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

[beefree88]

I know the news today do not necessarily mean Kimi and/or Solberg won’t be in WRC next season, but that door is open and that’s not good for the Sport. WRC cannot afford losing Kimi or Petter. Both of them attract a lot of media attention and fans and that’s what the sport urgently needs.

Besides Petter is an incredible fast world champion, and Kimi is not the fastest of all but has not blamed himself (even if some people want to sell it like that) and is bringing a lot of fans.

Com’on this van Merksteijn guy was up to 2 sec/km slower than Kimi (than Kimi!!!!) in Sweden last season. If he has the money to pay and get one drive, it’s ok for me, but if that means one of the other two has to disappear then it’s wrong, very wrong .

Hmm I dont think the situation between Kimi and Petter are similar. Petter is a world champion who has been struggling to keep himself in the sport, he has almost exhausted his own personal funds to keep his team going this year.

Kimi on the otherhand is still learning to drive WRC, and he has loads of money his last paycheck alone could buy him a few years in WRC. If Kimi truly wanted that Citroen seat he could have paid for it just like this Merksteijn guy. Afterall he isn't a top driver and he is still learning. So either Kimi doesn't really want to be in WRC next year, or he has gotten a more lucrative offer somewhere else, but he cant announce it at the moment.

They're both better speed and publicity wise than the new guy. Nobody pays for the drive from his own pocket. Why should Kimi do that? Just because he can? He could buy a whole team if he wanted to, but not spending his own money to race doesn't mean he's not committed enough

[Julia]

I know the news today do not necessarily mean Kimi and/or Solberg won’t be in WRC next season, but that door is open and that’s not good for the Sport. WRC cannot afford losing Kimi or Petter. Both of them attract a lot of media attention and fans and that’s what the sport urgently needs.

Besides Petter is an incredible fast world champion, and Kimi is not the fastest of all but has not blamed himself (even if some people want to sell it like that) and is bringing a lot of fans.

Com’on this van Merksteijn guy was up to 2 sec/km slower than Kimi (than Kimi!!!!) in Sweden last season. If he has the money to pay and get one drive, it’s ok for me, but if that means one of the other two has to disappear then it’s wrong, very wrong .

Hmm I dont think the situation between Kimi and Petter are similar. Petter is a world champion who has been struggling to keep himself in the sport, he has almost exhausted his own personal funds to keep his team going this year.

Kimi on the otherhand is still learning to drive WRC, and he has loads of money his last paycheck alone could buy him a few years in WRC. If Kimi truly wanted that Citroen seat he could have paid for it just like this Merksteijn guy. Afterall he isn't a top driver and he is still learning. So either Kimi doesn't really want to be in WRC next year, or he has gotten a more lucrative offer somewhere else, but he cant announce it at the moment.

...and its not like there isnt any customer cars left in WRC at the moment: mini has announced just 1 driver and according to last weeks news they are planning to have 2+2 cars and ford is planning to have 2+8 cars so they have a couple of them left still... so we just have to wait and see what he thinks its the best option for him.

[sleenster]

I think it all comes down to whether paying for a seat is an option for Kimi. If he decided a long time ago that coming out with his own money to pay for a seat is beneath him and he absolutely under no circumstances would ever consider doing that, then I guess that's that.

[Mar]

I know the news today do not necessarily mean Kimi and/or Solberg won’t be in WRC next season, but that door is open and that’s not good for the Sport. WRC cannot afford losing Kimi or Petter. Both of them attract a lot of media attention and fans and that’s what the sport urgently needs.

Besides Petter is an incredible fast world champion, and Kimi is not the fastest of all but has not blamed himself (even if some people want to sell it like that) and is bringing a lot of fans.

Com’on this van Merksteijn guy was up to 2 sec/km slower than Kimi (than Kimi!!!!) in Sweden last season. If he has the money to pay and get one drive, it’s ok for me, but if that means one of the other two has to disappear then it’s wrong, very wrong .

Hmm I dont think the situation between Kimi and Petter are similar. Petter is a world champion who has been struggling to keep himself in the sport, he has almost exhausted his own personal funds to keep his team going this year.

Kimi on the otherhand is still learning to drive WRC, and he has loads of money his last paycheck alone could buy him a few years in WRC. If Kimi truly wanted that Citroen seat he could have paid for it just like this Merksteijn guy. Afterall he isn't a top driver and he is still learning. So either Kimi doesn't really want to be in WRC next year, or he has gotten a more lucrative offer somewhere else, but he cant announce it at the moment.

You’re right, he has loads of money but I don’t know ( seriously I don’t know how he feels when this happens) if he likes it when the whole media pressure about WRC is on him, something everybody in WRC, including North One and the other teams, benefit from, and somebody comes and tells him: we all are profiting of you being here but, since you’re rich, if you want to stay here you have to pay a lot of money.

I would have sent them all to hell a long time ago, but I’m not Kimi, so provably he would think differently.

I just hope he has something signed (or almost) somewhere.

[Julia]

There’s nothing about this story in the usual Finnish sites. I hope it’s because they’re chasing Kimi to get some answers before they publish it.

I realized it too: no news whatsoever on the finnish sites even if they are usually very fast on writing these kind of speculations...

[sleenster]

They're both better speed and publicity wise than the new guy. Nobody pays for the drive from his own pocket. Why should Kimi do that? Just because he can? He could buy a whole team if he wanted to, but not spending his own money to race doesn't mean he's not committed enough

I agree with you beefree, just because Kimi can pay for a seat, doesn't mean he should.

[Julia]

I think it all comes down to whether paying for a seat is an option for Kimi. If he decided a long time ago that coming out with his own money to pay for a seat is beneath him and he absolutely under no circumstances would ever consider doing that, then I guess that's that.

mmm... but if its not its his decision... have to say that dont believe he will pay for a seat.. he probably rather do something else... i think here we can use the Wili Webers quote " ones a pay driver always a pay driver" its bloody hard to find sponsors if you start to put our own money in it.


by the way: did you guys notice that he even have fixed sponsors to their enduro race last monday? Did you noticed the big Scott tags on their clothes.... yes, the same Scott motorsport that had put up on twitter the nice Kimi and silicon valley picture from milano motorcycle-exhibition a couple of weeks ago

[Boudica]

Personally I think Kimi would be able to find the sponsors. But lets say you could choose between having one sponsor/ paycheck with someone like Monster, or having to go around and look for your own sponsors from different companies, which one would you choose? I think you would go for the simple offer where you dont have to do all of the ground work yourself. Almost everyone in WRC is essentially a pay driver. WRC is not F1 where drivers have nice and cosy sponsors looking them up. The fact is it is very difficult to actually get any proper seats in WRC to start with, Kimi was already a pay driver this year he is not a top driver, he has only done one year of rallying. He and the Robertsons have properly always known that things are difficult in WRC, so when you take everything into consideration and there are really no other options open to you and the fact that you still have a lot to learn in the sport, then yes I dont think there would be any shame to forward some of your own money if that means you are working towards a goal that is really important to yourself. On the other hand I would understand why Kimi wouldn't really want to do this.

[sleenster]

Personally I think Kimi would be able to find the sponsors. But lets say you could choose between having one sponsor/ paycheck with someone like Monster, or having to go around and look for your own sponsors from different companies, which one would you choose? I think you would go for the simple offer where you dont have to do all of the ground work yourself. Almost everyone in WRC is essentially a pay driver. WRC is not F1 where drivers have nice and cosy sponsors looking them up. The fact is it is very difficult to actually get any proper seats in WRC to start with, Kimi was already a pay driver this year he is not a top driver, he has only done one year of rallying. He and the Robertsons have properly always known that things are difficult in WRC, so when you take everything into consideration and there are really no other options open to you and the fact that you still have a lot to learn in the sport, then yes I dont think there would be any shame to forward some of your own money if that means you are working towards a goal that is really important to yourself. On the other hand I would understand why Kimi wouldn't really want to do this.

He basically has had time since France to look for a big sponsor or many little sponsors, that's over two months to find them. And he keeps on postponing the date he will announce something about his future. Even Quesnel was just saying in that French interview on MotorsTV last week that Kimi is having money problems (i.e. problems finding sponsors). Quesnel probably has the most inside info in this situation anyway. If Kimi hasn't found any sponsors by now, then he is not going to find any by next week. We don't have much longer to wait to find out anyway.

Kimi has said there is more to life than just F1 racing, I would imagine that applies to rallying as well. It doesn't matter that we think there is no shame in being a pay driver, what matters is whether Kimi thinks it's beneath him or not to be a pay driver. If he doesn't put his own money into paying for a seat it doesn't mean that he's unmotivated. There's a difference between motivation and desperation.

[Boudica]

I think it all comes down to whether paying for a seat is an option for Kimi. If he decided a long time ago that coming out with his own money to pay for a seat is beneath him and he absolutely under no circumstances would ever consider doing that, then I guess that's that.

by the way: did you guys notice that he even have fixed sponsors to their enduro race last monday? Did you noticed the big Scott tags on their clothes.... yes, the same Scott motorsport that had put up on twitter the nice Kimi and silicon valley picture from milano motorcycle-exhibition a couple of weeks ago

Good observation! I dont think Kimi is the type who does many things without reason. The fact that he was in the US, I am pretty sure is also no coincidence or small vacation.

[Boudica]

Personally I think Kimi would be able to find the sponsors. But lets say you could choose between having one sponsor/ paycheck with someone like Monster, or having to go around and look for your own sponsors from different companies, which one would you choose? I think you would go for the simple offer where you dont have to do all of the ground work yourself. Almost everyone in WRC is essentially a pay driver. WRC is not F1 where drivers have nice and cosy sponsors looking them up. The fact is it is very difficult to actually get any proper seats in WRC to start with, Kimi was already a pay driver this year he is not a top driver, he has only done one year of rallying. He and the Robertsons have properly always known that things are difficult in WRC, so when you take everything into consideration and there are really no other options open to you and the fact that you still have a lot to learn in the sport, then yes I dont think there would be any shame to forward some of your own money if that means you are working towards a goal that is really important to yourself. On the other hand I would understand why Kimi wouldn't really want to do this.

He basically has had time since France to look for a big sponsor or many little sponsors, that's over two months to find them. And he keeps on postponing the date he will announce something about his future. Even Quesnel was just saying in that French interview on MotorsTV last week that Kimi is having money problems (i.e. problems finding sponsors). Quesnel probably has the most inside info in this situation anyway. If Kimi hasn't found any sponsors by now, then he is not going to find any by next week. We don't have much longer to wait to find out anyway.

Kimi has said there is more to life than just F1 racing, I would imagine that applies to rallying as well. It doesn't matter that we think there is no shame in being a pay driver, what matters is whether Kimi thinks it's beneath him or not to be a pay driver. If he doesn't put his own money into paying for a seat it doesn't mean that he's unmotivated. There's a difference between motivation and desperation.

I dont necessarily see it as a motivational issue I see it more as a issue of pride.

[beefree88]

Personally I think Kimi would be able to find the sponsors. But lets say you could choose between having one sponsor/ paycheck with someone like Monster, or having to go around and look for your own sponsors from different companies, which one would you choose? I think you would go for the simple offer where you dont have to do all of the ground work yourself. Almost everyone in WRC is essentially a pay driver. WRC is not F1 where drivers have nice and cosy sponsors looking them up. The fact is it is very difficult to actually get any proper seats in WRC to start with, Kimi was already a pay driver this year he is not a top driver, he has only done one year of rallying. He and the Robertsons have properly always known that things are difficult in WRC, so when you take everything into consideration and there are really no other options open to you and the fact that you still have a lot to learn in the sport, then yes I dont think there would be any shame to forward some of your own money if that means you are working towards a goal that is really important to yourself. On the other hand I would understand why Kimi wouldn't really want to do this.

Paydriver means one or more sponsors paying for the seat. . If you have to pay yourself, that properly means you don't have enough sposors to do that for you. I don't know every detail of the situation, but it seems desperate mesures for me. Besides if after weeks of trying that's the best the Robertsons can come up with, I'd be very disappointed in their business skills.

[beefree88]

Kimi has said there is more to life than just F1 racing, I would imagine that applies to rallying as well. It doesn't matter that we think there is no shame in being a pay driver, what matters is whether Kimi thinks it's beneath him or not to be a pay driver. If he doesn't put his own money into paying for a seat it doesn't mean that he's unmotivated. There's a difference between motivation and desperation.

I dont necessarily see it as a motivational issue I see it more as a issue of pride.

It's not just about pride. If you openly accepted once to be the lowest ranked of the pack, it's harder to get sponsors back later. Not to mention your self-confidence. The Ferrari story showed how strong is Kimi mentally, but he was still the highest paid driver, and a top racer, which helped to keep his self-confidence. Now he has none of that

[Boudica]

Kimi has said there is more to life than just F1 racing, I would imagine that applies to rallying as well. It doesn't matter that we think there is no shame in being a pay driver, what matters is whether Kimi thinks it's beneath him or not to be a pay driver. If he doesn't put his own money into paying for a seat it doesn't mean that he's unmotivated. There's a difference between motivation and desperation.

I dont necessarily see it as a motivational issue I see it more as a issue of pride.

It's not just about pride. If you openly accepted once to be the lowest ranked of the pack, it's harder to get sponsors back later. Not to mention your self-confidence. The Ferrari story showed how strong is Kimi mentally, but he was still the highest paid driver, and a top racer, which helped to keep his self-confidence. Now he has none of that

The problem is WRC is in a bad place, there are actually a few drivers who does use their own money, the best example being Petter and I dont think anyone would think of him as being desperate, people actually admire him for it. Kimi doesn't even have to sponsor himself directly he properly has a lot of investments in different companies. They could use one of these companies to sponsor him. There is always the old adage if you want something bad enough you will do whatever you can to get it.
Now as I said I also understand the other side of the argument, and I will respect whatever decision Kimi makes, I just dont necessarily agree with the principal of the matter. Which is my problem at the end of the day because I am sure Kimi doesn't give two hoots what I think about the situation.

But as I also said it could also be that Kimi has a different offer on the table, which means he wouldn't care what happens to that seat.

[sleenster]

The problem is WRC is in a bad place, there are actually a few drivers who does use their own money, the best example being Petter and I dont think anyone would think of him as being desperate, people actually admire him for it. Kimi doesn't even have to sponsor himself directly he properly has a lot of investments in different companies. They could use one of these companies to sponsor him. There is always the old adage if you want something bad enough you will do whatever you can to get it.

I just don't think Kimi is that desperate. He's not some struggling rookie driver waiting for his next big break or trying to get people to take notice of him. He's a F1 world champion. Rallying is not his entire life. If he can't go rallying then he'll just go find something else to do instead.