Raikkonen to Renault for 2011

[FB]

F1 Junkie is carrying a story that Kimi might be back in F1 next season alongside Robert Kubica. The story comes from Italy's Autosprint magazine which always always seem to have an ear for gossip. Also suggested to replace Petrov, if Kimi doesn't come back, is Adrian Sutil; a step up from Force India?

http://formula-1.updatesport.com/ne...Raikkonen-Sutil-for-Renault-in-2011/view.html

 

[Bullfrog]

Good news if true, not particularly because of the drivers linked to the second seat but the inference that the team have sufficient funding to let their pay driver go. They'd also have to be semi-confident of replacing the Lada money which presumably they would lose without Petrov.

 

[cosicave]

Bad news if true (in terms of opportunity for talent to show in F1).

Kimi is/was over-rated in my view and has about as much justification on the grid as Schumacher: i.e. he is a magnet for the fan-base and will be very useful to Bernie. But in my view, his ability does not warrant the hype, except as a money making exercise. (Again: just like Schumacher).

Any future employment in F1 will be similarly due to his sponsorship potential; not his ability (or lack of it as a complete F1 driver).

Kimi's days are done.
- Then again, I said the same about Scummie...

 

[JamesHunt]

Any future employment in F1 will be similarly due to his sponsorship potential; not his ability (or lack of it as a complete F1 driver).

Are your Joking? or are you deliberately trying to get a reaction?

Kimi is one of the best drivers in recent history. He is a champion, at a time when F1 was very competitive.

Just ask Fisi.

 

[FB]

I think it's fair to say Kimi is a a bit of a marmite driver. On his day he was as quick as anyone but, especially in his last year at Ferrari, his "days" were few and far between. I can see why Renault would want to have someone with his experience on board and a Kubica/Raikkonen driver line up, on paper at least, sounds pretty formidable. Petrov hasn't been too bad and he bought some money to the team but having an ex-WDC and proven race winner on borad might bring in more cash (?).

Let's hope Kimi isn't just doing it for the money. At least he won't have to forgoe any Ferrari cash if he does sign for Renault next season, which appears to have been the stumbling block in his move to Mclaren for 2010.

 

[Enja]

I severely doubt he will return to F1.

But, if he did, I hope it would be for the right reasons. I think Kubica and Raikkonen would make an excellent duo. Petrov's done okay but Kubica's class is showing.

I will say one thing, though.

Kimi Raikkonen, in sheer ability and skill, would be the most talented driver on the grid.

Yep. I said it.

But he has never used that talent to it's maximum. If he had Senna's desire and Schumacher's ruthlessness in addition to Raikkonen's natural speed, we would be talking about Kimi Raikkonen as one of the greatest ever.

 

[Brogan]

There's no doubting Kimi's ability but his commitment is somewhat lacking.

Didn't he famously say something like "OK" when told over the radio that he was WDC?
And when further questioned he said it meant nothing to him?

I think it's this attitude which doesn't endear him to F1 fans.

On the subject of his return, I can't see it myself.
He turned McLaren down who are arguably a tier up from Renault as he wanted paying by both them and Ferrari.
Again the commitment thing comes into play as money was clearly the driving factor, rather then wanting to drive for a top team or even just be an F1 driver.
I can't now see him driving for Renault who are at best 4th on the grid.

I did say at the time that if he ever wanted to return to F1 then leaving now would be the worst possible move.
Let's see if he does return but I doubt it.

 

[Enja]

I don't see it particularly as about money (his "sabbatical" from F1).

I think it was mostly about enjoyment. Kimi has loads of money, he's an F1 champ, and he decided, quite rightly in my opinion, that he wasn't enjoying F1 because he felt he had learnt all he could do.

Brogan, you say he doesn't endear himself to F1 fans, perhaps he doesn't seek it (I don't blame him), but he was actually one of the most popular drivers, from what I've seen.

 

[cider_and_toast]

As far as Kimi the comeback goes, I just don't see it but then again, stranger things have happened.

As for Kimi the man, he's an enigma. He's naturally talented and there were many times that he showed that on the track but it was obvious he didn't like and couldn't be bothered with the public side of the sport. This is unusual with most F1 drivers but for a Ferrari driver it was twice as strange. Most of his interviews were monosyllabic borefests and it was clear that he was glad when it was over. I understand what Bro was saying about not endearing himself to the fans but as Enja said he never went looking for it anyway. Maybe the saddest thing is that his world title win will perhaps in time be one of the least remembered when the topic of past championships is discussed. His ability to drive in F1 was better than his ability to be an F1 personality.

 

[Bullfrog]

People seem to be unnecessarily harsh about his time at Ferrari, we've seen this season that they aren't the team they used to be. When you take into account that even Alonso (widely regarded as one of the best drivers about, more widely than Kimi anyway) has struggled at times this season one WDC and one 3rd place followed by 2009 where he managed to win a race in that crap-sack of a car, I don't really see where the problem was? I know his attitude was not what teams look for in a driver but seriously, when was the last time you looked a driver (as a fan) in any discipline and lamented his attitude to corporate responsibilities?

 

[cider_and_toast]

That's what I was saying Bullfrog. As talented as a driver that he was his persona will always cloud peoples feelings towards him. Sadly, people do judge a book by its cover.

 

[Bullfrog]

I agree entirely, he was there to race not to sell hats or watches. Personally I think the more the merrier, F1 drivers are similar enough as it is, lets have a few that aren't stamped from the same corporate mould.

 

[Brogan]

Whilst I couldn't care less for the corporate and PR stuff that goes on, I do expect F1 drivers to actually enjoy what they do for a living and to at least show some pleasure when winning the WDC.

Kimi never seemed to do either but of course that doesn't detract from his ability as a driver.

That's the only point I was making in my previous post.
I just don't think he really enjoyed it, especially towards the end.

 

[Enja]

Whilst I couldn't care less for the corporate and PR stuff that goes on, I do expect F1 drivers to actually enjoy what they do for a living and to at least show some pleasure when winning the WDC.

People are different, it's completely impossible for you or I to judge whether Kimi felt enjoyment or pleasure from his WDC. Not everyone needs - or wants - to display it outwardly.

For all we know, Kimi might've been delighted inside.

Sadly, people do judge a book by its cover.

Talking of which, I'd love to see a proper biography or better yet an autobiography of Raikkonen. Would be pretty interesting. Can't ever see it happening though, because of reasons mentioned already.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Talking of which, I'd love to see a proper biography or better yet an autobiography of Raikkonen. Would be pretty interesting. Can't ever see it happening though, because of reasons mentioned already.

 

[teabagyokel]

Criticism must always come to any sportsman who doesn't do many interviews, or does not want to talk to the media. I just feel he was a relaxed guy who didn't get emotional. It is not a job requirement or Rubens Barrichello would be World Champion.

Personally, I feel that Ferrari's familiar relationship with Massa really got under Raikkonen's skin; when Massa was injured last year Raikkonen performed really well from Hungary to the end of the season.

However, I would rather look at his results, he was a Champion in 2007 and probably unlucky (machinery wise) not to be Champion in 2005.

I think Raikkonen would be a good readdition to Formula One, particularly if he's on song.

 

[JamesHunt]

I always found kimi funny. A real personality in sport full of bores.

And I will never forget the Martin Brundle interview with Kimi when he inquired about the Finn missing Pele’s appearance on the grid, there was a suggestion that the prima dona had thought he was too important to go to meet the footballer. But Raikkonen soon proves he is fairly down to earth…and tells him he was taking a shit.

Can you imagine anyone else saying that. Kimi should have been a driver during the 70's then he could have been as wild as he always wanted to be.

 

[AlexM]

And I will never forget the Martin Brundle interview with Kimi when he inquired about the Finn missing Pele’s appearance on the grid, there was a suggestion that the prima dona had thought he was too important to go to meet the footballer. But Raikkonen soon proves he is fairly down to earth…and tells him he was taking a shit.

I really liked Kimi, never seemed to play up to the Media and just got on with what he wanted to do. Would love to see him back in F1.

 

[Brogan]

And I will never forget the Martin Brundle interview with Kimi when he inquired about the Finn missing Pele’s appearance on the grid, there was a suggestion that the prima dona had thought he was too important to go to meet the footballer. But Raikkonen soon proves he is fairly down to earth…and tells him he was taking a shit.

One of the best grid walk moments ever

 

[cosicave]

I agree with all those who doubt his return.
I said this before it happened (that he would not be back if he left) and when it happened (that he would not be back at all).

Nothing I have heard or seen since has made me doubt my previous conviction/conclusion: he will not be back. - Furthermore, from a spectator's perspective, F1 is no poorer for not having him - apart from the occasional laughs...

The thing is that F1 requires more of a driver than simple ability. - It requires that ability to be shown on at least 85% of occasions. Kimi could not live up to that and never will.