I'm looking forward to seeing Kimi back in 2011. Question is, will he have the motivation to come back? I'm not so sure. He is going to be handsomely paid by Ferrari to sit on teh sidelines next season.

No - teams were prepared to pay him too much, a ridiculous amount if what I saw reported was true. It's the inflation which put Kimi into a mindset of his worth, no different to anybody in the workplace. If you had been earning $100,000 a year and then went looking for a new job doing the same thing and they offered you $20,000 then it's easy to see how a financially comfortable young man would say "stuff it".

I'm not saying he's right but nor is the payment of telephone number salaries right. IMHO $10 Million a year is an outrageous top drawer salary for a driver to attend 17 weekend events, some 6-8 spring test sessions and a few sponsor junkets. It's market forces I know but it has ruined the reality of a sports business. If you make the salary by far the biggest carrot then winning becomes secondary. The team boss wins the driver over but risks diluting the will to win.

We have lost two excellent drivers in their prime in the last few years and both were real individuals sick of the politics. I will remember Kimi's last win a Spa where he was a master, like all the really gifted.

True, but it's god damn hard, especially with F1 turning into A1 GP. Out of the 4 teams capable of achieving results, it seems 2010 will see a British team with British drivers, German team with German drivers and a Latin team with Latin drivers. Red Bull is the only exception. If this is the case, it will be massively detrimental to F1's global appeal.

Inside the UK, most people won't care whether it's Button or Hamilton winning, outside the UK most people won't care for the inbred team at all. The same goes for Mercedes. F1 is headed for a sad path if the rumours turn out to be true. Maybe my feelings will change after I get over the initial disappointment, but my interest for the sport is currently close to zero.

Thanks for poisoning this thread as well.

I think that Kimi Raikkonen was the biggest talent in F1 I have seen driving for myself (Clark perhaps was more talented, but I did not see him drive, live). He could have been the Federer of Formula One racing. However, many people thought that the burning desire was not there anymore. I was one of them. I think it is safe to say that if Kimi really wanted to drive for McLaren, he could have - just for a million or two less. So the answer is given: he is not that interested in racing anymore. Perhaps he was never really as motivated for racing as Schumacher was or Alonso is. It happens. Sometimes people are really, really good at something for which they do not have an overriding passion.

So I think, dear threadstarter, you react much too emotional to Kimi's departure. He was not ousted out of F1 by mysterious forces, he was ousted by himself.

If I had three digits in millions on my bank account I would happily do so, yes. He would have a shot at the WDC as well, which a lot of drivers on the grid would kill for.
Kimi instead found some more millions, of which he has a lot, more important.

I'm glad negotiations stopped and McLaren did not take him on board. I wouldn't want to have a driver like that in my team.
Three words I associate with Kimi: lazy, greedy, uncompromising.

tschuss

Perhaps, of late, this has been part of the problem with Kimi. The above shows the talent is probably still there, so what happens to the talent at the the other times and on the other tracks?

Have you ever labeled Kimi as greedy or uncompromising before this saga? I would bet the answer is no. I've followed him for 10 years (yes, even in Formula Renault) and he has made it clear time after time that the money is not important to him.

So what has changed? A while ago Nico Rosberg said that he cannot understand how Ferrari could end Kimi's contract when he was driving excellently, but has even more trouble understanding how Kimi is able to take it as if nothing happened. Well, could it be that Kimi is not a robot after all? Maybe Ferrari's actions hit him harder than anyone knows, which is why he lost the passion, made unreasonable demands and is acting irrationally.

I don't know what to say. I love Kimi, I think up to last season anyone without prejudice would rank him one of the top 3 drivers, possibly the fastest (albeit not as 100% on all the time as Alonso). 2008 has shaken that image of the super speedy Iceman, or at least, it brought his determination after winning the WDC into question. But the 2nd half of 2009 showed a great driver dealing with a difficult car (Fisichella's struggles after showing his current form in Spa testify to this) who could bring results unexpected.

OK the large paycut, so what? The world of F1, like the world around us, has changed due to the most severe recession after WW2. We suffer, great manufacturers like Toyota or Honda or BMW suffer, I don't see how Kimi can consider himself immune. If more than $1M a month doesn't get you motivated to drive for one of the Top2 teams in the most amazing motoracing formula, I don' know what will.

One season out won't help at all, he might be back, but where? Red Bull after Webber's contract expires? maybe, but what a career ending risk to take.

I for sure will miss him, great driver, insanely fast.

BS morning about the money he can earn. This is really None sense. If you have a chance to do so you will do it. Noboddy leaves the chance nobbody wants to give up on his quality.


I think that problem for me is that now the championship winning team DO NOT have any WDC while there are currently 4 available. 4 WDC on market and NONE drive for Brawn. This is related to Kimi for sure and I am pretty much doubting why. I mean Jenson should be there, don't you think?


I think that Kimi can race at anywhere including Ferrari and Mercedes, buut it seems with some disclosed reasons Kimi's team do not consider Mercedes as the place to be, I rather sure this is not about money.


So my reaction is being posting what I do think about it. I hope Kimibeats Loeb on Citroen, WRC can make a whole a lot of sense. I will follow WRC. in such case.

A sabbatical for me too....would be nice.

After watching years of racing between Schumi, Villeneuve, Mika H, Kimi, Montoya etc....sorry but this bunch of Vettels, Buttons and Massas seems like watching a group of soft young kids. Maybe I'm getting old.

You are, just as much as I do and everyone else do.


Massa make me think of old fashion big mouth driver tho, Nico on the other hands is exactly as you branded He is a branded capital driver, too much hype with no win.

I would be sad to see him go, but even as a F1 fan I can not support a driver who retires because he does not get 1-2 Millions pay and is not totally freed of all PR related events. In all honesty a driver who does not wish to do PR does not care about his fans at all.

Odd that initially we were hearing far far higher figures that Ferrari was paying Kimi to go away and sit....like his salary for 2010....or so it seemed to me..then it was 30 million then 20 million and..........now we are down to 6 million euros or less, maybe one million>>>????


or maybe

Actually no, I did not. But if F1 is your passion, you would take the pay cut of 1 mil. and drove the hell out of that car to clinch your second world title.
But apparently the money was more important (that's why the negotiations stalled). If that's the case then you should not be in F1.

I actually was quite a big Kimi fan while he was still at McLaren. But the way he left for Ferrari and how he dealt with McLaren this time, have resulted in a slight antipathy.

Rather than call this a sabbatical, I'd prefer that he decides that he has done what he needed to in F1 and turn his hand to rallying. A name like his might be enough to make it worth following again - although I think that shunting UK tv coverage off to Dave or wherever it is had more of an effect on my (not) watching it.

What an weird decision. Boycotting F1 for 2010 because your favourite driver hasn't been able to get a seat at McLaren for numerous reasons (no doubt mainly money and sponsor appearances) and has no interest in driving for any other team? Bizarre, utterly bizarre. How did you cope without him when you were watching in the 80s? How will you cope if he never returns to F1? Are you just going to abandon the sport because someone who wants a load of money and to do as little sponsor work as possible isn't driving anymore?

A shame for Formula 1 that it will lose one of its top 3 drivers, but no driver is bigger than the sport.

I would love to have seen Kimi competing with Hamilton...it would be a close battle than Lewis v Button (where Lewis will cricify Button if the car is less than perfect).

I can understand Kimi, as a WDC, wanting only to be in a car capable of winning, and not becoming some kind of DC-esque also-ran.

Still, Ferrari with Alonso at the wheel is a juicy prospect for next year, so won;t be missing Kimi for too long.

Well thats the crux isnt it. Why then would McLaren pay an extra 10m euros over Button just so Kimi doesnt lose money when they can have the two most recent WDCs and number 1 and 2 on their cars?

Kimi has quite simply priced himself out of the market. By agreeing to Ferraris get out clause of being paid more not to drive he has got just what he was asking for.

I'd be inclined to agree. Kimi hasn't seemed overly interested in the last 18 months or so. When he's good, he's very very good. When he's not good, he's average at best, and at times worse than average. His heart hasn't looked like it's been in it for a while now, almost like he's just been going through the motions.

I'm sort of a Kimi fan, and I admit that. So for me it's quite sad to see him go. On the other hand McLaren offered him a seat he didn't take, so maybe really did want to take a year off, and do something else he hasn't been able to do. Maybe thinking about family, rally...whatever. One thing I'm sure of, if he really wanted to drive F1, he would have signed with McLaren. Hard to say if he's going to make a come back. Hope so. He was some sort of an exception among the drivers with his attitude on and off the track, and ofcourse very fast aswell. Let's hope we'll see him again in F1

Until Kimi is back, his friend Seb perhaps.

Could be someone in one of the new teams.

Yep; it was Kimi's choice to make such big demands and it turns out he overplayed his hand. It's a shame one of the best drivers around won't be on the grid next year, but it's not the fault of F1, or the teams, or anyone except KR; he could have a seat at almost any team if he wanted to be there badly enough but he evidently didn't.

Many F1 fans have been fan boys but matured over the years. And with the OP we have a disappointed fan. Most have become fans by following a driver or a team initially. So there's place for everyone.

Why are people acting as if Kimi is a god and that the survival of the sport depends entirely upon his presence on the grid?

Can't believe I'm defending Kimi here, but this situation became only possible because of Button and Brawn falling out because of salary demands.

Kimi is just not the type of person that is motivated to be a development driver by a lower team. He would not be motivated enough and that would be unfair for such a team as well. Kimi also sucks at sponsorship events. Look at some of the old commercials they put him through. Better he takes a sabbatical or is out completely.

Ironically, the way McLaren hired Kimi initially, throwing a lot of money at him after a year in a Sauber, might have well been a factor in how Kimi and his manager apporached McLaren for contract negotiations. McLaren has the money, if they want to.

Yes, some would, like Button did last year. He has not been paid mimimum wage all these years and could easily afford to take a lesser salary for the chance to drive a competitive car. All depends what your priority is. If his heart isn't in it then he is probably better off out of it.

Sorry, but IMHO that is absolute nonsense.

And now Button think that Brawn pays too little and want to jump to McLaren. Maybe he is also better out of it?

Why? Last year he took a pay cut and became WDC. Mac made him an offer he was happy with, and he is in what will hopefully be a competitive car next year. KR has shown that the money means more to him than a shot at the championship, but no one is willing to meet his demands.

You registered to tell us you're leaving?


To show that I miss him I plan on going to work tomorrow as normal, coming home as normal and weeping silently as I fall asleep.

Then question remains to me why then Kimi do not think that Mercedes is the option for him?

Besides it is reported that Mclaren have problem with Kimi going on Rallying, which is a massive importance to Kimi for sure.


So money critics are not the main issue.

That's completely different situation with Button. Button took a pay cut (=drove for less money instead of employment and no pay), Kimi would be paying for driving since he would be earning less diving than not driving.

erm no, Kimi would still get money overall, so no he's not paying to drive.

When I think of Kimi, all I need to remember is his laps from the first stint at the 2005 Spanish Grand Prix in the McLaren.

I was watching the live timing and I don't think I've ever seen so much purple lap after lap after lap. It was truly stunning.

After watching years of racing between Senna, Mansel, Prost, Piquet etc, Schumakker, Mika, Montoya, Kimi seemed like a bunch of soft young kids... until they grew up.

Button had other offers, so would not have been without a drive. Those other drives would not have been as good, but no one knew that at the time.

Kimi would not exactly be on the poverty line if he had taken Mac's offer, he has chosen money over a shot at the championship which is not what I would expect from a true racer. It's a real shame as I was looking forward to an LH/KR lineup, but who could have predicted what we have now? I'm really looking forward to the in team battles we could be getting next year.

My melodrama meter is broken thanks to this thread.

Odd move given that rule changes will probably work in his favour.

Everyone knew the 2005 McLaren was on a level of its own when it wasn't breaking down. Even Montoya had some great races in that car. That's were the myth of Kimi's speed came from. Unfortunately for him, Massa did more than enough to bust the myth.

6 million a year instead of 8 at Brawn?

So true.

That's what I thought. He's quite good with a heavy car and easy on the tires. It would have been fun seeing him go against Hamilton.

I've been to races and watched every race on tv since '91. For the last 5 years F1 has become ever more boring for me personally and Räikkönen has been the only one that's really kept me interested enough to watch the races. This season even that didn't help and I found myself not watching most of the races anymore. It's really an easy decision now to stop watching altogether.

I'll be glad when Lewis beats the living shit out of Ferrari though.

When Senna died, I sleep-walked through F1 until 1998.
Of course this isn't the same, but perhaps you'll regain interest and passion with some new driver or team.

F1 goes on -

New teams with new drivers, massive driver combo at Mac, just as massive at Ferrari, Mercedes GP, no refuelling.

2010 is shaping up as a HUGE season, can't wait!


Oh and Greedi Raikkonen has disappointed a lot of people, fans of the sport and of his own, and me included.

I'll miss him - until FP1 at Abu Dhabi!

That's the spirit.

kimi kills me...he's a great racer, but damn, be a little more humble. f1 didn't fail kimi, kimi failed f1. please tell me this wasn't about number of appearances he had to show up to. that is so lame.