Speculation-thread: Will Kimi be in WRC or F1 next season?

[luieluv]

i am a huge fan of JPM but this guy seems to be too obsessed with motoya. so much that he makes all the f1 drivers speak about motoya and then line themselves up to join nascar

[sleenster]

So this was the original and only comment Kimi made way back last year about NASCAR.

“I have no plans,” Raikkonen is quoted as having said by The Associated Press, almost two years to the day to when he claimed his first and thus far only F1 title at Interlagos. “I do what I want with my life. I could race there (in NASCAR) if I wanted – but I'm not one of the biggest fans of NASCAR.”

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/153538/1/k ... ascar.html

I can't believe the media has gone and taken that quote totally out of context and twisted it into something it's obviously not.

[Maria d]

it was just some guy posting made up info, who knows whats happening with the nascar red bull team, but i do not think it has any thing to do with kimi.

[saif]

i am a huge fan of JPM but this guy seems to be too obsessed with motoya. so much that he makes all the f1 drivers speak about motoya and then line themselves up to join nascar

dude whats wrong with you? you cant even spell montoya right today

[Acropolis]

Come on Kimi, take us out of this torture, tell us what you'll be doing next year...NOTHING is out of the question!

[luieluv]

i am a huge fan of JPM but this guy seems to be too obsessed with motoya. so much that he makes all the f1 drivers speak about motoya and then line themselves up to join nascar

dude whats wrong with you? you cant even spell montoya right today

I spelled it incorrectly for the first time and just see the heights of laziness i think i must have copy pasted that the next time.

[Iana]

This one is from today

Raikkonen bids for 2011 Renault seat

Kimi Raikkonen is making a fresh bid to return to Formula 1 next year after approaching the Renault team for a drive in 2011, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

Although it had looked likely that Raikkonen would remain in the World Rally Championship next year after his switch of discipline for this season, AUTOSPORT has learned that Raikkonen has renewed his interest in getting back to grand prix racing.

Sources have revealed that in the wake of Renault's impressive form at the Belgian Grand Prix, Raikkonen approached the French car manufacturer with the intent of putting a deal together.

It is not clear, however, whether Raikkonen spoke to Renault himself or if it was done through his management team.

Raikkonen has always insisted that he would only come back to F1 if he was in a competitive car - and that is something that Renault now appears to be able to offer him.

But despite Raikkonen's credentials, Renault is in no rush to advance talks with him - and it is still holding on for current driver Vitaly Petrov to prove he can deliver what the team is demanding of him.

Renault team principal Eric Boullier confirmed that Raikkonen had approached the team - and is in contention for a seat alongside Robert Kubica in 2011.

"It is true that the summer has passed and we have had more and more requests - and the guy you mentioned [Raikkonen] is on the radar now," Boullier told AUTOSPORT.

"He is on the radar because he contacted us."

Boullier has long said that the team will keep Petrov next year if the Russian can improve his consistency throughout a whole race weekend - and not make silly errors like his spin in qualifying in Spa and blocking Timo Glock in qualifying at Monza.

When asked what Petrov had to do to convince Renault that he is a better option than Raikkonen, Boullier said: "He is not very far away to be honest.

"It is still very complicated for him to have a complete weekend and be faultless, and that is where he needs to work and focus on, and develop clearly his commitment and dedication."

One of the attractions of Petrov is the commercial possibilities he opens up in Russia, and Boullier said Renault would have to change its approach if it decided to take the Raikkonen route.

"It would be a different strategy for the team," he said. "And that is not a question of personality or having a world championship title - it will cost me more if he is world champion than if he is not. It is not a question of this - it is a different strategy.

"You work differently if you have a rookie - and in supporting him - than if you have two experienced drivers. So it is different.

"We need to think about it. But the priority is Vitaly, and to see how he will develop. If we are convinced then we will keep him definitely. This is the first option.

But there are several other options, and one of them is Kimi."

Boullier said he expected a decision on Renault's 2011 driver line-up to be made before the end of the season.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/86688

[saif]

i am a huge fan of JPM but this guy seems to be too obsessed with motoya. so much that he makes all the f1 drivers speak about motoya and then line themselves up to join nascar

dude whats wrong with you? you cant even spell montoya right today

I spelled it incorrectly for the first time and just see the heights of laziness i think i must have copy pasted that the next time.

This one is from today

Raikkonen bids for 2011 Renault seat

Kimi Raikkonen is making a fresh bid to return to Formula 1 next year after approaching the Renault team for a drive in 2011, AUTOSPORT can reveal.

now autosport reporting Kimi-renault .. Kimi stick to WRC please

[bourbon]

I just read that and had to head over here. I got to wondering if it wasn't a ploy by Renault to whip Petrov into shape. I mean, they have the French connect with Raikkonen and Citroen, so perhaps they asked the favor. But this is NUTS! I am just getting used to accepting him in rally and now this. He approached them - - that is quite a different twist on things. But I have to say that it being advertised makes me have doubts about it...

[luieluv]

seems like kimi is really in fray for f1.

cmon kimi, please stick to WRC. I wanna see you there.

[bourbon]

Have to admit that I still kindle a flame for him to return to F1 - otherwise I don't think the article would have made me a bit happy. Sigh...Raikkonen finally got me. I haven't gotten sucked in to the whole thing till now. I keep saying I will wait to hear it from him, but this time they got me...

[luieluv]

This is insane. had this news had been out during first few rallies of the season then i would have felt happy but as the season has grown in i have no doubts where i want kimi to be and WRC wins hands down.

I have never seen kimi so happy in F1. And for the debate i can easily say that WRC is more entertaining and most difficult genre of motorsport.

But yes wherever kimi goes, we follow him.

[sleenster]

I thought autosport was the most reliable website but before Rally Finland they had an article about Kimi saying with absolute certainty that he was going to stay in WRC for another year, well that turned out to be absolute rubbish....
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/85282

I wonder if Renault is just using his name to stay in the news and get some PR exposure.
Just when I was starting to fall in love with rallying.....
But yea bourbon, I thought I wanted Kimi to stay in WRC but I have to admit my heart skipped a beat when I read that article...

[Boudica]

I don't like the way that article is written, it seems indulgent. But I said yesterday the only interesting option is Renault. Renault are obviously on the up, and their technical department is really starting to work. And on top of that Robert is even allowed to take part in Rallies, it is definitely an interesting option. But Kimi himself hasn't indicated much of a preference for F1, it could just be that the Robertsons contacted Renault.

[saif]

cmon kimi, please stick to WRC. I wanna see you there.

But yes wherever kimi goes, we follow him.

+1