Toyota deal not enough for Raikkonen Eurosport - Mon, 19 Oct 17:52:00 2009 Toyota have offered Kimi Raikkonen a deal for next season but the 2007 Formula One champion's management wants more, according to the team's motorsport president John Howett. "We don't play too many games. We put on the table what we can afford and what we think is a serious offer in the current market," Howett told Reuters after Sunday's Brazilian Grand Prix. "I think genuinely we could work well with him, give him a car that's quick." Raikkonen will be replaced at Ferrari by double world champion Fernando Alonso at the end of the season and has yet to decide what to do next, although a return to his former employers McLaren appears his most likely option. The party-loving Finn has said he wants to be in a competitive car, and Toyota have yet to win a race since they entered the sport in 2002. Howett said Raikkonen could be a good fit for a manufacturer who came to Formula One after winning rallying world championships. "We have had very good relationships with Scandinavian drivers in the rallying times that enjoy life and it works very well, so we could cope with it as a team," he said. Poland's Robert Kubica was another target for Toyota until he signed with Renault. The Japanese team, whose future in the sport remains subject to considerable paddock speculation, currently have Italian Jarno Trulli and Germany's Timo Glock under contract. "With both drivers we are still maintaining a degree of discussion," said Howett. "We have put an offer on the table with Jarno, I think that he himself is not dissatisfied with the financial offer, the bottom line to some extent is certain issues on the contract and I don't think they are negotiable from our side. "He may well be in the car next year but it's not at all clear." Japan's Kamui Kobayashi made his race debut for Toyota at Interlagos, standing in for the injured Glock and making a strong impression when he ran as high as third place while fending off championship winner Jenson Button for several laps. "I thought he defended well, he retook Jenson," said Howett. "He's fearless and did a good job to get past Fisichella. "He was a bit off the pace overall but it was very impressive. You have to say we have to give him serious consideration but still pace-wise he was a bit slow so we have to see." Button was less complimentary of the debutant: "I tell you, that guy is crazy, crazy," hesaid. "I suppose it is just inexperience but he moves a lot in the braking zones which makes it very difficult." Reuters
That's Kimi's management nice way of saying "there's not enough money in the world to entice Kimi to drive for Toyota".
He wants a fast car...and since Toyota can't seem to keep the pace up with whatever car they bring to the game, he just wanted to cash in I suppose.
+1 He's pricing himself out so he can blame something else and doesn't have to worry about pesky things like really performing. Win/win in his mind
Huh??? If you were talking about most drivers on the grid I would agree with you. However, since your talking about a driver who IMO, has never displayed anything near the mindset that you described, I completely disagree with your post. Ya, he's been under performing all season in the joke that Ferrari has given him to drive. Remind me, how many points has he scored in the last few races while "under performing"???
I think Renault still has a seat open. It was reported earlier that Nokia was negotiating a 45 million dollar a year deal with Renault to bring Kimi on board. I really hope that happens, as I would like to see him team up with Kubica.
I'm glad it's been rejected...... if what he says is true as in he wants a car that is competitive and can win next years championship, then his only option is Mclaren but apparently Lewis is against that for some reason.
Well, it took Fernando quite a while to get under Lewis's skin, and if it's about him being number 1 driver he will be for at least a season, untill Kimi wins his 2nd WDC lol. Then there will be fireworks!!!
McLaren don't need a top driver, they've already got one. They should take on an up and coming young guy and groom him to take over from Lewis when he moves to Ferrari in a couple of years.
Won't happen and possibly they could do that again, but it's gonna cost them to sponsor another driver like Lewis, and with all the teams hell bent on saving as much money as possible i can't see it. Plus they do actually want Kimi and Kimi wants to go their because he liked it there before he went to Ferrari..... it was just Ron Dennis he didn't like and he has left now.
Mclaren likes to have 2 number 1s. It's always been their preferred method they have no problems with interteam competition as long as the driver's can be professional about it (cough alonso cough...) My money's on Kimi racing for them next year. After what happened at Ferrari I bet he's more motivated than ever to show them up.
+1 Kimi wasn't allowed to do what he wanted when Herr Dennis was there... Martin withmarsh is a cool guy, he commented on Kimi's night in a stripclub (when he stripped himself also) that 'he might have been a tad naive'. WIN.
Didn't Toyota offer Alonso a Kimi-sized salary in 2008? But it doesn't matter, the competitive years one has in F1 and precious and few, why waste them with a back marker when you'll being highly paid anywhere you go? I personally would love to see him go head to head with Hambone at McLaren and hopefully beat him.
I don't believe passing on an offer from a team that has the resources of Toyota is something to write off lightly. Kimi could put together 'his' team at Toyota and possibly score Toyota's first win. They have shown promise and since no one is expecting them to be a front runner next season, if Kimi brought them to the next level, his salary requirements would not be a concern the following year.
Agreed. One has to ask if Kimi will get better offers. He has a good reputation but wasnt a dominant force at Ferrari in comparison to Alonso and LH with their respective team mates. Kimi must have something better in work with others or he just isnt willing to settle for less than he is making at Ferrari. Alonso will make less than Kimi at Ferrari as well. Driver salary deflation is here along with deflation in general.
