Looks like Schu/Raikkonen in 2007-2008...

When do we get to hear actual confirmation, instead of all these sources.

 

That's a bold move for MS to get measured up against Kimi. Would be the strongest team mate he ever had and that at the end of his career.

Can't wait to see that duel. Young gun meets the old champ who shows him the ropes and helps him to the title. A storyline for the movies. Oh wait, that was Driven.

 

This is not good for MS, if it happened in 03, different story. I would have much preferred MS with a truly talented teammate at the peak of his career. This will not prove anything in my opinion.

 

Rumors says they will tell at Imola
http://www.nansens.dk/2006_04_01_sogni_di_ferrari_archive.html#114526237664405372

 

Like MS would help Kimi, or anyone for that matter. I agree with Tony, MS is gonna get mopped up bad against Kimi.

 

All so true. Kimi will do the same thing he did to JPM. It will be interesting to see how MS will do this year just against Massa.

Just read a silly report that rumors MS to sign up with Red Bull for 2007. Yeah, right. Not in a million years.

 

I think that is like the rumour about MS going to Renault; it all sounds like the work of Willi Webber. Michael's contract ends this year. If he is to stay with Ferrari news about other teams courting him will help WW when it comes to wage negotiations.
The thing I find surprising is that he still uses these tactics. Normal, everyday punters like us can see through it - does Willi really think Todt or Montezemolo are so naive?

 

There is no point in having two A-level guys on one team, it doesn't promote teamwork at all. I believe MS is bit old to take out the likes of Kimi, that is of course, unless Kimi continutes his famous bad luck and tendency to destroy his machinery............

 

My guess is in about 10 months

Perhaps it's thought that all Kimi is missing is that x-factor that can possibly be gleaned from spending a season along side Michael. Should be fun. If it's for real.

 

It's confirmed by Luca Di Montezemolo. It's not Michael & Kimi!

From Autosport;

Di Montezemolo's bombshell

You could have heard a pin drop in the Ferrari motorhome. After 30 minutes of batting off questions about Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen's possible futures with his team, Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo looked set to drop a bombshell.

After answering the final question of his Q&A session with the Italian and international press, he sat up in his chair and instantly got everyone's attention.

"For the future it is very important to look ahead, but also to look back to the best," said di Montezemolo. "And I am very proud to say that Ferrari will take a big risk next year with two completely new drivers."

He stayed silent for a few seconds, the journalists present - who just moments ago were packing up their notebooks and turning off their dictaphones - suddenly *****ed up. Were the pre-race wild rumours that Ferrari will be announcing their drivers at Imola actually right?

Di Montezemolo, with a completely straight face, continued. "Michael will set up his own team and Felipe Massa will replace, just Massa alone, he will replace both Alonso and Fisichella. Renault are very careful with their costs so next year they are just running one driver - it will be Massa.

"And we will put in our car....it is a risk, I know it is a risk. But sometimes also it is nice to have a little romanticist approach. Niki Lauda and Gerhard Berger will drive for Ferrari next year..."

And with that, di Montezemolo stood up and left - a huge grin spread across his face. He had won the moment, and all those present were still left to ponder exactly what Ferrari's plans for their driver line-up in 2007 are.

 

But it's great fun to watch!

Remember Prost and Senna?

 

Do the Italians have there version of April Fool's Day?

 

Although I have the highest respect for di Montezemolo I don't get this futile attempt at humor. Why the hell is Ferrari dancing around like this? Why can't they just come out with the truth? I don't get it.

 

Well hopefully today's race will convince Michael to stay and Raikkonen to join up

Massa was pretty anonymous at Imola. Also in a totally unrelevant comment, he looks too much of a schoolboy to be seriously considered a Ferrari team leader.

 

Kimi and MS is good for us audience, great for Ferrari's future and probably demoralizing for MS.

Massa did what RB used to do in the past. Carry the car home as good as he could. Not taking 3rd from JPM was about his only mistake, not bad.

 

I think Massa compromised his own race by holding Alonso back at the beginning and letting Michael get a decent lead. If he hadn't done that he could have got a podium - although Michael probably wouldn't have won the race.

 

It will never happen. Not in a million years. Michael will NEVER allow another "good" driver to be his teammate. It reminds me of that old joke about What 7-up and Nuns have in common: Never had it, never will.

 

I wonder if Ferrari can afford to have both Raikkonen and Schumi on at the same time.

Schumi's current salary from Ferrari (excluding personal endorsements like that Deutsche unpronouncable thingie on his cap) is around $40MM. Assuming he renews it, it will go to may be $45MM or 50MM max.

Raikkonen would command a pay of at least $35MM or more if he makes the move to Ferrari.

So it appears that the driver wage bill will be about $80MM p.a.

Most of the salary was paid by sponsorship money anyway but with Vodafone and few others out of the picture, I wonder if the Marlboro money is enough to pay these superstars their asked for figures as well as fund the continuous car improvements to even have a hope at the WDC title?

 

I think so.

btw FM had a good start. Massa covered the middle of the track in an intelligent move to block FA.

 

Maybe Ferrari doesn't yet know what MS wants to do as of yet. It is also possible that KR has signed with Ferrari but by annoucing this signing, it may also deter other drivers away from seeing the Ferrari seat as a possibility (Rossi, Rossberg, Fisi, Montoya, Button, Webber and even Sato or Ide ) if they think that KR will be the unofficial #1 driver as in the case with MS in the past.

 

Unlike other teams, I don't think Ferrari will have too much problems in getting sponsorship money. Shell "shelled out" the money for MS, and I am sure that someone will do the same to cover Ferrari for KR's bill. However, I do believe that you must have a clear #1 driver in today's F1 to win the championships, if not immediate at the start of the season, but at least by quarter-season or mid-season. Just not sure how MS and KR will feel about this. This is one thing I have to hand it to Ron Dennis, as he was able to at least held his Prost/Senna team together for 2 years. Which I have a hard time seeing it happen again in the future.

 

Calling all the Rosberg fanboys...

Todt about Rosberg:

''He is a great young driver,'' Todt told Germany's Bild am Sonntag newspaper, ''with a huge amount of talent.''

Rosberg, the 20-year-old countryman of Ferrari incumbent Michael Schumacher, also has another advantage, according to Todt -- his champion dad.

''Since Nico was born,'' the Ferrari boss mused, ''he breathed the air of this world of racing. Technically he is very good, he is professional -- add it all together and he should have a big career.''

McLaren's name has already been mentioned as a possible future home for Rosberg Jr -- so is Ferrari a player too?

Todt said: ''Williams is a super team for him. He has a fast car to drive, and even if it stays the same next year, Germany will have plenty to cheer about.''

-----------------

Luca on Raikkonen.

Ferrari President Luca di Montezemolo even says that he has no contract in place with Kimi, but does admit that he would love to sign the young Finn:

"Why do you assume that a deal has been done? It is not like this.

I haven't got any kind of contact, unfortunately, with a fantastic driver like Raikkonen.

Meanwhile Ron Dennis criticised Kimi, saying that he should have been three or four tenths quicker in qualifying.

Raikkonen at Ferrari - deal done IMO.

 

Looks like I was worried for nothing ... hopefully this will get the two guys together in one team ...

Source: itv-f1.com

Marlboro would foot Kimi/Schu bill
Thursday, 27, April, 2006, 14:36


Ferrari’s title sponsor Marlboro would be willing to foot the $70 million annual wage bill likely to be entailed by a Michael Schumacher/Kimi Raikkonen driver pairing, according to this week’s Autosport magazine.

Speculation has been rife for months about both drivers’ 2007 plans, and with teams and sponsors keen to finalise their line-ups as soon as possible, it reached feverish levels over the San Marino Grand Prix weekend.

Despite persistent rumours that Raikkonen has already signed with Ferrari, sources close to the Finnish driver – as well as McLaren – claim this is not the case.

However, many paddock insiders believe Ferrari has committed to Raikkonen irrespective of whether Schumacher opts to retire or extend his Formula 1 career.

The German is expected to let the team know his decision by June, and if recent indications that he plans to carry on racing for at least another year are anything to go by, the Maranello squad could be set for a Schumacher/Raikkonen ‘superteam’.

There are several potential obstacles to that scenario materialising, but one of the most significant – money – now appears to have been removed.

According to Autosport, Marlboro’s parent company Phillip Morris has decided that the promotional value of a Schumacher/Raikkonen line-up justifies the vast sums that would be needed to finance both drivers’ salaries, and has informed Ferrari that it is prepared to pay whatever is necessary to secure it.

In the face of ever more restrictive tobacco advertising legislation worldwide, Ferrari represents one of the few remaining blue-chip promotional vehicles for Marlboro, a fact reflected in its long-term commitment to the Italian team through to the end of 2011.

The tobacco company reportedly believes that Ferrari’s red and white colour scheme is so synonymous with its Marlboro brand that backing the team has a promotional value even in countries where explicit branding is illegal

 

Cool. The dreamteam is coming together. What an awesome season that will be. Any bets yet on who is going to get better grid positions, podiums, points, fastest laps?