We have had very good relationships with Scandinavian drivers in the rallying times that enjoy life and it works very well, so we could cope with it as a team.”
While Toyota have allowed an option on Glock to lapse, Trulli has been offered a deal to race next season.
“We have put an offer on the table with Jarno, I think that he himself is not dissatisfied with the financial offer, the bottom line to some extent is certain issues on the contract and I don’t think they are negotiable from our side,” said Howett.
“He may well be in the car next year but it’s not at all clear.”
A strange turn of events on the Trulli/Glock front; perhaps Toyota figured it could get Trulli for a small enough amount that there was enough left to offer Kimi, but the same was not true with Glock. Maybe the team knows something additional about Glock’s injury?
I do have to wonder if Toyota — and I know I’m about to offend a few of my F1B buddies, and they know who they are — honestly can promise Kimi the winning car he says he wants.
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Yep. Toyota don’t play any games at all. Like when they got Michael Schumach… Oh, wait. Ralf Schumacher. Are we sure Raikkonen doesn’t have any siblings?
Here we go again. Ferrari have secured Alonso and Massa. What have McLaren done when a credible driver is available? Nothing. Echoes of Shanghai 07. Letting the Driver (Lewis) stay out until the Car was undrivable. How on Earth are McLaren expected to try and win the Constructors even in a Brilliant Car if they are only able to count on 1 driver bringing the points Home. Come On McLaren, surely there must be someone in the team Capable of making a decision.
If they are keeping Jarno in an attempt to save money what does that say about their willingness to spend what it takes to win a championship. Kimi would be wise to avoid Toyota like the plague. Ferrari and Macca are going to be spending like drunk virgins at a stip club to get back to the front of the grid (within the rules of course)…Toyota will most likely be left in their budget-be-damned dust.
Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on which team you route for) Lionel, Mclaren will have a really hard time getting a half credible driver in their second seat to Lewis. Everybody saw what they did to Alonso, nobody is kidding themselves thinking that they would get a shot at doing anything aside from holding off red cars until Lewis is out (which he never will be, nor am I arguing he should leave).
If Memory serves me right, McLaren did not do anything to Alonso. The said Alonso wanted McLaren to do something to Lewis, i.e. Stop Lewis racing him. The Culmintion of Alonso asking teams to stop a second driver racing him resulted in the Singapore Affaire last year… Kimi would not care about asking the team to hold back a Team mate so that he Kimi “shines”. No doubt poor Piquet had a near nervous Breakdown being Alonso’s (a.k.a Prima Donna) team mate.
Alonso didn’t want Macca to “do” anything to Lewis. Lewis was Ron Dennis’ protege and was getting special treatment even as a rookie. I don’t think it’s out of line for a double world champion to expect to get the practice runs and qualifying strategy that he wants. The team seemed to be setting Lewis up with the preferred qualifying track positions, etc… Alonso got fed up when the team told him he also needed to share his setup data with Lewis. His contention was that the kid was fast on his own and he certainly didn’t want to give him an edge. Teammates do race each other after all. …and, um, Alonso didn’t need Piquet to crash in Singapore in order to establish himself as the dominant driver on the team. I think it’s pretty much understood that Alonso is a slightly better driver then Piquet.
As for Kimi, you are correct, he doesn’t seem to care about the #1 vs #2 driver status all that much. He just wants a fast car so he can be competitive. If he doesn’t go to Macca, it will be because the Hamilton’s (mainly Anthony) blocked him. There is really no other reason for Macca to not sign him. Lewis and Kimi as a team, in a half way decent McLaren would be a force to be reckoned with.
Forget about Alonso. About the matter in hand,Kimi is not the kind of driver who competes AFTER the race.If allowed he will leave to his hotel even before press conference. The guy is only so much concerned about team politics,#1,publicity stunts….
If hired by McLaren,if any one complains about having to share the set up info,it will be Hamilton-cause the guy doesn’t test much either!!!-they say he spends more time in the simulator!!!.
The only problem McLaren will be facing is money.They may feel that it is too much to pay $25 mil ($10 mil more than Hamilton)to a guy who just runs away from sponsor events,testing(rumored) and press meets. His nationality may also be a problem-being a finn is not as advantageous as being a Briton or a German!.
If they can overcome these problems then McLaren will get for themselves a great driver,one who is hell-bent on showing Ferrari what they missed out.
You are correct, more recent comments from the Macca camp indicate money is also an issue in signing Kimi.
So little knowledge such strong opinions. To bad your history is wrong. McLaren certainly did favoured Hamilton over Alonso.
Remember over the full season Alonso was faster than Hamilton understandable as he was a rookie, however the team should have been aiming for the world championship with the world champion.
Indy case in point if the team had told Hamilton to let Alonso by while his car was faster/lighter he would most likelly have won that race. The team DID NOT radio Hamilton with a “let him go by while he can set some faster lap times”. And Hungary was Alonso’s frustration at Hamilton holding up on his out lap (when he had been requested to let him by). Who got yelled at Alonso.
Yes Hamilton is as fast as Alonso now but probably no faster!So I have an issue with those who deny what’s in front of them based on their bias. Your memory is wrong big time.
Hey Marcus, I agree with you that Lewis was the favored driver at Macca. I would not berate Macca for that position as they felt Lewis was the future of the team and I think they mismanaged the situation. I also would not berate Alonso for his actions either as he is a two-time champ and should have been the focus for a couple years at least while Lewis was his understudy but the Hamilton’s had other things in mind. As it turns out, the Hamilton’s have made good on their position of Lewis being number one.
Great having you here and I understand your position and opinion. Also, I would like to ask that you avoid personal attacks toward other folks posting. That is their opinion and while you and I may not see it that way, we want to respect them personally and disagree politely. :) Good points and welcome to F1B.
Kimi doesn’t need to drive a Toyota just to stay in F1. Without the right car nor the right amount of money we will probably leave the series and heading somewhere else…. It would be a temporary to for the sport but in the end some one else will fill the void