Here in Brazil it's being reported that Kimi has signed to Mercedes.

http://globoesporte.globo.com/Esportes/Not...A+MERCEDES.html
Source: SportTV (Globo) Brazil

UPDATE: The report title on the portal front page has been updated to say:

Kimi signs to Mercedes for one season

UPDATE 2: Original signing report at Globo superceded.

Globo has superceded the original report claiming Kimi's signing with Mercedes with the "Raikonnen denies Mercedes deal and goes sabatical in 2010" report we're seeing in other places.

UPDATE 3: More quotes from the original report from Lito. He was apparently phoning the report.

“It (Kimi's signing to Mercedes) is coming from Brawn losing Button, a McLaren vengeance that left Mercedes with Nico Rosberg and Nick Heidfeld, almost nothing”.

“Rosberg and Heidfeld have not one win, too little for a team which had a world champion with them. And the way it (Mercedes) was leaving McLaren, they (McLaren) couldn't resist giving this back, taking Button out of there. Robertson, his manager, is finishing up the details, but they are already in agreement.“

I think it might be wishful thinking, but who knows anything anymore. This silly season gets more and more ridiculous

Maybe Kimi's fans can breathe again. Good news for F1 if this is true.

...as said above this season what I imagined would never happen seems to be materialising so that frankly wouldn't shock me; to top it off i'd be even less stunned if Jason Plato was signed up to partner Kimi at Mercedes next year.

I'll believe it when it's on Autosport.

Could this be the "surprise" Haug was talking about?

It is just a false report. Nothing more.

Could be, I was wondering about it to.

Kimi Raikkonen signs with Mercedes
Globoesporte.com, 18/11/09

Agreement comes after signing of Jenson Button, who will race for McLaren

The Mercedes hit with Finland's Kimi Raikkonen for the 2010 season of Formula 1. The revelation was made by journalist Lito Cavalcanti, the SporTV, on the afternoon of Wednesday.

The agreement was closed the same day that Jenson Button confirmed that it would be the team's German manufacturer, which bought GP Brawn and changed the team name. The reigning drivers' championship was officially announced at McLaren in 2010 also on Wednesday.

The hiring of Raikkonen, winner of the F-1 in 2007, bringing an end to rumors that the Finn will not drive the most important category of motor racing in 2010. On Wednesday, his manager told the British newspaper "The Independent" that Raikkonen, frustrated by not getting the McLaren draw holiday Formula 1.

The Finn, so it will once again drive a car driven by engines of German factory. In his time with McLaren, from 2002 to 2006, the British team used engines from Mercedes.

http://translate.google.com

Translated by me.

Kimi Raikkonen signs to Mercedes
Agreement comes after Jenson Button leaving for McLaren

Mercedes has came to agreement with finish Kimi Raikkonen for the 2010 Formula 1 season. The announcement was done by journalist Lito Cavalcanti, of SportTV, in this wednesday.

The agreement was closed in the same day Jenson Button confirmed that he would not be staying at the German manufacturer's team, which has bought Brawn GP and changed the team name. The new driver's world champion was officially announced as McLaren driver for 2010 also this wednesday.

The signing of Raikkonen, world F1 champion in 2007, brings an end to rumours that the finish would not drive in the most important category of motorsports in 2010. This wednesday, his manager said to british paper "The Independent" that Raikkonen, frustrated for not coming to terms with the McLaren, would take a vacation from Formula 1.

The finn, this way, will go back to driving a car propelled by the German manufacturer's engines. During his McLaren period, from 2002 to 2006, the british team used Mercedes engines.

If true, what has Ross Brawn been up to? I'm very suspicious.

Announced just by him and not Mercedes? I think the men in white coats are calling.

Er, what? Why would a sabbatical/try at rally/early retirement be announced only to then announce a signing within hours? Is this a normally reliable source? I'm not sure I'm buying this just yet...or are all the regular motor sports news sources confused by the way everything is suddenly starting to happen?

The fact Kimi's manager has announced he's having a sabbatical means this probably isn't quite right.

If this is thrue, it´s the most wonderful news I´ve read today!

(I can dream, cant I?)

he set it all up.

Not believe the timing of the alleged signing in the article. If this turns out to be true I would think it's a more recent development. Otherwise Kimi's management wouldn't have been as unconditional in his statements yesterday and earlier today.

There have been some major wranglings in the background between McLaren, Brawn and Mercedes, as a result of Mercedes wanting out of the McLaren contract.
In that context, it is possible there has been some gamesmanship.

Makes completely sense for Kimi to join Mercedes.

I have been hoping for a Kimi/Nico partnership at Mercedes GP ever since the break became official.

Fingers crossed

he was the first guy who talked about Barichello --> Williams tranfers iirc.

That'd be the 2nd time Kimi grabs Heidfeld's seat in a top team :x Poor Nick*

*if that's true and Nick was close to join Mercedes GP

Kimi may have just changed his mind about being out of it and in an impulse phoned Brawn and told him he'd drive for anything at all.

Yes but Barichello is brasilian so it´s clear that he knows more about it.

This time he is just inventing BS!

It´s soooo cruel to give us Kimifans false hopes.

Really? Now that makes this story all the stranger. It seems highly unlikely that Kimi is Mercedes bound, what with all the talk about a year away, but if we are talking a potential good source with a track record then I won't dismiss the possibility outright.

(Still leaning toward Kimi goes goodbye but hey, I might be wrong.)

Finnish media reports nothing about this, just saying that Kimi will have a sabbatical year and WRC plans.

In BRazil they have morning ? They are some hours back of our time

Um.. so?

As if Brawn would have understood Kimi's talking over the phone.

Let's hope so!

As his manager he should now.

But, then Howett insisted that Toyota would be in F1 next year. And he was team manager (I agree that the only common denominator here is the word "manager"). Toyota even signed up to commit to 2012. Look what happened there...

Allmost same story with Theissen and BMW...

For Kimi's managers sake let's hope that he has a closer connection with his boss than Howett and Theissen. But for F1's sake, let's hope he doesn't...

I don´t buy this report.

First, we have comments from Steve Robertson. Second, we are only few days (?) from the point where negotiations between Kimi and McLaren were terminated. Surely going over the details would take weeks, or months.

I do consider it weird Kimi never expressed any interest towards Brawn. The won the WDC, they have Mercedes resources for next year. Surely there are some reasons to believe Brawn could well be real challenger for Big Two?

Nevertheless, I think it will be WRC.

he would probably drive for that banana

It's weird news really.. Well Globo/SporTV is the biggest media corp in South America, its only F1 broadcaster, and this guy along with some other have been close to F1 for many, many years. One of the Globo guys was the first to report of the Piquet Crash gate as well. Wait, this news in on Globo's massive portal (massive audience) front-page. In the end, I can't really tell how good a source the actual reporter is, but I hope the story turns out true.. (certainly the reporter does.)

It's 18:36 now.

I read somewhere that Rosbergs contract says that the other driver cannot earn more than him. Anyone knows anything about this? If it's true Kimi would have had to go down on his salery...

WTF?!



Some winter break,this....

Where's Sarcasmus?

Just pure imagination from Brazilian reporter that if Kimi couldn't work it out with McLaren and Button leaves Brawn/Mercedes for McLaren, then obviously Kimi must fill the spot.

However Robertson told TS that Kimi's options for next year were McLaren or nothing, so he won't drive at F1 level for next year.


Wishful thinker in me hopes that Mercedes has given Kimi a great contract, but if they weren't willing to pay Button more than couple millions I don't see them offering Kimi that much cash that it would make it worthwhile knowing Ferrari pays him a lot more if he takes the sabbatical.

Another (google translated) story reporting the same thing

http://tazio.uol.com.br/f-1/textos/15098/

...just a huge fridge filled with Magnums ;)

Look at the other headlines of this page

Ive just read an an article were he says he is looking forward to wrc in 2010. so doubt this is true

what the hell is wrong with these drivers these days making such stupid demands.. ?

Reginaldo Leme(the jornalist that revealed the Cingapure investigations) probably wouldn't make this call (Kimi to Mercedes) if it wasn't for sure.
But I can't say the same thing for Cavalcanti.
And SporTV/Globo has being (half)mistaken this year. They've said the Piquet Jnr. was sacked a few races before it actually happened.

Very weird indeed.

Don't believe the story at all,but they also stressed Kimi was looking for a team that could win races and fight for the championship next year. Mercedes could've been an option: not Brawn GP,but Mercedes. Big difference.

I'd believe it from TS, but not from a single Brazil station with no one else picking it up.

Is this a π rad turn? The silly season is beyond silly.

As much I would like to believe in this, I feel compelled to believe Kimi's managers...

They said that it´s Mclaren or nothing..and it´s nothing.

Guys (kimifans) you will get disappointed once more if you believe in that story

Ahahaha
Well, this second source is actually nothing, I know it. Only the first one (Globo) deserves credit.

(quote)
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(unquote)

It's one thing that O Globo gets exclusive access to Brazilian related breaking news (ie. crashgate with Piquet or Barrichello's Williams contract - they have contact with those guys, I guess). But how and why would they be the first to know about Kimi to Mercedes? Before the Finnish or before the British media? I don't buy this at all.

Plus, as many have pointed out already a contract doesn't take just a couple of hours to finalize and this morning Robertson said Kimi was out. So that means Kimi must have changed his mind, called Ross Brawn and finalize a contract with him withing just a couple of hours. I don't see that happening.

"According to the program Onda Cero, Radio Marca, Spain, [...]"