Why the hell did they sign with Alonso in May 2008?
At this time Kimi was leading the championship. Makes no sense at all.

Only one who get hurt is Alonso fan's when they notice that their over hyped sad excuse of a driver will not ever get Ferrari seat, because he does not deserve it.
I'm a Ferrari fan and it is MY TEAM and I dont want Alonso in it, because he is shit and has been trashed by so many second level drivers in so many years it makes me laugh

Only way Alonso is getting any seat anywhere is to buy it with Santander money. Kimi does not have to buy his seat, because he is a true racer and he is together with Massa the best drivers on the grid atm.

Could have been thinking to get rid of massa.

This is the way to create a troll's like our beloved Max Fan1 etc. here. To demonstrate it I just created this new massaforever account here and started publish total bulls..t from post 1.
To avoid this type of crap just ignore the trolls, as much fun as it is to depate for a while with a mental case, and they will get bored and faid away

I thought it strange too, it's not very convincing, tbh. Tifosi are very critical on their drivers, haven't met a single one who genuinely like them both.

Ferrari extended Massa's contract for 2010 (in 2008) indeed.
Kimi used his own option for 2010 - who would not with so many money involved.

Also in gp site:
"
Alonso wanted to go to Ferrari in 2008 but the team had no space for him so he settled for Renault, unconvinced by the other options available. It is believed that Alonso signed a pre-contract with Ferrari at the end of last year to join the team in 2010. Ferrari then turned around and used this to bid for the Santander money. Ferrari's problem was that Santander wanted primary sponsorship but could not have it because Ferrari had previously agreed a deal with tobacco company Philip Morris International (PMI), the owners of the Marlboro brand, to continue until the end of 2011. Originally PMI had wanted to stop funding Ferrari at the end of this year, despite a deal that ran to 2011. PMI has long owned the entire sponsorship space on the Ferrari and sells it on to other sponsors, at a premium of around 30% on top of the price it paid. In order to keep the Marlboro money Ferrari promised to significantly increase the money that PMI made from the sponsorship. Santander was keen to join the party with Alonso and so a deal was agreed that will begin in 2010 and will provide Santander with significant badging on the car and an option to become title sponsor in 2011, PMI with a much better return on its investment, Alonso with the hope that he might be able to win another World Championship while Ferrari has the budget it needs - a win-win situation for all concerned.
"
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21709.html

At least i wasnt totally screwed, something was announced im sure that is much more than most of you expected when you read my posts.

Really sorry, dont know what went wrong. I repeat again for "non-believers/bashers/posters that can't provide useful information except their biased opinions and constant trolling", Alonso will be announced this week as a ferrari driver for 2010 replacing Kimi. That is 100% sure, atm don't know the time of the announcement, thursday, earlier, no idea really, i'll try to get more information tonight.

What a load of crap ... September 10th Santander press conference has been announced for two months, search back I 've mentioned it 10 times ... Announced as in invitations to the press conference on September 10th were sent two months ago. Jeez.

It's about Santander sponsoring Ferrari ... it's not news really

Who said that? Maybe Alonso already signed some months ago, and Santander moves to Ferrari just because Alonso have already signed.

Slightly OT, even though it involves one of the new teams, but I couldn't help chuckling at this headline:

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-...-head-manor-gp/

I love how the Alonso fans posts have turned into the thoroughly assumptive "well we ALL know that Alonso is going to be driving for Ferrari in 2010, so this isn't really news". Priceless.

Ferrari extended Massa's contract for 2010 (in 2008) indeed.
Kimi used his own option for 2010 - who would not with so many money involved.

Also in gp site:
"
Alonso wanted to go to Ferrari in 2008 but the team had no space for him so he settled for Renault, unconvinced by the other options available. It is believed that Alonso signed a pre-contract with Ferrari at the end of last year to join the team in 2010. Ferrari then turned around and used this to bid for the Santander money. Ferrari's problem was that Santander wanted primary sponsorship but could not have it because Ferrari had previously agreed a deal with tobacco company Philip Morris International (PMI), the owners of the Marlboro brand, to continue until the end of 2011. Originally PMI had wanted to stop funding Ferrari at the end of this year, despite a deal that ran to 2011. PMI has long owned the entire sponsorship space on the Ferrari and sells it on to other sponsors, at a premium of around 30% on top of the price it paid. In order to keep the Marlboro money Ferrari promised to significantly increase the money that PMI made from the sponsorship. Santander was keen to join the party with Alonso and so a deal was agreed that will begin in 2010 and will provide Santander with significant badging on the car and an option to become title sponsor in 2011, PMI with a much better return on its investment, Alonso with the hope that he might be able to win another World Championship while Ferrari has the budget it needs - a win-win situation for all concerned.
"
http://www.grandprix.com/ns/ns21709.html

Slightly OT, even though it involves one of the new teams, but I couldn't help chuckling at this headline:

http://formula-one.speedtv.com/article/f1-...-head-manor-gp/

We are (hopefully) getting closer an answer in the issue we've been debating for weeks:

Ferrari appear to have three drivers for two cars.

So the following can happen.

I've listed the scenarios in order of probability, based on all the news and rumour this Silly Season.

All my opinion of course, but most likely...

1) Ferrari pays off Raikkonen's (massive) contract and probably damages (as Bourdais successfuly won from STR) giving Raikkonen around 25 million to walk. Alonso (and Santander) join Ferrari alongside Massa.

2) Felipe Massa is not fit enough to rejoin Ferrari. Raikkonen is still paid off. Ferrari run Fisichella alongside Alonso for 2010.

3) Felipe Massa is not fit enough to rejoin Ferrari. Raikkonen is retained by Ferrari and runs alongside Alonso for 2010.

4) Raikkonen is too expensive to sack, so a fully fit Felipe Massa is dropped to make way for Alonso who'll run alongside Raikkonen. This would be massively unpopular with fans around the world for obvious reasons.

5) Alonso does not join Ferrari for 2010. The team sticks with its current line up of Raikkonen and Massa. This, in my opinion, is very, very unlikely.

4) Raikkonen is too expensive to sack, so a fully fit Felipe Massa is dropped to make way for Alonso who'll run alongside Raikkonen. This would be massively unpopular with fans around the world for obvious reasons.

I see this happening: Ferrari sign Alonso and in principle have him and Massa as their drivers for 2010. They keep Räikkönen, too, but put him in rallying or whatever for a season. This means that he'll be available if either Massa or Alonso cannot perform their duties.

Räikkönen will likely be the best-paid substitute driver of all time.;)

I see this happening: Ferrari sign Alonso and in principle have him and Massa as their drivers for 2010. They keep Räikkönen, too, but put him in rallying or whatever for a season. This means that he'll be available if either Massa or Alonso cannot perform their duties.

Räikkönen will likely be the best-paid substitute driver of all time.;)

Just bland statements saying "Kimi Raikkonen has decided to move on from Ferrari and wishes the team to stuck their precent and future contracts to a very deep and dark hole."

Fixed

Ferrari can't just put him anywhere, rally or whatever, I'm sure it's explicit in his contract that it has to be a race seat in F1. anyway they've already got Fisi as reserve driver.

Indeed giving Ferrari a proverbial finger would be much likelier option, Spa already had a distinct air of "In your face". Would be kind of cool if he won Monza and used the press conference to announce his effective sacking.....

Indeed giving Ferrari a proverbial finger would be much likelier option, Spa already had a distinct air of "In your face". Would be kind of cool if he won Monza and used the press conference to announce his effective sacking.....

The funniest scenario, yet altough highly unlikely to happend, is that Kimi win's the WDC this year. And Ferrari kicks out current champion

Is he still in contention?
Williams threw out Hill in 1996 after he won the title.

Williams also had Mansell walk out on them after scoring a title in 1992, then Prost retire as champion in 1993.

Piquet left Williams after winning the title in 1987.

Schumacher left Benetton after winning the title for them in 1995.

Williams threw out Hill in 1996 after he won the title.

Ferrari would be crazy to decide anything until Fernando gets clear of the WMSC hearing and Felipe has driven something F1-like.

Then again, they can be a bt crazy these days (and much more likeable for it IMO)

Frank Williams once stated that this was one of his biggest regrets.

But a settlement is a settlement, and confidentiality is a key point.

Indeed giving Ferrari a proverbial finger would be much likelier option, Spa already had a distinct air of "In your face". Would be kind of cool if he won Monza and used the press conference to announce his effective sacking.....

Kimi is not like that.

Yes you are right but it was funny to even imagine he would say it

Yeah, it was a crazy decision, especially given what a total dud Frentzen turned out to be.

Then again, the decision to sack Hill was taken in 1995 when Damon was driving quite badly at time and Frentzen was doing well in the Sauber.

It is interesting that there hasn't been any really strong reports of Raikkonen shopping around other teams.

A rumour of Brawn contact here, a little talk of McLaren there. But nothing to suggest he already has a rock solid back up plan if he wants to stay in F1.

But I presume Raikkonen's management are playing hardball over the settlement for his departure from Ferrari.

Yep, 95 was bad for Damon. Problem is I personally reckon that he would have won the 97 title as well.

"Yes, I've just been fired in the most humiliating manner imaginable but no hard feelings, guys, you'll always be like a family to me. These three years together have truly been the happiest time of my life so, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything. I wish you all the best in the future."

Someone pass me a bucket.

"Yes, I've just been fired in the most humiliating manner imaginable but no hard feelings, guys, you'll always be like a family to me. These three years together have truly been the happiest time of my life so, from the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything. I wish you all the best in the future."

Someone pass me a bucket.

Kimi's management is indeed playin hard ball ...

The sooner this ends the better......getting rather tiring even for a film buff like me .I'm of the opinion that Alonso will have his ass whipped irrespetive of whether the second driver is Felipe or Kimi if he does come to Ferrari,so should be entertaining.Bring it on.

The sooner this ends the better......getting rather tiring even for a film buff like me .I'm of the opinion that Alonso will have his ass whipped irrespetive of whether the second driver is Felipe or Kimi if he does come to Ferrari,so should be entertaining.Bring it on.

I hate I told you so posts but ... I told you so
http://www.ferrari.com/Italian/News/Pages/...ormula_Uno.aspx

My regards to spanish journos