Raikkonen too expensive for Toyota Wednesday 21st October 2009 Toyota Team President John Howett admits that Kimi Raikkonen is unlikely to join the team because the driver is asking for too much money. Having admitted to approaching the Finn with what they believed to be a "serious offer in the current market", Howett seems resigned to missing out on the former World Champion's service unless he drops his wage demands significantly. "He gave us back a figure that is much too high," the Briton told Swiss publication Motorsport Aktuell. "He says he has two options, so we are going to wait," he added. It is believed that Raikkonen is also in talks with McLaren, the team he spent five years with before joining Ferrari, and that the 30-year-old is requesting 25 million Euros to secure his services.
Nothing quite so classy as conducting salary negotiations in the press. Do these people not realise that their behaviour reflects on the entire Toyota organisation? Not that I am likely to buy anything in the current Toyota lineup, but people ask me for recommendations, and Toyota is usually high on the list for people who need an appliance to get from A to B. Now, not so much. Too many competitors that don't hire idiots, or at least don't display them so prominently.
agreed. he can imply that issue without being so blatant and making kimi look like a bad guy. just say we stlil haven't come to an agreement, enough said.
Does this imply that Toyota is definitely back next year? I thought that was still uncertain. Perhaps not. Who can keep up these days? Anyway, Kimi should get whatever the market will bear. It seems if nobody's willing to pay his price he would be just as happy to sit out the season, or even retire.
IMHO, if Kimi doesn't get the Mclaren drive, Toyota would be pretty decent. They have a huge budget, and on the brink of their best season ever. So who knows, if Kimi can build a team around him, he could inspire them for their first win(s) next year.
I don't see Kimi as the type of personality around whom a team can build. Not really a knock on him--it's a unique individual who has that kind of ability and I don't know that there are currently any drivers of that type in F1.
Look at Button, he took a 5 million pound pay cut and in return won the World Championship, ironic isn't it? I remember watching the Top Gear episode when Button was on, and JC asked him if he would trade everything to become World Champion and Button said yes without a doubt and look what happened. Then you take Kimi asking for $40-50 million a year..
Kimi is already a WDC, almost winning it twice previously and has always been one of the top drivers in F1 since nearly the start of his career....Button, not so much.
I think the Toyota F1 team were trying to sign a big name driver in order to convince the Toyota motor company to stay in F1. Is best option for next year has always been Mclaren.... i'd personally love to see him there again, he's always said if he can't go to a team that CAN fight for the champinship he isn't intrested. That is Toyota but you never know next season or the season after that thye might be where Brawn is now.... AND they have a much bigger budget.
Kimi has already been paid for 2010 by Ferrari. Maybe he should enter into a performance based contract, where he gets paid per point..
Considering that neither Glock nor Trulli is a top driver, and how close they came to being competitive this year, Kimi's abilities might just be enough to make the team a winner.
I agree, but still its as if Kimi doesn't understand what compromise is. If anything his pay should go down since he hasn't won another championship He had the car to do it in 2008.
How do you know he has been paid in full for next year? I doubt the drivers have such a lop sided contract that Ferrari is required to pay him in full and he gets to go to another team and race for another salary. I think Mclaren just has reasons to wait, they want to keep Kovi motivated until the final race. Santander has already paid a price for Kimi to move to Mclaren.
I understand what you're saying. IMO, it's not entirely his fault though that he hasn't won another championship. He didn't have the car or the team to do it in '08...Massa did. Too bad Massa wasn't good enough to win it. As far as kimi compromising...how do we know he hasn't already made a deal with a certain team or has a deal ready to be signed? Not compromising and asking Toyota for too much is an easy way of basically saying "no thanks, I've gone with someone else"...without having to let the cat out of the bag. For whatever his reasons are, Kimi doesn't want to drive for Toyota and pricing himself too high seems to be a nice way of saying that without commenting negatively about the team.
Well I mean you win and lose as a team, I think if he showed more effort he could have stayed another year at least and got his fat ass pay cheque. However what does Toyota know about driver selection? I think they have the most passive driver strategy/selection out of all the teams. Maybe they learned a lesson from Ralfie and decided never to go for a big name but come on, after all the money they are spending I think they can cough up another few millions. Not in their wildest dreams could they get a driver like Kimi. They don't know how to get good drivers. They have Glock and Trulli for God sakes, even if they are both nice (personality wise) they don't perform. They missed a chance to get Ross Brawn and now they are missing their chance to get Kimi. I also agree about Kimi pricing himself too high for them.
This could add a new twist to the story: (from http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/79720.) McLaren not interested in bidding war By Glenn Freeman Saturday, October 24th 2009, 09:14 GMT McLaren is not interested in being part of a bidding war for any driver over the winter, according to Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss Norbert Haug. Several high-profile drivers have been linked to the seat alongside Lewis Hamilton at the team next year, including Kimi Raikkonen, Nico Rosberg and even world champion Jenson Button. But with teams like Toyota also understood to be chasing a top-line driver for its 2010 line-up, Haug says that McLaren will not consider any driver that is more interested in a big-money deal than race-winning car. "Kimi is an option, but there are lots of options around," Haug told AUTOSPORT. "One thing is for sure though - guys who are out for money are not the right ones for us - whoever it may be. "I won't name anyone, but we want to have full commitment from someone who is success-oriented, not someone saying 'I am a big name, pay me a lot of money and I will drive for you.' "The team has to be convinced that a driver is hungry, motivated, focused, and that his first thought is not to get more money." Haug believes that McLaren's form in the second half of the season proves that it will be a regular contender for wins again next year. "We have shown our level of competitiveness - Lewis has scored race wins and podiums, and beaten the guys that have been going for the title this year," he added. "It shows that we are going in the right direction. We have stabilised this year, and we have a seat to offer in a race-winning car. There are probably three, four, five teams maximum that can offer that."
I don't like Haug, but he is spot on with his observation here. And it's a straigt punch into Kimi's face
Thats why I used the title I did...out to lunch. The drivers are not in the drivers seat as far salaries go. Deflation is here to stay for the near term and if you are asking for a high salary, then ...have another drink
Kimi's not wanting to do 10 to 15 days promo work is the icing on the Ice Man for me. The top teams have it backwards. It should be; we have this seat available, who wants it and what are your sponsors willing to give to us ? Submit an offer and we'll let you know.
