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

[Julia]

somebody wondered on another forum about how long the deal with rb and citroen is. I searched around a little and that actually is one interesting thing because they seem to announce it just one year forward.

They first announced that they start the collaboration in the beginning of 2008 and it was till the end of the year, included only the total team.

http://www.rallye-info.com/article.asp?sid=0&stid=6830

...then in the end of the 2008 they announced that they continue the deal so it also includes 2009 but just the total team.

http://www.rallybuzz.com/red-bull-citroen-2009-wrc/

...and then in the end of 2009 in the same press release citroen (and red bul) announced that kimi is driving for them they also announced that their deal continues 2010 and for that year includes both total team and junior team.

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/12/05/kimi ... ally-team/

they maybe don't have a ongoing deal but they take one year at time, atleast they dont announce more that one year at time...
so there can be quite interesting negotiations between red bull and citroen this autumn behind the scenes!

are RB ready to sponsor two teams next year also? They haven't used Loeb this year as much as last years since they have had Kimi ...

the CJT is also interesting: in 2009 it was a customer team and this year it is a second factory team ... what is it going to be next year?

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20091204/F1/912049998

so there are plenty of options definitely....

[SpaMaster]

Was just watching the Brawn interview in BBC. I have a feeling that Haug may want to do away with Schumacher while Brawn wants to persist with him. I know one candidate Haug would have on his mind. But I don't think Kimi is likely to go to Mercedes at this point of time.

[Moominpappa]

Was just watching the Brawn interview in BBC. I have a feeling that Haug may want to do away with Schumacher while Brawn wants to persist with him. I know one candidate Haug would have on his mind. But I don't think Kimi is likely to go to Mercedes at this point of time.

This year was not so good to Schumi and I don't see that next year would be better because of limited test time and his age. I hope that Haug will not manage to catch Kimi in Mercedes even I like Haug
I really hope that Kimi continue his rally career. He has so much potential and he is natural talent to drive fast in any vehicle.

[SpaMaster]

^ Yeah, I don't think Kimi will go to Mercedes next year, and I think he is all set to his evaluate his potential in WRC next year. But having Kimi in talk amongst F1 people gives him options and that's a good thing. I am sure the Robertsons would be doing that.

[Lynx'niK]

Was just watching the Brawn interview in BBC. I have a feeling that Haug may want to do away with Schumacher while Brawn wants to persist with him. I know one candidate Haug would have on his mind. But I don't think Kimi is likely to go to Mercedes at this point of time.

yes, Haug likes Kimi, but there´s no place in MercedesF1 for him. It´s 100% sure that Michele will drive for them 2011. Haug repeats everytime that they will continue to work together. And Michele surely has a paragraph in his contract like '12 Millions pay-off if you break my contract'. Furthermore MercedesF1 isn´t a big team anymore. The bosses of Mercedes have already cut the F1 salary, so I doubt that they want to pay-off Michele and buy Kimi who I guess will also demand some money like 10 millions, so overall 22 millions, too much nowadays.

And today there has been an Interview with Horner. Some journos were asking about a possibility of Kimi in RBRF1 in 2012 and he said he would be really suprised by a Kimi comeback. In addition he said that Kimi is addicted to WRC and there has been no talk between them. And he is not sure if a comeback is the right move if you look at Michele´s performance. . .

[SpaMaster]

^ I would not expect Horner to say anything different. But at the beginning of the season he was arguing with Damon Hill that Kimi is still a top F1 driver and would deserve a seat in a top team. Moreover, Schumacher is 41. Kimi is not even 31 yet.

I know 22 millions is lot of money. But can you imagine Schumacher being this slow and wasting a championship car? That alone would wast more than 22 millions. It's one thing if they had a super-strong driver in the other seat. But we have an unproven Rosberg who only hold potential. If they had an Alonso or Vettel in the other seat, they wouldn't care letting Schumacher having a charity ride in the other car. I can't see Mercedes being happy with such a line-up in a championship car as they risk losing because of drivers.

[Lynx'niK]

^ I would not expect Horner to say anything different. But at the beginning of the season he was arguing with Damon Hill that Kimi is still a top F1 driver and would deserve a seat in a top team. Moreover, Schumacher is 41. Kimi is not even 31 yet.

I know 22 millions is lot of money. But can you imagine Schumacher being this slow and wasting a championship car? That alone would wast more than 22 millions. It's one thing if they had a super-strong driver in the other seat. But we have an unproven Rosberg who only hold potential. If they had an Alonso or Vettel in the other seat, they wouldn't care letting Schumacher having a charity ride in the other car. I can't see Mercedes being happy with such a line-up in a championship car as they risk losing because of drivers.

I don´t think Horner lies or hides something. I guess he has too much to do, so I believe him. In this peculiar WDC situation they even don´t think about 2011 yet. And talking about wasting a championship car, I mean Ferrari has done that for decades. Barrichello with Schumacher and now Alonso with Massa. It´s enough if you have one driver and this way you have surely less problems as if you have a Alonso/Hamilton kombo. And Vettel is not better than Rosberg, at least not this season. Vettel makes too many mistakes. I really like Rosberg´s fighting spirit atm.

I would love to have Kimi in F1, but I guess there´s no seat. It´s a shame because it´s quite unusual that nothin happens on the driver market.
And I think Kimi hasn´t closed the chapter F1 yet, otherwise he wouldn´t say F1 is still possible he would say: WRC and in addition I don´t decided which team. okay, maybe he didn´t clarify his feelings because of contract games but Citroen e.g. nows that in F1 there´s no competetive place, so stay or leave.

[rko281]

^ I would not expect Horner to say anything different. But at the beginning of the season he was arguing with Damon Hill that Kimi is still a top F1 driver and would deserve a seat in a top team. Moreover, Schumacher is 41. Kimi is not even 31 yet.

I know 22 millions is lot of money. But can you imagine Schumacher being this slow and wasting a championship car? That alone would wast more than 22 millions. It's one thing if they had a super-strong driver in the other seat. But we have an unproven Rosberg who only hold potential. If they had an Alonso or Vettel in the other seat, they wouldn't care letting Schumacher having a charity ride in the other car. I can't see Mercedes being happy with such a line-up in a championship car as they risk losing because of drivers.

For me, the worst scenario is with Kimi going to Mercedes. No way!!! They suck and I don't see them being with the top 3 teams anytime soon.
It just shows how well both Kimi and Robertson know the business and what's going on behind closed doors. Imagine if he would have gone there this year (again critised that he can't develop, he is not that fast, bla, bla,bla). Kimi is not one that fights to finish in the 5-10 places.
They knew Mercedes wasn't going to be a competitive car with all the money Mercedes would bring.
When he said Mclaren or nothing, he knew what he was talking about (he's been there 5seasons and knows what the team can do). In a way, I'm sorry he didn't because I'm sure he would have been fighting for the WDC with a strong chance (I don't see him making so much errors as the other drivers in the top teams).

[SpaMaster]

Lynx: I don't think Rosberg is Alonso or the young Schumacher around which you can pin all your championship hopes on. That is precisely what Mercedes' problem is. He would be a very good extra driver with one proven championship driver in the other seat.

rko: Of course, I don't want Kimi in Mercedes. I myself said that Kimi would not consider that. But his managers know it is important to keep Kimi in the news, and that's what they did last year with all the McLaren, Red Bull and Mercedes talks. The more options you have, both F1 and WRC, the better is your bargaining power for the new seat. I believe Kimi's managers exploited the McLaren talk beautifully to get him a nice WRC car backed by Red Bull. Even Kimi does not say, "Nah, I am through with F1, even if he had forgotten F1 ong time back"

[Wolfie]

OMG

Has anyone read this one?

http://community.nascar.com/2011jeep/bl ... g_for_2012

OFFICIAL: KIMI RAIKKONEN SIGNS WITH RED BULL RACING FOR 2012
After all public rumors, Kimi Raikkonen has finally made his point by coming to NASCAR. He is signed with Red Bull Racing to replace Kasey Kahne for 2012.

Raikkonen, who is currently competing in the WRC, said he wanted to do this because "NASCAR is totally interesting in my opinion because I remember Juan Pablo Montoya's move to NASCAR and I have been following him a lot."

Kasey Kahne expressed his opinion on Raikkonen coming to NASCAR: "Obviously, Kimi is from Finland and since the Finns don't know much about NASCAR, he will introduce NASCAR to the entire country of Finland. He is an amazing World Champion who can do anything he wants to win and become good at."

Brian Vickers and Scott Speed have different opinions, however. "I am very comfortable about Kimi Raikkonen coming to NASCAR because he is such a great advisor to any driver out there", said Vickers. Scott Speed said, "I can't wait for Kimi to come over because he is such a great World Champion and a perfect teammate."

After all, Kimi said that in 2009 when he was going to leave F1, he said that he could race in NASCAR if he wanted to. But this is about to change in 2012.

[Kriss]

OMG

Has anyone read this one?

http://community.nascar.com/2011jeep/bl ... g_for_2012

OFFICIAL: KIMI RAIKKONEN SIGNS WITH RED BULL RACING FOR 2012
After all public rumors, Kimi Raikkonen has finally made his point by coming to NASCAR. He is signed with Red Bull Racing to replace Kasey Kahne for 2012.

Raikkonen, who is currently competing in the WRC, said he wanted to do this because "NASCAR is totally interesting in my opinion because I remember Juan Pablo Montoya's move to NASCAR and I have been following him a lot."

Kasey Kahne expressed his opinion on Raikkonen coming to NASCAR: "Obviously, Kimi is from Finland and since the Finns don't know much about NASCAR, he will introduce NASCAR to the entire country of Finland. He is an amazing World Champion who can do anything he wants to win and become good at."

Brian Vickers and Scott Speed have different opinions, however. "I am very comfortable about Kimi Raikkonen coming to NASCAR because he is such a great advisor to any driver out there", said Vickers. Scott Speed said, "I can't wait for Kimi to come over because he is such a great World Champion and a perfect teammate."

After all, Kimi said that in 2009 when he was going to leave F1, he said that he could race in NASCAR if he wanted to. But this is about to change in 2012.

Nooooooo
it can't be true, he didn't say anaything about it
we don't even know anything about 2011. What if he will be very successful in rally, will he skip it? I don't think so.

[Kriss]

Kimi said this in October:

I could race there if I wanted, but I’m not one of the biggest fans of NASCAR,”

[Moominpappa]

I don't want believe this. Rally is the place for Kimi.

[sammyosammy]

OMG

Has anyone read this one?

http://community.nascar.com/2011jeep/bl ... g_for_2012

OFFICIAL: KIMI RAIKKONEN SIGNS WITH RED BULL RACING FOR 2012
After all public rumors, Kimi Raikkonen has finally made his point by coming to NASCAR. He is signed with Red Bull Racing to replace Kasey Kahne for 2012.

Raikkonen, who is currently competing in the WRC, said he wanted to do this because "NASCAR is totally interesting in my opinion because I remember Juan Pablo Montoya's move to NASCAR and I have been following him a lot."

Kasey Kahne expressed his opinion on Raikkonen coming to NASCAR: "Obviously, Kimi is from Finland and since the Finns don't know much about NASCAR, he will introduce NASCAR to the entire country of Finland. He is an amazing World Champion who can do anything he wants to win and become good at."

Brian Vickers and Scott Speed have different opinions, however. "I am very comfortable about Kimi Raikkonen coming to NASCAR because he is such a great advisor to any driver out there", said Vickers. Scott Speed said, "I can't wait for Kimi to come over because he is such a great World Champion and a perfect teammate."

After all, Kimi said that in 2009 when he was going to leave F1, he said that he could race in NASCAR if he wanted to. But this is about to change in 2012.

Strongly refusing to believe that, strongly!!

[Wolfie]

It has to be a rumour only - oh dear, will we see him go through every genre in motorsport...