Kimi: McLaren or nothing
Kimi Raikkonen is saying that a drive with McLaren is his only option for 2010.
Autosport, among others, are on the story, which originally broke on Finnish TV. [Way to give your country's media the scoop, Kimi!]
“Toyota has not even been discussed,” Raikkonen told Finnish television station MTV3. “If I want to drive [F1] cars, then McLaren in the only option. I should know the situation in the next few days.”
The Autosport story largely chronicles Kimi’s comments during official Formula 1 interviews at Abu Dhabi, which we covered here. Basically, Raikkonen is not ruling out taking next year off — or who know how long.
As I noted in that post, the entire Silly Season revolves around Kimi’s decision at this point.
Autosport shines some more light on those other potential moves, which really seem to leave Toyota scrapping for any drivers in 2010:
Raikkonen’s decision not to pursue an offer from Toyota leaves the Japanese manufacturer facing increasing difficulties to try and find a top-line driver for 2010 – with Robert Kubica also having rejected its overtures to sign a deal with Renault.
The team is understood to have offered both Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock deals for next year, but it is looking likely that both will leave – Trulli potentially for Lotus with Glock closing in on a deal with Renault.
McLaren’s Heikki Kovalainen could be one option for Toyota, with Force India’s Adrian Sutil also being linked in connection with the team. Japanese Kamui Kobayashi will also put himself firmly in the frame if he impresses again this weekend, following an encouraging debut in Brazil.
At this point, I would not bet on Toyota being back in 2010. If the team can’t secure a top driver, what hope does it have for success?
But back to Kimi: Do you care if he gets a drive in 2010?
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Seems to me that it is Rosberg that is holding up the silly season, rather than KR.
Brawn GP is not interested.
McLaren won’t pay top dollar for him, but are unable to sign Rosberg.
The Hamiltons don’t want him there.
I just can’t believe how badly he has handled his career at Ferrari. If it causes him to miss a season sitting out and return with renewed vigor for 2011, it might be the best outcome for him.
I don’t get it. Didn’t he walk with a ton of ferrari money for not racing next season? Then to hold out for more than anyone else on the grid appears willing to pay. He’s not struggling to put food on the table. How many talented young drivers out there would pay to drive for a year? If I was a team I would look at this as proof that he really doesn’t want to drive next year, and is either looking for an excuse, or just needs two dump trucks of money to be motivated. Someone I would avoid. He can’t really think he brings that much to a team, can he?
It would be sad to see Kimi sitting out 2010 – i really think if McLaren gave him a good car he’d be out there to show Ferrari what a mistake they made (a reversal of 2007).
I question if this is more of a pride thing for Kimi… maybe he feels that McLaren are undervaluing him (does anyone know how much he wants) – keep in mind he’s manage to drag a car that hasn’t had a proper upgrade in months to a win and he’s managed to provide Ferrari with serious points! You cant question the fact he can still drive – and the mere fact that he’s pushing a rubbish car shows he’s still out there to compete!!
I think it would be a mistake for both McLaren and Kimi to let the issue of money ruin what could be a brilliant partnership and I hope to high heaven that they come to a resolution.
It was a joy to see Kimi drive during his McLaren years. If Mercedes had got his engine right he would have had at least one or maybe two more championships. Of course I would like to see “old” Kimi beating the Ferraris – and Hamilton ? – in a McLaren next year. F1 will be more boring without him.
It wasnt just that Mercedes engine that gave him trouble at McLaren though… wheels coming off, wings coming off, suspension breakages… his entire first stint with McLaren was laden with spectacular drives and equally spectacular failures.
The main problem about Kimi is motivation. Having the possibility to come back in Macca, wich is always with Ferrari the top of the top team , and having some doubt to get it is clear the photograph of his problem. Ferrari has fired him (before the Massa accident) for his lack of motivation, and it’s for this problem he’s not sure to get the Macca drive.
But with this problem, if Kimi take a sabbatical in 2010, i realy think he will retire definetly, I don’t think he would recover his motivation staying out of f1.. No doubt if he wants he’s a topdriver, but now, if he stops, I think he’ll do like Mika Hakkinen, and sadly 1 year will become forever. I hope he’ll accept the Macca seat, obteining some more freedom from the team..
I’m pretty sure that McLaren hasn’t offered him anything or else this would be done. KR has a history there, and it’s probably their opinion that he HAD a winning car and failed to execute.
I suspect KR might be one of those guys who cannot appreciate something until it has been taken away from him. He’s not interested in Toyota so perhaps he really needs a year off from F1 to improve his attitude.
An option could be that Kimi is willing to accept the fact that Lewis might get the priority upgrades and Kimi gets to do WRC and less PR activities.
McLaren might have already kept a budget aside for their second seat and I am not sure if they are willing to pay big bucks for Kimi when they could have a Nick or Glock in the second seat, and performing reasonably well.
I hope that they sign Kimi though, but this will he wont he is loosing its fizz for me.
Kimi does not lack motivation. Me’s a mature man, not a boy, a man who knows his strengths and weaknesses and therefore is a realist, not a fantacist (like some other drivers). Does this make him seem less gung-ho? Sure. But let me tell you about pilots…
At Edwards AFB, the best pilots are those who study, who keep their very being focused on the job when sitting in the cockpit. They do not brag, they know their worth, they HATE trivia, braggarts, and always appear aloof. Get them in a hot rocket and they come alive, squeezing out 100% of the potential. That’s how you need to see Kimi. There has never been one moment of “wake up Kimi” – that’s Hobb’s BS – if the car was not perfect, he adjusts and tries to make it go faster. Try and remember a few incidents… he drove two laps with his underpants on fire and then leapt out of the car as the CPU/Kers was toasting his ass. He drove a disabled MacLaren around Nurnberging with a flat spotted tire, balancing the braking right to left to try and unbalance (and unload) the front left. Afterwards, the MacL techies said he got 2 more laps out of the damn thing. It might have made it to the end. Ferrari leaked that report last year that Kimi adjusts his brake balance in Monte Carlo 12 times a lap and his limited slip setting 8 times a lap… does that say anything to you? The man is, simply, the best technocrat driver, period.
Alonso becomes the car, has great feel and is a good mechanic.
Kimi wears the car, sensing its every fault and trying to correct. Is he as good as Alonso? Perhaps not, because he’s not the best at anticipating the IDIOCY of the other drivers (think Hamilton at a red light).
Is F1 was a man’s sport and not the boy’s sport is has become, Kimi would be No.1. In fact, think of him with Senna, Clark, Surtees, Hill, Brabham, Mansell… he’d give them an equal measure of excellence on the track –and admittedly, they’d wipe him clear off the press podium where he could not care less. That’s what Shumi found out… remember their coming to grips with each other? Like to see one of the boy wonders do as well. They will, eventually, but until they grow up, it’s bumper car season on narrow tracks with no room for pilots like Kimi. Who was it who spiked Barachello’s tire in Rio? Another by wonder perhaps?
I disagree.
The current grid of driver talent is a pale comparison to the golden era of the sport, 1985-1992. The current field of pilots is so weak, I venture to guess that most of them would be hard pressed just to make the 107% pre-qualification.
Circuits today have huge runoff areas, tracks are wider than ever, and the cars have more areo-grip than ever before, and still they have a hard time keeping it on the track or preventing contact from each other.
And it was precisely this kind of behavior that prevented KR from winning in a McLaren, despite having superior potential over MS. The only thing keeping him honest there was the presence of J Montoya, who was arguably equal talent.
I’m confused…what is the performance benefit to having the rear wing eject off the car? I’m assuming McLaren designed it that way to help Kimi win, but I’m not sure I get it…?????
I’m also a little confused… firstly – hasn’t the qualifying this year been extremely close? (I ask because BBC keeps mentioning it) And then there’s the fact that Kimi wasn’t let down by large run off areas, he was let down by reliability. You cant win a championship if your car keeps falling to pieces during the race!
But everyone is entitled to their own opinions… i just have a differing one
I agree that it’s a man’s sport. Being splashed with fuel and set on fire and still just going on to finish what he’s paid to do just shows solid character. I know, I know, I’m a great fan of his, but, still he truly is the Ice Man. Bernie, make sure Macca sign him!
Kimi has said that he has an offer from Mclaren to read after the season and if he likes it, the Mclaren it is. Knowing McLaren, it’s thick document of boring reading. Money doesn’t seem to be the issue. Kimi doesn’t want to cope with all the PR fuss, so he’ll want to minimeze that and still maintain equal status. I’ll keep my fingers crossed that McLaren are ready to cut Kimi some slack on this. Then they’ll have a hell of a driver pairing, second to none!