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

[Kriss]

Game over for Kimi

I would say it is if it wasn't F1. We saw that anything can happen regardless of the driver's performance.

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

But well who knows what will happen with him at the Rally next year? Will RB continue to sponsor him? At which team will he drive?

Pyper: There is no way to stay positive! Horner´s words are clear! They will sign a contract with Webbo for next year.

[Pyper]

Yeah I know I am clutching at straws a little - it's just all very frustrating and disappointing. But until he actually signs then who knows what can happen (I am an eternal optimist by nature )

And as I said in my previous post - maybe it was Kimi who made the decision for them - I mean it wouldn't feel so bad if it was Kimi's decision.

[Acropolis]

We have an expression that describes us:There is fire in our pants.....

[rko281]

I am sorry for those of you who had hopes that Kimi will return.
Even from December I was sure he won't return, but the speculation came out because Red Bull are sponsoring his rally adventure, but they've been sponsoring him for years. This + some journalists + few bad races from Webber and all was "certain fact" for some.

I was so sure he won't go to Mclaren last year as sure as I am that he won't return in F1.


P.S. there are no more seats in the top teams available, not even for Kimi. It would have to happen something out of the ordinary with a driver from the top teams so that a seat would become available (I'm not including Mercedes, as I don't think they will have a top car like Ferrari or RedBull).

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

At such moments it always f*** me up that Kimi doesn´t give a damn hint about his future!!

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

Yeah I know I am clutching at straws a little - it's just all very frustrating and disappointing. But until he actually signs then who knows what can happen (I am an eternal optimist by nature )

And as I said in my previous post - maybe it was Kimi who made the decision for them - I mean it wouldn't feel so bad if it was Kimi's decision.

But will we ever get to know it?? I mean there was someone at the autosport forum who said that a friend of him spoke with Kimi the other day and he didn´t get the impression that he wants to return. Hm I trust this forum member as he isn´t a guy who talks nonsense. I also got the impression that Kimi enjoys his rally time very much.

Well dunno maybe I am also feeling so bad about him staying at rally because there hasn´t been one with him for ages. Dunno really
I just hope that we will get some news rather sooner than later

[Kriss]

Just to make things more complicated

Webber linked to Ferrari in place of Massa

With Renault team owner Gérard Lopez doing his damndest to keep Robert Kubica at Enstone next year, it seems Red Bull Racing star Mark Webber has emerged as a leading candidate to replace Felipe Massa at Ferrari in F1 2011...

In an unexpected twist, Mark Webber has become the latest name to be linked with Ferrari for F1 2011, in a development that makes Felipe Massa's future at the Prancing Horse look ever-more tenuous.

It has been whispered inside the F1 paddock for some time that Renault star Robert Kubica could be Maranello-bound next year, to partner his close friend and fellow poker player Fernando Alonso – but with the Enstone-based outfit's new team owner Gérard Lopez revealing his plan to convince the Pole to stay on-board rather than jump ship [see separate story – click here], Webber's name has entered the frame.

The Red Bull Racing star belatedly kick-started his F1 2010 title challenge into gear with a dominant victory in last Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix, and it had previously been thought that were the Australian not to be offered a renewed deal by his Milton Keynes-based employer beyond the end of the current campaign, he could elect to hang up his helmet – but now it seems the 33-year-old might just have an alternative front-running option.

He too gets on well with Alonso, seemingly in contrast to Massa, who was shoved unceremoniously aside by his ruthless Spanish team-mate upon entering the Shanghai pit-lane in last month's Chinese Grand Prix, and who following a bright start in Bahrain, has subsequently struggled to keep pace with the double F1 World Champion thus far in 2010.

Comprehensively out-qualified and out-raced by Alonso in each of the last two outings, Massa looks to have slipped quietly into the 22-time grand prix-winner's shadow – and has also slipped from first to equal-sixth in the points standings. The Brazilian has confessed that his Ferrari F10 'does not work as it is for me and we need to understand why and find a solution', after he likened his Barcelona performance to 'more like rally driving'.

Both Massa and Webber's contracts are due to expire at the end of 2010, whilst Kubica is understood to have signed an 'option' with Ferrari that must be taken up by 15 July [see separate story – click here]. There has been speculation in the past that Webber could be eased out of RBR to make way for World Rally Championship-convert and 2007 F1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen, should the Finn wish to return.

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/159698/1/w ... mpaign=rss

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

Yeah but this was before this weekend and all the rumours about Webbo and RB being in negotiations.

[momo]

P.S. there are no more seats in the top teams available, not even for Kimi. It would have to happen something out of the ordinary with a driver from the top teams so that a seat would become available (I'm not including Mercedes, as I don't think they will have a top car like Ferrari or RedBull).

But you forgot the seat of Massa in Ferrari!

[Moominpappa]

But you forgot the seat of Massa in Ferrari!

Alonso's nightmare: Kimi and Schumi at the same time in Ferrari's paddock.

[rko281]

P.S. there are no more seats in the top teams available, not even for Kimi. It would have to happen something out of the ordinary with a driver from the top teams so that a seat would become available (I'm not including Mercedes, as I don't think they will have a top car like Ferrari or RedBull).

But you forgot the seat of Massa in Ferrari!

I think Massa will be in Ferrari in 2011 unless a major fall-out will happen with Alonso or he will have disastrous races, which I doubt it. For Ferrari is a good situation, Massa brings constant points without shining, and their star driver is over-shadowing his team-mate. This is the ideal scenario for those who brought Alonso, and they can justify their choice very well.

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

the whole interview

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/83698

[Kinga]

Claudie, where is your optimistic attitude? I'm really surprised! It's just an article. Just because Mark has been doing extremely well during these last 2 races but what about the beginning of this year? They started to bury him and send him to retirement. Remember what a certain blonde once said: in F1 you become hero from zero just in 1 day (and vice versa)!

Let's wait and see. Nothing is signed yet.

I still think that Webber goes to Ferrari next year and would like to end his carrer by the Red Devils.

[beefree88]

Yeah I know I am clutching at straws a little - it's just all very frustrating and disappointing. But until he actually signs then who knows what can happen (I am an eternal optimist by nature )

And as I said in my previous post - maybe it was Kimi who made the decision for them - I mean it wouldn't feel so bad if it was Kimi's decision.

But will we ever get to know it?? I mean there was someone at the autosport forum who said that a friend of him spoke with Kimi the other day and he didn´t get the impression that he wants to return. Hm I trust this forum member as he isn´t a guy who talks nonsense. I also got the impression that Kimi enjoys his rally time very much.

Well dunno maybe I am also feeling so bad about him staying at rally because there hasn´t been one with him for ages. Dunno really
I just hope that we will get some news rather sooner than later

It's easy to misinterpret Kimi. He does care about a lot of things he doesn't talk about.
He doesn't stress about things in advance, or at least doesn't share. Last year he had clear plans, and we all know what happened. He has to have a clear picturee first of where things going, and how he feels about that.
Actually we don't know if he'll have a chance to stay in rally. Next year he won't be such a novelty, there's no way to know yet if he can be up there with the big guys, and he won't be a sponsor magnet if he avoids the limelight as successfully as in Monaco