Exclusive interview with McLaren’s Martin Whitmarsh

Q: You were reported as saying that McLaren wouldn’t have any problems with Kimi Raikkonen coming back. What exactly does that mean?
MW: Kimi is a fantastic driver, and I like him and know him well. He was with the team for five years. He is quick, he is committed and I think he probably would be very committed to beating Ferrari in the future - knowing him. All these are attractive things with Kimi. He is not political. He is absolutely straightforward - what you see is what you get with Kimi. And on top of that everyone knows that he is a winning driver. I think he has been underestimated technically. He is a very good racing driver and I think he would fit well in this team, if we choose to go down that route.

Q: Lewis’s place in the drivers’ championship is almost irrelevant, but McLaren have the chance to oust Ferrari from P3 in the constructors’ standings. Is that your prime aim?
MW: Absolutely. From a number of points behind, we are now only two points adrift of Ferrari. We’ve got a tremendous respect for Ferrari and have a very constructive working relationship with them, which is probably a change from the majority of the last 30 years of that relationship. But of course we want to beat them. Not winning is disappointing, so if we can get ourselves to third - which is realistic - I would be very disappointed if we don’t beat them in the constructors’. It will be a good battle and I hope that we’ve got a little bit of an edge. You have to beat Kimi first and he can pull it out if he needs to pull it out.

http://www.formula1.com/news/headlines/2009/10/10060.html

One gets the impression that MW cannot help himself from being so effusive in his praise for Kimi ;) Hmmm, we haven't heard anything similar in scale being said about, say, Button or Rosberg or Kubica for instance. Wonder why is that?
Even when there is no need for Kimi being mentioned he somehow slots him in, cue the last sentence of the interview.

I wonder whether the negotiations between Kimi and McLaren have stopped? Naw... I don't think so.

Can I remind everyone that quoting entire articles from other websites breaches their copyright. Please check our forum rules on this to be clear. I have removed most of the article quoted from here, but left in the bits embolded by JamesHunt.

If you want to read the whole article, please use the link provided.

Reporter: How awesome is Kimi?
MW: Freaking awesome.

Whitmarsh certainly has been praising Kimi a lot lately and especially so during the past few days. That can't be a bad sign but perhaps I should point out there's already a threat dedicated for that discussion here... http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?showtopic=113897

In my oppinion Mclaren is a bit sucking up on Kimi, a bit to much.

To be fair, he didn't even quote half of the article.


I'm loving all this praise coming Whitmarsh. I really had no idea that he was such a Kimi fan. This all makes the idea of Kimi returning to McLaren seem really fantastic.

Let's just hope that the negotiations are going well. I can't help feeling slightly nervous about the Robertsons playing too many cards. Kimi does not really need to earn zillions in addition to what he already has earned during his McLaren and Ferrari years, and to what he will earn next year regardless of where he drives. I think it would be a great loss to formula one if Kimi's carreer would end this season.

Firstly, did you really have to quote the whole text in just the second post?

Gee he doesn't praise Button, Rosberg or Kubica after all those years working together with them at McLaren, isn't that strange.

MW is definitely a Kimi fanboy

Do you think he posts in the Massa V Kimi scorecard thread?

KIMI FTW!1111!!!!11oneone!

Well, mr W. knows Kimi from their 5 years together - I have never heard any of Mcl management badmouthing Kimi.

Teams are not like this BB where some ppl seem to live from eternal trolling, they always pop up to the surface like shit on the water.

Yep, sorry. That was my mistake. I should have hit the "Add Reply" button instead of the "Reply" button.

The second point about Button et al - I just mentioned them because there were rumors about them being potential candidates to replace HK for the 2010 season. And MW, not just in this interview but in other interviews recently, hasn't mentioned them or how good they were - atleast to throw the journalists of track.
All he wants to talk about is Kimi.

I am a bit concerned about this bit


"knowing him. All these are attractive things with Kimi. He is not political. He is absolutely straightforward"


That to me is suggesting that Kimi won't kick up a fuss when the team favour Lewis next season and give him all the special treatment

No, that is just comparison with Alonso, because he was political and they trying not to do same mistake.

I don't understand this. Is Whitmarsh going to beat up Kimi because he's going to whip out his wiener again?

It could also be said to be suggestive of the idea that Kimi wont be phased if Hamilton Snr gets his knickers in a twist. Clearly, it could be suggestive of many things.

To me it sound more like Räikkönen is not demanding or assuming no1 status and he's not using whistle blowing, black mailing or using other unproper means to get upper hand over his team mate.

People who knew Kimi and worked with him never said anything bad about his development skills. Certain people just like to compare him with a certain other driver and say he can't develop because he is monotone, unemotional, not political, and quiet. Nothing really to be shocked about here.