Kimi: Mercedes drive or sabbatical?

[kimifantuga]

kimi will shine on mclaren!!!
he didn't have any support on ferrari...massa was always th "baby"- his manager is todt sun.
one cause of this: http://www.f1i.com/features.php?id=6909
p.s.- but i still believe brawn is a kimi choice to next year :P

[newtrex]

i think kimi will go back to mcl and will out pace hamilton easily as rules regarding fuel loads next year, so less team rules..

[iceman1]

[andrebires]

Yes, he is out and Alonso in.


Alonso second Spanish driver in the Scuderia's history

Maranello, 30 September 2009 - The Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro chooses for the second time in its history a Spanish driver. The first Spanish Scuderia driver can be found in the years 1956 and 1957 when Alfonso De Portago was called to race for the Prancing Horse together with Peter Collins and Jose Froilan Gonzales.

Now it's the time of Fernando Alonso, born in Oviedo (Asturia) on 29 July 1981. After starting racing karts in Spain he became Minardi test driver. In the year 1999 he debuted in the Formula 3000 and two years later in the 2001 Australian Grand Prix in Formula 1, still with Minardi.

The following year he became Renault test driver and official driver in the year 2003, gaining his first pole position (Malaysian GP) and his first victory (Hungarian GP).

With Renault Alonso became World Champion in the years 2005 and 2006.

At the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro Alonso will find Marc Genè, test driver since 2005.

Ferrari's connection with Spain has a victorious history: 11 in the history of the Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro, 12 pole positions and 14 fastest race laps as well as 30 places on the podium.

http://www.ferrari.com/English/News/Pag ... ews_2.aspx

[andrebires]

Press release

Maranello, 30th September 2009 - Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro announces that it has reached an agreement with the driver Fernando Alonso. The agreement covers three racing seasons, starting in 2010.

The Scuderia’s driver line-up next season will therefore be made up of Felipe Massa and Fernando Alonso, with Giancarlo Fisichella in the role of reserve driver.

Kimi Raikkonen will leave the team at the end of this current season, after what has been a rewarding and fruitful partnership, which saw him win the Drivers’ title in 2007. He also played a key role in Ferrari’s taking of the Constructor’s title that same year and in 2008.

“We are very proud to welcome to our team another winning driver, who has demonstrated his amazing talent by winning two World Championships in his career to date,” said Stefano Domenicali. “Of course, we wish to thank Kimi for everything he has done during his time with Ferrari: in his first year with us, he managed to win the Drivers’ title, thus making his contribution to Ferrari’s history and he played a vital role in our taking of the Constructors’ title in 2007 and 2008. Even during a difficult season like this one, he has demonstrated his great talent, with several good results, including a great win in Spa and we are sure that we can share more good times together in the final three races of this season.”

“With common consent, we have agreed to terminate the contract binding me to Ferrari to the end of 2010, one year ahead of schedule,” said Kimi Raikkonen. “I am very sad to be leaving a team with which I have spent three fantastic years, during which time I won plenty of races. Together, we have won 50% of the world titles in that period and I managed to take the Drivers’ title in 2007, thus achieving the target I had set myself at the start of my career. I have always felt at home with everyone here and I will have many happy memories of my time with the team.”
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Source: http://www.ferrari.com/English/News/Pag ... ews_1.aspx

[AzShadow]

Those were already posted here:
http://www.f1zone.net/viewtopic.php?f=129&t=4468

You can still speculate about Kimi's next year here though.

[iceman1]

Please use this thread to discuss Alonso's Move to Ferrari

http://www.f1zone.net/viewtopic.php?f=1 ... 71#p138371

[megasyxx]

Those were already posted here:
http://www.f1zone.net/viewtopic.php?f=129&t=4468

You can still speculate about Kimi's next year here though.

speculate? kimi? next year?

vodafone mclaren mercedes!!!!!

[AzShadow]

Well, officially we're not supposed to know anything

[megasyxx]

were not supposed to know anything eh

but i really like your sig though......looks like "a scene of things to come, with colors seem changing"

[syafiqa]

Its time to say goodbye to the Maranello team
I'm delight in sorrow
Just regret kimi can't end his formula1 carrier with them as he thought
Ah..cant wait for this season to end
Right now I'll have a driver to follow but not a team
Sooner or later, i shall have one

[Totopupu]

Alonso goes to Ferrari. Ferrari pay Kimi to go in McLaren.

Consequently, I am not since today a ferrari fan.
How a team can pay a so exceptionnal driver to leave his team?
How is this possible when some teams are near to leave F1 for economics problem?

Montezemolo was a brilliant president but since 2006, he makes just shits.
He has pushed Schumi on his house, he has refused Brawn, he has kept Dominecalli, he has paid Kimi to leave the team, and finally, he has take a cheater to replace kimi.

[megasyxx]

sadly, i agree.......

[blizzard]

Alonso goes to Ferrari. Ferrari pay Kimi to go in McLaren.

Consequently, I am not since today a ferrari fan.
How a team can pay a so exceptionnal driver to leave his team?
How is this possible when some teams are near to leave F1 for economics problem?

Montezemolo was a brilliant president but since 2006, he makes just shits.
He has pushed Schumi on his house, he has refused Brawn, he has kept Dominecalli, he has paid Kimi to leave the team, and finally, he has take a cheater to replace kimi.

Come on mate, Kimi was a disappointment at Ferrari. He never hit the form he had during his McLaren days, especially 2005.
He was bought to dominate Formula One and become the team´s number one. But he is simply not a teamleader and I think that´s the main reason for dropping him. Yes his performances this season from Hungary till Singapore were amazing, but the start to the season was not good at all, ok the car was very difficult, but Felipe easily outscored him until his accident. But overrall he drove a good 2009 season.
But in 2007 and especially 2008 he was far away from brilliant. In fact he played second fiddle to Felipe last year and his performances in 2007 weren´t as good as expected. Especially in tough situations he appeared to be the first one leaving, instead of working extra hard and leading the team to success. Kimi is someone who needs to feel comfortable to be quick. Then he is absolutely special, but as soon as he isn´t in that comfort zone, he starts to disappear.

Alonso is completely different. A born fighter and leader, who claims the number one status and leads his team to success, no matter what.
I think overall he is more hungry and more of a leader than Kimi. His mentality is simply better suited to Ferrari.

The fans simply expect to rather crash into Hamilton than letting him by. I remember after Monza 2007 a lot of Ferrari fans lost the faith in Kimi, when he let Hamilton by for second position, without even fighting him. That was unacceptable for the tifosi.

Kimi is much better suited to a team like McLaren or Williams, with a rather cold atmosphere and a complete focus on results.
The only thing that matters to him is the "what" and not "how". For example he doesn´t care whether Hamilton teaches him a lesson during the race, but in the end he does win the race himself. Whereas the Ferrari fans always want to win in style, by defeating the others and beating them in a head to head, without getting humiliated a few laps before.

And the fact that Fernando cheated doesn´t even bother me at all. The biggest cheater in F1 is Hamilton at the moment. No doubt about it.
His chicane cutting and lying to the stewards are pretty famous by now
In Fernando´s position, almost every one cheated, Schumi, Senna, Coulthard, J.Villeneuve. Nobody is perfect.

I am 100% convinced that Fernando is the right man for us at the right time and will bring us back on track and make us proud and remind us that driving for Ferrari is something very special that only special people do.

Di Montezemolo said in 2008: "Kimi is a special person, he doesn´t talk."
This cynism sums it up pretty much.

And all the guys now claiming "I´m not a Ferrari fan anymore" an whatever. Let me tell you one thing: We don´t need you, everyone who follows a driver from team to team and switches from McLaren to Renault fan or Ferrari to McLaren fan is a fanboy nothing more.

[syafiqa]

Everyones has their own opinion...
Whatever.Who cares