Official: Ferrari extends Raikkonen's contract

I think it is great news and I agree with you 100%, I think KR just needed a swift kick in the #@@ to get him going again, hopefully this is it. Monza will tell a lot this year! KR is going to be excited about the new contract, LH is going to be pissed as hell about the penalty that the FIA gave him and I guess FA will be a little pissed off also. It is going to be one hell of a race!

 

You can see after SPA Kimi wants to win with a vengeance. This extension comes as no surprise now and I think it's a good move by Ferrari. Kimi is still my favorite driver and will be for a long time to come!

 

Great news!!! Wet is predicted for qualifying tomorrow and 60% chance of showers for race. I hope Kimi and Felipe have wet weather skills and setups for the weekend.

 

Staying another year has always been Kimi's decision, it was an open offer from Ferrari. Despite what many think of his performance, the people in the garage have never lost faith in Kimi. Nor did they ever lose faith in Massa. They have a different view of matters, that we do not see. It is easy to criticize from far away, but those immediately connected with the team can make a better judgement call.

Alonso's option will just have to wait until 2011.

 

I think it's fantastic news. If Kimi loses the title to Massa this year, he has a couple opportunities to get it back. This will be like a miniature version of Senna and Prost at Mclaren, lol. Very miniature, that is.

 

It's hard to do you job if you are constantly looking over your shoulder. Glad the issue is settled and now focus on the task at hand.

 

I really think so !

And also. Kubica, Vettel, Rosberg....

 

I stand corrected. "Renegotiated" is perhaps a better word. The gist was that his contract could be "renegotiated" to where he (Kimi) might not find himself in a red car for the term as agreed upon if he does not deliver as expected.

 

Great news for Massa. My guess is that this is the team's way of ensuring Kimi's loyalty in supporting Massa for the remainder of the season since he's so far back in points. Even though I consider him the better driver, it would be almost impossible for him to claw back the 17 points he's behind Massa and the 19 he's behind Hamilton (unless he got very very lucky) with so few races left. But he could be a consistent buffer between Massa and Lewis and help bring home both championships.

And I'm laughing my arse off at the supposed experts on this site who kept saying "like it or not, Alonso will be at Ferrari in 2009 or 2010" and that it was a "done deal".

 

Yes, I guess there was a possibilty that Ferarri would 'fire' him but pay him for the outstanding year of his contract. Or there might conceivably be some sort of 'performance' clause in the contract that would allow Ferrari the option to terminate it at some given point if certain criteria weren't met, e.g. if Kimi didn't have more than x points by the end of this season.

 

There is no doubt in my mind that Alonso would be driving a Ferrari by now if his attitude was 500% better and he kept his mouth shut. But that will never happen and he will never drive for Ferrari. Its obvious that Kimi is that type of person that need tons to excite him and motivate him. I just hope he can get motivated by this and stay motivated but I somehow think not. Ill keep my fingers crossed. I guess T and T were wrong again

 

Exactly.

Whether he would be better for Ferrari than Kimi is debatable, but he's the most complete driver on the grid.

 

it was the obious choice for Ferrari!!
Kimi is by far the best driver in the F1 Grid and still the WC.
i would not be supprised if he wins the WDC again this year
lets see what he does this week!

GO KIMI!

 

"It almost certainly means Alonso will NEVER drive for Ferrari," James Allen says.

I hope he is right:

The story of the day is Raikkonen signing up for an extra year, meaning that both Ferrari drivers are tied in to the end of 2010.

Whether Kimi will actually get to the end of 2010 without losing interest or motivation remains to be seen, but it’s fair to say that this news caught many people in the paddock by surprise.

It almost certainly means that Alonso will never drive for Ferrari, as he would have to fill in the next two years somewhere – and rather than do that, he’s more likely to make a serious commitment.

There has been talk of a three-year deal at BMW but my sources there say that’s garbage, for several reasons.

First, BMW doesn’t like to pay that kind of money. Second, Alonso and Kubica would be the strongest driver pairing in F1 and would raise the expectations on BMW that they have to win the world championship next year.

The way Mario Theissen has built this team up systematically, setting realistic targets and hitting them for three years in a row, it’s just not his style to suddenly load that much pressure onto the team at this stage.

Also the team does not need to recreate the circumstances McLaren endured last season, even though Kubica and Alonso are good friends.

Alonso is a great champion, a ruthless competitor and a wonderful weapon to have on your side.

If he’s aimed at the opposition you are in great shape, but if he aims himself inwardly, at his team-mate, as he did last year, then it’s totally counterproductive.

Nick Heidfeld is a lucky boy because there is no one out there better than him who is available so he will probably keep his seat despite his erratic form this year.

http://www.itv-f1.com/Feature.aspx?Type=James_Allen&id=43931

 

Now Kimi can concentrate on winning the championship. a wise management move.

Forza Ferrari

 

so much for Alonso's already on the way to the Scuderia. noticed that both drivers are contracted till 2010. maybe after, a younger pairing? Kubik and Vettel?

anyways, i'm delighted for the Kimster. i really hope he'll show the same hunger and aggression he showed us all at Spa.