Raikkonen stands to make more money if he doesn't race for Mclaren

Kimi Raikkonen stands to make more money in 2010 if he takes a sabbatical. Germany's Auto Motor und Sport reports that if the Finn accepts McLaren's current offer, he will earn €15m in 2010, as opposed to €17m if he has a season on the sidelines.

According to his termination deal with Ferrari, the Italian team has promised to pay Raikkonen €17m if he does not race in F1 next year, and €10m if he finds suitable employment elsewhere.

Realising this, McLaren has reportedly offered Raikkonen just 5 million for the 2010 seat, concluding that €15m in total earnings is a very healthy amount for the 2007 world champion.

Presently, Raikkonen's management team of Steve and David Robertson is demanding that McLaren pay a full retainer, plus agree to a reduced amount of sponsorship days for their charge.

Nick Heidfeld has been touted as McLaren's 'plan B', and in an interview with spox.com, the German was asked about Martin Whitmarsh's recent statement that the German veteran is perhaps F1's most underrated driver.

"At the moment I'm not ruling out any team," he answered.

 

The guy is sitting pretty what more can you say.

 

A lot of guys don't like Raikkonen here, but asking 5Mill for that driver is a joke, almost an insult.

Plus that pretty much tells, "you'll be Hamilton's puppy"

 

Yes he will/would......for sure. To use an F1 expression

 

Puppy or not it would be up to the drivers on track ability to undo that.

Why is it a joke, how about a reality check on the current recession.

 

McLaren can offer what ever they want since Kimi does not have many top team options. It's a little cheap to net out the proceeds from the Ferrari break up though.

It's a negotiation tactic but it just shows how much McLaren really wants Kimi.

 

From what i saw of that kobayashi, he would be a great proposition for the mclaren team.

 

+1 Give Kobayashi a chance! I think he was about as stellar in his first two races as Hamilton was.... And Hamilton was in a much better car

 

Raikkonen McLaren stalemate to play into Heidfeld's hands?

Fri, 06 Nov 14:40:20 2009
Buzz Up! Crash.net

The ongoing discrepancy between Kimi Raikkonen’s wage demands and the salary that his most likely F1 2010 employer McLaren-Mercedes is willing to pay him could force the Woking-based outfit to look to out-of-work BMW-Sauber refugee Nick Heidfeld instead – as it emerged that the Finn might do better financially by taking a year off.

Following the official announcement that he was being released by Ferrari to make way for fellow F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso next season, Raikkonen was linked with a number of teams, from Renault to Red Bull and Toyota to McLaren.

However, whilst the 2007 title-winner wasted little time in making clear that only the latter option was of interest to him [see separate story – click here] – having competed for the Silver Arrows for five years from 2002 to 2006, triumphing nine times along the way and arguably being unlucky to miss out on title glory in 2003 and 2005 – it soon became apparent that there was, and remains, quite a gap between his own valuation of his financial worth and McLaren’s estimation.

Due to having been forced to terminate Raikkonen’s contract a year ahead of schedule, Ferrari promised to pay the 18-time grand prix-winner €17 million if he does not compete in F1 in 2010, or €10m if he does. To that end, Germany magazine Auto Motor und Sport reports that McLaren is offering a deal of just €5 million, reasoning that his total would thereby be a more than acceptable €15 million – but the 30-year-old’s management team of Steve and David Roberston is said to be unwilling to budge on its demands, as well as the stipulation that Raikkonen has to attend fewer sponsor days than would be the norm.

Should no agreement be forthcoming, it is being mused that of all the other names mooted as potential team-mates to 2008 F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton – assuming, as is widely anticipated, that Heikki Kovalainen is not retained for a third consecutive season at the multiple title-winning concern – Heidfeld is near to the top of the list, with team principal Martin Whitmarsh having told spox.com that in his opinion the experienced German is perhaps the most underrated driver on the grid.

Heidfeld himself has admitted that he is ‘not ruling out any team’ in the wake of BMW’s withdrawal, and should ‘Quick Nick’ indeed join McLaren, it would doubtless please engine-partner Mercedes-Benz and represent a deserved boost for the oft-overlooked man from Mönchengladbach.

The 32-year-old acted as McLaren-Mercedes test driver back in 1998 and triumphed in the International F3000 Championship (now GP2 Series) for the McLaren Junior Team the following year, only to be passed over in favour of then Sauber team-mate Raikkonen when Mika Hakkinen retired at the end of 2001, to the general surprise of paddock observers. Whilst Raikkonen’s career subsequently took off, Heidfeld’s has yet to really accelerate out of neutral – but a McLaren seat in 2010 could finally offer him the chance to fulfil his undoubted talent and break his grand prix duck.

 

I don't know why Kimi doesn't just stick it out, if he performs as he did when he was at Mclaren in the past I don't see it stay at 5M Euros.

 

Pretty lame of McLaren.

 

Raikkonen however says this.


It’s not often that a recent race winner and world champion ends a season without a confirmed seat for the following year, but that is just the situation that 2009 Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen is facing.

With Fernando Alonso joining the Italian team to partner Felipe Massa in 2010, Raikkonen is still to find a new cockpit in which to ply his trade. However, the Finn, who is a season shy of his 10-year anniversary in Formula One racing, doesn’t seem too anxious about his future and is instead determined to find the right drive.

And on Friday he reiterated that he is more than willing to bide his time until there’s a suitable vacancy at a team that can offer him the chance to challenge for more race victories and further titles.

“It’s hard to believe that I have been in Formula One for nine years already,” the 30 year-old said on his official website. “I am very motivated to win races and a championship again and will only remain in Formula One if I can race for a team that can give me a car to fight at the front. Let’s wait and see what happens.”

Although the 2010 driver market remains pretty open, with plenty of seats still up for grabs, Raikkonen has considered taking a sabbatical next year if he can’t find an acceptable drive. And speaking in Abu Dhabi a week ago, he made it quite clear to the media that time off remained an option.

“I can do whatever I want," he said, "but like I said before, I haven’t made my decision about what I want to do yet. Basically I have a few different options and we will see what is the best one overall and then I’ll make my decision.”

During his nine-year F1 career, which has included spells at Ferrari, McLaren and Sauber, Raikkonen has racked up one world championship, 18 wins, 16 pole positions, 35 fastest laps and 579 points.

 

Interesting that they only offered him a one year deal. Honestly it's a shrewd, but brillaint offer by McLaren. If they can get him for 5m; that is a huge coup...
It would be a shame if Kimi wastes what should be one of his prime years....

 

This should also quiet the people who think Ferrari are paying his full salary for 2010...

 

Ferrari were paying, what 30mm? Kimi probably figured 20mm would be easy to get on a 3 year deal or something. He's asking 30mm, so the thinking on his side was probably that the 10mm from Ferrari was just going to be on top of what he was going to get at another team.

He obviously thinks his stock is worth more than it is.

 

Why?

Massa makes ~5 million Euros a year. Massa beat Kimi two of the last 3 years.

Why would they pay more for a lesser performing driver? If he is motivated and ready to win races, as he says, he should take the 5mm, shut his mouth, and show us he can do it.

Because apparently many think he can't.

Someone is worth what someone else will pay them. He said his conditions are he wants to drive for a top team that can win races. Red Bull already has Vettel, they're not interested. Ferrari fired him, so obviously they are not interested. Who else is left besides McLaren?

He's worth 5mm to McLaren - nothing lame about it. Maybe they'll move up in negotiation, but offering 5mm is just as 'lame' as him thinking he's worth 30mm. He just isn't. Not even close.

 

Spot on.

Let's face it he was ostensively fired from Ferrari for underperforming. Had he beaten Massa throughout it would be Massa making way for FA. But it's Kimi that got the boot. He and his management are in no position to impose the demands he seeks if he wants a top drive as he says.

Let him take an F1 sabbatical next year. Then let's see what the top team market is for him after that. If he really wanted a top drive then he should sign for whatever McL offer him now. If not, shove off Kimi. Another 1 WDC wonder.

 

what's with the hostility? he's in no position to give his demands? solution: no team should take him. but that there's still some teams negotiating? he's sittin' pretty...whether he drives or not...the hostility should be towards the teams interested...because he's washed up, no longer able to win, unmotivated, a flash in the pan...a one hit wonder...blah blah blah..

 

If he cruises for a year I wonder what happens to endorsement money? That would have to suffer. I'm sure he's penciled it out but it would seem like continuing to fill a seat somewhere would be the most profitable thing. He probably doesn't give a shlt about that though.

IMO him given the fastest car out there would not assure anything. The guy is just too blase at this stage.

 

I really hope Kimi won't be greedy, but rather sign up, buck up, and get at least 1 more WDC.

 

i bet mclaren will up there offer to 10M and lock Kimi down for another year. This just seems like tactics right now to try and get as much driver for as little money as they can. It's really a game of chicken from both parties I hope they just get the deal done soon. Kimi and Mclaren are such a good combo.

 

Spot on Alex, as the previous poster said, Kimi and McLaren are a good fit.

 

I just hope he does whatever makes HIM happy. he is young... a champion... drove for the most prestigious team in all of racing... and is rich... life really isn't getting any better, but could certainly get worse.

 

They are a good combo but Mclaren dont need Kimi at all. There are plenty of good options out there that will be happy to be at Mclaren and drive with or under LH until proven faster if allowed.

 

I think Kimi is being a little ridiculous here. The guy already has soooo much money----is that extra 5 mil REALLY going to make THAT much of a difference in the grand scheme of things? I doubt it.
Like others have said, I think he should take what McLaren are offering.