Kimi to Ferrari? Part Deux

--Ferrari have once again refused to be drawn on speculation over their 2014 driver line-up with team boss Stefano Domenicali calling for a big title push.

The Scuderia have been in the news in recent weeks with first Fernando Alonso linked with a move to Red Bull and then Kimi Raikkonen rumoured to be interested in a return to Maranello.

Ferrari, though, have made it clear that they are not ready to discuss their future driver pairing just yet and Domenicali addressed staff on Tuesday and called on them to focus on the Drivers' Championship and not speculation.

"Our task is very simple: namely to give Fernando and Felipe [Massa] the quickest car possible. Now, their contribution will be even more essential than ever," he told the official Ferrari website. "We have spelt it out many times before: the driver topic is definitely not a priority. --

Ferrari focus on title push, not line-up | Planet F1 | Formula One News

Kimi who......good to see racing still matters at the Scuderia....at least for this weekend.

 

''Kimi Raikkonen will commit to a fresh deal at Lotus if the team provides him with the assurances he is seeking about its future, AUTOSPORT has learned.

After a wave of speculation this week linking the Finn with Ferrari in the wake of talks with Red Bull coming to an end, it is understood that Raikkonen's priority is actually to stay put for 2014.''


Kimi Raikkonen's priority is to stay at Lotus for F1 2014 - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

Love the F1 silly season........No Red Bull now its better to stay at Lotus...hmmmm

 

Interesting. Perhaps an ownership share in the team can be an option....

 

Silly, silly season! "I want that Red Bull drive"; "No, in fact, I have already signed a deal with Ferrari"; "eventually, I think I shall stay put at Lotus".

But the most important, Gentlemen: does that means Felipe will stay at Ferrari for another season? Please tell me this is not so...

Rgds

 

Blah blah blah win a race or at least qualify on the front row for once then we might care about this supposed "title push"

 

+1 lap performance is there this weekend or its not. Another loss, ie qual in 5th or 6th with Red Bull and Mercedes up-front then its better to worry about next year.

 

+1

Ferrari had a chance last year because Mclaren - although fast - was inept. Last year's Mercedes was slow, and Lotus had their development fall off. This allowed Ferrari to get close to Red Bull and limit damage in the points when RB was faster (which was always). However, even WITH a 40 point lead, Ferrari couldn't get it done.

Now we're 40 points behind, in a car that is possibly worse than the F2012 (about the same pace but the F2012 was good in the rain, the F138 is **** in it), and we have to contend with a Benz W04 that is much faster and a strong Lotus squad. Then, of course, there's Red Bull and Seb has been driving better than ever.

 

So all in all it seems everyone stays where they are, and a youngster gets the second RB seat. Boring

 

Kimi was fired for getting beaten by Massa 2 years in a row (well 1.5, with Massa's injury). End of story.

AGAIN AND FOR THE FINAL TIME: Santander is not even the primary sponsor of Ferrari. That is Philip Morris, just as it has been for 20 years.

Do they pay Fernando's salary? I don't know? Do they? Where's your source? If they do, I don't understand why that is a big deal, and to say they "rule" Ferrari is just absurd.

 

Wrong, Kimi was fired because they needed a place for Alonso. I know very well Philip Morris is their biggest sponsor, in fact they own the whole car and then rent it to other sponsors. My sources are of no consequence here but i assure you it was Santander who paid Kimi to leave in order to put Alonso there. Iknew the deal was done for sure only 2 days before it was anounced, and in contrast to what some believe the deal was not made long before it was anounced...and i knew it trough a Santander source, who made it very clear that without Alonso the deal would not have been done. Now, Philip Morris "own" the car but there are a lot of other things to sponsor in the team.
In fact this whole story began in 2007 with the spygate. After they got caught, after Hungry, some people from Ferrari held a meeting with Alonso (not Luca himself) and i believe he was persuaded to hand over Mclaren (in Exchange for a seat at ferrari..they probably also told him if he did not cooperate he would go down with Mclaren)..by that point and already in conflict with Dennis, Alonso complied...but i believe Luca had no intention in giving him the seat. I know for a fact Mclaren ofered Alonso´s seat to massa but he refused, and Alonso took a place at Renault, convinced he would go to ferrari next year. But Felipe did very well in 2008 and Kimi´s contract was bullet proof and a i said, i believe Luca did not intend to bring Alonso, that´s why when Ferrari anounced it´s line-up for 2009, Alonso exploded, saying he would never again believe in anything that was not writen na signed! BUt then Luck play a big part for him, Santander´s interest, Massa accident and some problems with Kimi´s performance helpe...in the end i believe Luca realised Santander was bringing to much Money to ignore (Alonso was a good driver if one not to be trusted) and i believe from then on Kimi´s life was made a bit more difficult inside the team, with whom Felipe had a much closer relationship.

 

I think hulk gets the ferrari seat if Kimi stays at lotus.

 

Wish it would be, but something, or someone, is whispering in my ear that we'll go for another round with Felipe Massa...

Rgds

 

Please, kill me!

 

Apparently Fernando was strongly wanted by Domenicali and Kimi has already missed a deadline to sign a contract with Ferrari for next year.

 

I know, I know...but I fear the perspective of another year with Felipe is getting more and more probable. Hope not, but...

Rgds

 

Some drivers are good at driving (Kimi), some at developing the car and work with engineers (Schumacher), some are good Marque Ambassadors (Button), yet we stuck with the only driver who's good at hitting things. He'd be better off in a red bumper car.

 

Meanwhile the next big chunk of money for Ferrari is coming from Russia. Kaspersky's, Marussias with Ferrari engines, and the Russian investment in Sauber that is actually paying for the long overdue engine's money. Don't be surprised to see Sirotkin in red one day.

 

Andreas,

See post 225 from "Fast Ian" on previous page yesterday: Kimi will probably stay at Lotus, seems to be his wish (at the minute?).
But today, Kimi is in Spa but in bed and unwell; perhaps he doesn't want to answer the questions about his 2014 drive...

Rgds

 

Indeed:

Raikkonen admitted Ferrari move at Finnish party | News | Motorsport.com

And:

Unwell Kimi Raikkonen absent on Thursday of F1 Belgian GP - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

 

keep your fingers crossed guys...it´s hard but not impossible...

 

Why do you think they wanted Alonso? Kimi, the supposed "replacement for Michael" was not getting it done - against Massa of all people, whom MS destroyed at age 38.

Source for all this?

Convenient.

Look, I know you're a huge Kimi fan and hate Alonso, but your bias is getting in the way of reality. I am a fan of both, so I feel like I can look at this rationally. Hardcore Kimi fans (who are big Alonso haters 90% of the time) have this nasty habit of coming up with a million excuses as to why Kimi was fired for Alonso. It wasn't about money, Ferrari is one of the richest teams. It was about Kimi being beaten by Massa. Kimi was convincingly beaten by the #2 for 1.5 seasons until Massa got hurt and unfortunately this fact is not going to go away. The F2008 was a rocket, there is no reason LH should have won that title. Kimi failed and Ferrari had to rely on Massa. We all know what happened.

 

Well,

I have nothing against one or the other, but I still think that the statement that "Kimi failed against Felipe" is a simplification.
If you look at the 2008 season results, his campaign began to wane only after Spa, but he had the upper hand over Felipe at the beginning of the year, and was still very close in points until at least the 2/3 point of the season.
I re-checked his 2009 season only a day or two ago for this very site, and during the nine races he competed against Massa, he was as fast as Felipe, or even faster: actually 5 times faster in quali (against 4 for Felipe) and he put the car in the front row in Monaco (Felipe did not put his on the front row during the nine races he competed) and scored the first podium of Ferrari this year.
Perhaps Ferrari was expecting more, but clearly, if we take the results in consideration, he was not "smoked by Felipe" as some people think. And we may not have proof of this, but there is a coincidence between Santander's arrival as a sponsor and a dip in his performances that makes me still think that things that happened at the time are more complicated than most people seem to believe; I also think that we probably will never know the truth (and no, I usually don't believe in conspirations).

Furthermore, I find interesting that since 2010, Felipe has mostly not been able to deliver, whereas since his return Kimi has delivered; even if I still think that the last very edge of his speed is gone...again, not thinking conspiration here, but 2008 and 2009 have been a "flash in the pan" for Felipe, whereas the Kimster is still winning races...

Rgds

 

One who is disappointed (hmmm?) :

Sebastian Vettel would've welcomed Kimi Raikkonen at Red Bull - F1 news - AUTOSPORT.com

Rgds