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Formula 1 2009

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Nicktendo Contributor

Nicktendo

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Gpupdate.net are reporting Kimi will NOT be going to Brawn in 2010 :weep:

 

Räikkönen: No talks with Brawn

 

Kimi Räikkönen has said that he will only be returning to Formula One should a competitive car be at his disposal in 2011. With McLaren negotiations having failed and seemingly no negotiations taking place with Brawn GP, the Finn will now take at least one year off from Formula One after joining the field with Sauber in 2001.

 

With Fernando Alonso joining Ferrari due to Räikkönen agreeing to terminate his contract a year early, the Finn admits that McLaren was the only real option.

 

"I felt that McLaren offered the best opportunity to win races and challenge for the Drivers' Championship and if that would not work the one-year break is the result," he explained to the official F1 website after confirming his sabbatical, "and to be honest, I will only return in 2011 if a competitive drive is available."

 

Considering the option of rallying for next year and with the possibility that a competitive car may not be on offer to him for 2011, does Kimi feel that he will drive in an F1 race again?

 

"As I said, I will only return in 2011 if I can drive a competitive car," the 2007 Champion reiterated. "I do not want to race just to make up the numbers, that doesn't interest me, but there's a lot of time until then so let's wait and see what happens in the months ahead."

 

Räikkönen added that 'certain issues could not be resolved' with McLaren but did not explain whether or not this referred to financial arrangements. The Espoo man also feels that, contrary to the feelings of Manager Steve Robertson, a place at the Mercedes (née Brawn) team is no alternative. "I have not held talks with Brawn," he revealed. "I feel they will run two German drivers next year, now that Mercedes are involved."

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Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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Well Steve Robertson (Kimi's manager) said today:

 

SR: This is Formula 1. If they can offer, or convince us, that they can provide Kimi an opportunity that Kimi is happy with, and that we are happy with, and he feels he can win races and the championship then never say never. There is always a possibility.

 

Q. So it is fair to say that phone will always be on for anyone willing to offer him something?

 

SR: Yes, for sure. Kimi had made it clear that he wants to return in the right situation.

But Kimi's not desperate, he has his own list of requirements and goals now, and if they can work something out and appeal to him, great, if not he'll go rallying and see what 2011 holds. Mercedes cannot guarantee a strong car in 2010, lets just see what happens.

 

James Allens done an article:

 

What next for Kimi Raikkonen?

 

http://www.jamesallenonf1.com/2009/11/what-next-for-kimi-raikkonen/

 

Red Bull does seem like a prefect fit for Kimi in what ever he chooses to do in the future. As someone on James Allens blog said, he fits their target demographic perfectly... fun loving, care free, laid back, thrill seeking... plus who better to advertise Red Bull cola! ;) If only they had an Ice Cream range :grin:.

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gaggle64 Newbie

gaggle64

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Apparently the plan is to have Schumi keep things under warps until Vettel can be lassoed in from Red Bull. Eddie Jordan reckons it's gonna happen, so take that with whatever amount of salt you feel is necessary.

danny Newbie

danny

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Yeah you do need a massive amount of salt with this. But the idea of it really excites me. The man is a 7 time world champion. But to me his first few titles say more about him as a driver than the others. So now F1 seems a bit more open it will be good to see him drive against other brilliant drivers with the odds a bit more even.

Goron_3 Newbie

Goron_3

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Won't happen.

 

By his own admission he thought it 'would be a bit of fun' to fill in for Massa (and he couldn't even do that), but returning to a full time career. Nope.

 

I don't know, he looked SO disappointed when he gave that press conference saying he couldn't come back and even admitted he felt as though he retired too early. Also, he did say that his comeback was emotionally driven and to an extent so might this; Ross needs another driver as a stop gap from getting Vettel at the end of 2011 so this makes perfect sense to me.

Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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Yeah but he also said he just liked the idea of doing a few races with Ferrari, whereas signing with Merc until Vettel would be a 2 year deal! I can't see how he'd have the fitness anyway.

Has he 100% recovered from the injury that kept him out of this season? If not will he ever fully recover given his age? Plus he'd be racing on until he was 42!

 

Also, in terms of business... I guess everyones starting this rumour because he's German and because of Ross. But honestly what's the very first thing you think of when you see/hear Michael Schumacher... for me Ferrari is the immediate thought, and is that really something Mercedes want in terms of advertising their brand?

 

We'll see what his reply is over the next few days I guess.

Gizmo Newbie

Gizmo

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Much as I'd love to see Schumi come back, I can't help but feel slightly apprehensive. It would be horrible to see Mercedes come up with a below average car, with Michael fighting for 8th place against the Force India's while Alonso and Massa are competing for race wins in an awesome Ferrari. Then again, it could end up being great, with Michael racing against Massa, perhaps overtaking a Ferrari on the last corner to steal a victory, or whatever. But I'd hate to see him come back only to be stuck in the mid-pack.

danny Newbie

danny

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Im not saying he deffinatly will. But i think he would be well up for it. Im sure he would be fit enough or it, he was always the fitest bloke out there. As for the injury they say it should have healed by the end of the year. I just hope it goes ahead.

Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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An article after a large shareholder in Mercedes GP held an interview on Abu Dhabi TV:

 

MERC's SPONSOR-PARTNER WANTS RAIKKÖNEN - SWITCH CLOSER?

21.11.2009 18:50

Ilta-Sanomat

 

The talks about a sabbatical year seem to go down in history. Merc's Arabic sponsor wants Kimi Räikkönen to the team as a leading star.

 

The saga of Räikkönen's future has been swelling during the week with a pace two steps forward, one step backward. But if one is to believe the talks from Aabar Investment manager Rudolp Waelsi, the future sponsor for Mercedes from Arab countries, the sabbatical year is no longer an option worth considering.

 

In Abu Dhabi Sport 2 -channel's interview Waels said that the company wants specifically Räikkönen to Mercedes for next season. Waels justified it by saying that Räikkönen is the only one of the vacant drivers who has a WDC attached to his belt.

 

Aabar's spokesman assured that they are ready to invest so much in in Mercedes GP in Abu Dhabi that both the WDC and the WCC is possible next season.

 

Michael Schumacher is also involved in the Merc-rumours. To the comeback-rumour Mercedes replied the following:

- Some speculations are just a dream that will never come true, a representative for Mercedes told Reuters.

 

Schumacher's comeback-rumour got an extra spin when Eddie Jordan told BBC that he thinks Schumi is the number one driver for Mercedes next season.

 

But if the information from Abu Dhabi are correct then the job is already ear-marked for Kimi Räikkönen.

 

Kalle Takala

Also, it seem Red Bull F1 and Rallying don't go as hand in hand as you may think...

 

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/091122002750.shtml

 

No rally permissions for Vettel

 

Sebastian Vettel is keen to contest a rallying competition this winter, according to the German newspaper Bild-Zeitung.

 

The Red Bull driver joked to Switzerland's Motorsport Aktuell: "Rallying for we Formula One drivers is strongly in fashion."

 

22-year-old Vettel was referring to the rally exploits of Kimi Raikkonen last summer and to Robert Kubica's upcoming race in France, amid reports Heikki Kovalainen is also hoping for an outing ahead of the 2010 F1 season.

 

Bild, however, said that Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is not currently releasing Vettel for a competitive rally, on grounds of safety.

gaggle64 Newbie

gaggle64

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Rumor out of France is that Kobayashi could be in the running to join Kubica at Renault as Panasonic have expressed interest in attaching some significant sponsorship to him after Toyota's pullout. Just a rumor but an eminently plausible one.

Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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Todays news:

 

Force India retains Sutil and Liuzzi

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80351

 

The Force India team has confirmed it will retain both Adrian Sutil and Tonio Liuzzi as its racing drivers for the 2010 season.

 

BMW sells F1 team back to Peter Sauber

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80350

 

BMW has agreed to sell its Formula 1 team back to Peter Sauber, on condition that the team receives an entry for 2010, after announcing it's original sale to Qadbak Investment Ltd. will not be completed.

 

Raikkonen close to Citroen WRC deal

 

http://wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=6559&desc=Raikkonen+close+to+Citroen+WRC+deal+

 

Formula 1 star Kimi Raikkonen is understood to be ready to sign a deal with Citroen to drive a C4 World Rally Car on all 13 rounds of the 2010 World Rally Championship.

 

Nothing is signed yet, but a source close to the 2007 F1 World Champion told wrc.com that only small details needed to be tied-up before an official announcement is made in the coming days.

 

The Finn's 2010 WRC programme is understood to have been funded by Red Bull, one of Raikkonen's personal sponsors, and a major backer of Citroen's World Rally campaign.

 

Long time rally fan Raikkonen is able to tackle the World Rally Championship season thanks to his decision to take a one year sabbatical from Formula 1.

 

Raikkonen's only WRC experience to date came on this year's Rally Finland, where he impressed in an Abarth Grande Punto S2000. Despite engine problems he was placed 15th overall when he crashed his car into a ditch on the second day.

 

If Raikkonen does make the switch to Citroen power for 2010, he'll be in good company. Six-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb has won 26 rallies in the C4 and recently admitted it was his favourite competition car of all time.

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Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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Raikkonen joins WRC with Citroen

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80431

 

Citroen has announced that Kimi Raikkonen will join its World Rally Championship line-up in a Red Bull-backed Citroen Junior Team car.

 

"I always wanted to compete in rally, especially in the World Rally Championship at some point in my career," said Raikkonen.

 

"Thanks to Red Bull, I have the opportunity to drive the best car of the series with the Citroen C4. This is a new but very exciting challenge."

 

"For the moment we have a one-year contract and we will see how it goes for the future," Raikkonen said. "I am really looking forward to testing the car and taking the start of the first rally."

 

Citroen team boss Olivier Quesnel said he was delighted by Red Bull's increased involvement, and that the squad had such a strong Junior line-up in Raikkonen and Ogier alongside factory drivers Sebastien Loeb and Dani Sordo.

 

"Red Bull's commitment and energy are a perfect fit for Citroen's ongoing thirst for victory," Quesnel said. "We will continue to count on Sébastien and Dani to defend our world titles in 2010, and we will also be prolonging our association with Sebastien Ogier who showed outstanding potential this year.

 

"Last but not least, it is with immense joy that we welcome Kimi Raikkonen to our ranks. We are very proud that he has chosen Citroen.

 

"In addition to the confirmation of these four crews, we will hopefully be able to announce other programmes over the coming weeks."

 

Raikkonen and Ogier will contest 12 of next year's 13 WRC rounds, but will skip the New Zealand event.

I'm really looking forward to seeing how he goes in the WRC next year. Shame there's so little TV coverage of rallying nowadays, but I'll watch it on Dave and might even look into going to the Great Britain Stage in Wales.

Hopefully we'll see him in F1 again soon!

 

Sauber secures 2010 Formula 1 slot

 

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80429

 

Sauber has been granted the final slot on the Formula 1 grid, the FIA has announced, bringing to an end months of uncertainty about the future of the team.

 

"Subject to their signing the Concorde Agreement, BMW Sauber will be awarded the 13th entry in the Championship, taking the place of the departing Toyota team.

Great to see that team continue and Sauber back/staying on in F1. Wonder who there drivers will be!

 

Unless Mercedes can snatch Kubica from Renault [though it's looking like the team might stay on maybe under a different name, possibly Prodrive], they've really let the good drivers get away from them! :nono:

Retro_Link Newbie

Retro_Link

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Yeah I read about that, I guess it means Bransons gonna be sticking around on the grid for quite some time (bollocks), because you can't really brand a car with your name and then bugger off the next year like he did when he backed Brawn. But then Brawn were Honda, where as Manor will take some time to get going.

 

I prefer the name Virgin, because it's a more glamorous name to have in the sport, and the sport needs some more recognisable names (for the general public), what with BMW reverting back to Sauber and possibly Renault to Prodrive.

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