Xosé Estrada
Premium
Kimi Raikkonen
- Thread starter Niklas Vesterinen
- Start date
I fail to see the logic behind replacing a world class driver and previous world champion (Kimi) for another world class driver and previous world champion (Alonso) and pay huge sums for it. If I owned a racingteam, I wouldn't care one bit if my drivers didn't snuggle or call each other at hospital for cosy teambuilding's sake or didn't have great charisma as long as the telemetry told me they were pushing the car to the max. I would however be very impressed if my driver won despite having a slower car. Something both Kimi and Alonso have done, but Kimi is doing it currently. I would also be impressed by the fact that he didn't make a single mistake during an entire race despite being really pressed from behind by Fisichella. And started 6th and won.
But lets just replace such a driver, shall we?
But lets just replace such a driver, shall we?
Is Kimi still motivated? I know he is the iceman but when i look at him i dont see the magic fire anymore.
He has it when he speaks about rally though.
Alonso on the other hand is always ambitious and he has the same arrogance as Michael Schumacher had in his younger years ("nobody beats me, i am the best").
He has it when he speaks about rally though.
Alonso on the other hand is always ambitious and he has the same arrogance as Michael Schumacher had in his younger years ("nobody beats me, i am the best").
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Brad Johnson
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Brad Johnson
Get Kimi back at McLaren and stick him with Lewis, should see a better performance from him then.
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Wido Rossen
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Wido Rossen
Kimi Raikkonen says he is yet to decide if he will continue racing in Formula 1 next year after it was announced he will not be at Ferrari.
The former world champion, who joined Ferrari in 2007 and went on to win the title, will be replaced by Fernando Alonso from next year, despite having a contract that run out at the end of 2010.
Although Raikkonen has been linked with a return to McLaren, the Finn admitted he is still thinking about whether he wants to race on in F1 or not.
"So far I have not talked too much about what I will do next, as I still have time to make my decision and I will let you know when I have," Raikkonen said ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
"For the moment, I haven't decided what I want to do next, whether I want to continue racing or not. I had a contract for next year, but now I don't, so that changes things. So maybe I race, maybe I do not."
He said switching to the World Rally Championship was a possibility.
"Yes, there's a chance to do that, but there's as much of a chance that I continue in Formula 1. I will decide before the start of next year for sure! If I do decide to stay in Formula 1, I wouldn't go to any of the small teams, where I would not have the chance to fight for the championship.
"If I race next year, that would be my goal, otherwise there is no reason to be in Formula 1. I achieved what I wanted, but if I race, then of course, I want to win more races and championship titles."
Raikkonen said there were many factors for his decision to agree to terminate his contract early, and insisted he was pleased with his call.
"There are many reasons why this has happened," said the Finn ahead of the Japanese GP. "In F1, even if you have a contract, there can always be different options in life. There is not just one reason why this happened and we all reached the same decision.
"I'm still happy with what I have done in making this decision and I think I will still have a good future. Usually when you make a contract, you stick with it to the end, but there were reasons why it did not work out, but I'm okay with how things have turned out."
He added: "I have nothing bad to say about them as we always had a good relationship. I don't think anyone expected Ferrari to have this sort of season, which turned out to be so difficult. But this can happen in F1 sometimes, when you don't deliver a car capable of always being at the front, but this is just one year and we will wait and see what happens next.
"I would not have done anything different: of course I would like to win more races, but in terms of decisions about my life, I would not do anything differently to the way I have done it. I am happy with what I have achieved, even if whenever you look back, you think you might have done things differently, but that's easy to say when you look back.
"But in terms of contracts and so on, I would not do anything different. With Ferrari, I have achieved what I set out to do in winning the title.
"We had good times and sometimes more difficult times, but that's part of this business and you just have to get through those moments. We won many championships, one for me, two for the team and I have happy memories."
The former world champion, who joined Ferrari in 2007 and went on to win the title, will be replaced by Fernando Alonso from next year, despite having a contract that run out at the end of 2010.
Although Raikkonen has been linked with a return to McLaren, the Finn admitted he is still thinking about whether he wants to race on in F1 or not.
"So far I have not talked too much about what I will do next, as I still have time to make my decision and I will let you know when I have," Raikkonen said ahead of the Japanese Grand Prix.
"For the moment, I haven't decided what I want to do next, whether I want to continue racing or not. I had a contract for next year, but now I don't, so that changes things. So maybe I race, maybe I do not."
He said switching to the World Rally Championship was a possibility.
"Yes, there's a chance to do that, but there's as much of a chance that I continue in Formula 1. I will decide before the start of next year for sure! If I do decide to stay in Formula 1, I wouldn't go to any of the small teams, where I would not have the chance to fight for the championship.
"If I race next year, that would be my goal, otherwise there is no reason to be in Formula 1. I achieved what I wanted, but if I race, then of course, I want to win more races and championship titles."
Raikkonen said there were many factors for his decision to agree to terminate his contract early, and insisted he was pleased with his call.
"There are many reasons why this has happened," said the Finn ahead of the Japanese GP. "In F1, even if you have a contract, there can always be different options in life. There is not just one reason why this happened and we all reached the same decision.
"I'm still happy with what I have done in making this decision and I think I will still have a good future. Usually when you make a contract, you stick with it to the end, but there were reasons why it did not work out, but I'm okay with how things have turned out."
He added: "I have nothing bad to say about them as we always had a good relationship. I don't think anyone expected Ferrari to have this sort of season, which turned out to be so difficult. But this can happen in F1 sometimes, when you don't deliver a car capable of always being at the front, but this is just one year and we will wait and see what happens next.
"I would not have done anything different: of course I would like to win more races, but in terms of decisions about my life, I would not do anything differently to the way I have done it. I am happy with what I have achieved, even if whenever you look back, you think you might have done things differently, but that's easy to say when you look back.
"But in terms of contracts and so on, I would not do anything different. With Ferrari, I have achieved what I set out to do in winning the title.
"We had good times and sometimes more difficult times, but that's part of this business and you just have to get through those moments. We won many championships, one for me, two for the team and I have happy memories."
Seems he going ahead with his rallying then. Shame atm its a dying sport :nod:
Misleading title as its just speculation.
James Johnson
The Weatherman
Kimi's Basically Saying Mclaren or I'm Gone.
True dat.
Welcome too...... McLaren or Bust 
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Kyle Evers
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Kyle Evers
I would disagree. Here in the US, rally is becoming more popular, even with people my age. Games like DiRT 2 are popular. I've also noticed many fans of drivers like Ken Block.
Kyle is right, with the X-games, and people like Pestrana and Block, it is becoming more modern and attractive to teens and the like. Also, the country home to Pikes Peak, why wouldn't you be a rally fan!
Xosé Estrada
Premium
One thing is WRC, in deep crisis, IRC is another, fresh, new and working ok, as well as Hill Climb that has been always there.
I don't think rally is dead at all, also WRC will come back strong with 1.6 TURBO engines in 2011.
Cya!.
I don't think rally is dead at all, also WRC will come back strong with 1.6 TURBO engines in 2011.
Cya!.
We all know rallying is better. Kimi did the right choice
Just compare:
F1 is dying, and we know it.
Just compare:
F1 is dying, and we know it.
I don't know if F1 is dying but there will probably be a shift towards more down to earth motorsports with road cars because that's what is happening with the demise of gt1 and the more and more common apperance of gt3 car in the lms.
I hope the broadcasting of wtcc and gt/lms becomes more popular if f1 goes away because the only coverage of motorsports in tv is f1, the new formula series with football teams (bah), motogp and maybe NASCAR.
I don't know if WRC is suitable for tv in the same way as circuit motorsports. I watched it once in a while when I could watch eurosport, but sometimes it was just too boring.
I hope the broadcasting of wtcc and gt/lms becomes more popular if f1 goes away because the only coverage of motorsports in tv is f1, the new formula series with football teams (bah), motogp and maybe NASCAR.
I don't know if WRC is suitable for tv in the same way as circuit motorsports. I watched it once in a while when I could watch eurosport, but sometimes it was just too boring.
He has a point.
All of a sudden, there is an odd interest in rallying. Look at the IRC, and DiRT2. There is an uprise in interests in rallying, particularly in the US. If it's good for the US, it's good. F1 on the other hand is heading in a completely different direction literally.
All of a sudden, there is an odd interest in rallying. Look at the IRC, and DiRT2. There is an uprise in interests in rallying, particularly in the US. If it's good for the US, it's good. F1 on the other hand is heading in a completely different direction literally.
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Bert Van Waes
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Bert Van Waes
I think, if all of you grow some more ages, you'll all know, none off this is dying, it's evolving...:cute:
