1937 replies to this topic

[Cyanide]

I think it's safe to say at this point that Kimi's relationship with Lotus has deteriorated significantly. First came the move to Ferrari, then the minor controversy of him publicly disclosing unpaid salaries, and the vibe has visibly cooled down. Today it's Kimi's 34th birthday and this was the greeting from Lotus: 

 

https://twitter.com/...6759040/photo/1

 

In my opinion, this is an all time low for Lotus and really disrespectful coming from a professional team. But each to his own opinion. Do you think there is tension between the two and if there is, will it affect his performances (conspiracy theories here or there) in the last few races?

Edited by Cyanide, 17 October 2013 - 09:31.

[Shiroo]

I think it's safe to say at this point that Kimi's relationship with Lotus has deteriorated significantly. First came the move to Ferrari, then the minor controversy of him publicly disclosing unpaid salaries, and the vibe has visibly cooled down. Today it's Kimi's 34th birthday and this was the greeting from Lotus: 

 

https://twitter.com/...6759040/photo/1

 

In my opinion, this is an all time low for Lotus and really disrespectful coming from a professional team. But each to his own opinion. Do you think there is tension between the two and if there is, will it affect his performances (conspiracy theories here or there) in the last few races?

 

disrespectful? It is god damn Cirebox image, he wa susually doing the same. I do not ifnd it "disrespectful"

[Borko]

I agree. They should be thankful for everything he did for them in the last 2 years. This is more than wrong.

[NexusIcon]

There are plenty of positive, celebratory items on Lotus' social media pages re. Kimi's birthday.

Besides, that cartoon suggests that Alonso isn't looking forward to having to race with Kimi, so it's a cheeky dig at Fernando rather than evidence of Lotus having a problem with Kimi.

I really can't wait until the end of the year when we can all draw a line under this and move on.

I became a Lotus fan because I was a Kimi fan and I was so excited to see him back in F1. I've got to say, I'm unlikely to follow him to Ferrari again as I don't think I can handle the thought of a Kimi vs Fernando thread.

[Zoetrope]

Twitter accounts tries to be funny and appeal to their followers.

Kimi will probably never see this image and he doesn't care. I am not trying to make him emotionless person, but if it's not said face to face, I really doubt he pays any attention to it.

[Gilles4Ever]

It's a joke and if anything it portrays Alonso in a bad light, Lotus aren't doing anything to Kimi in that cartoon.

 

Looks like an overreaction, look at this one

Lotus F1 Team @Lotus_F1Team

Hope you enjoyed the special delivery from Maranello! Here at Enstone though? We prefer this one... #Kimi34

https://www.youtube....h?v=zNSJJk5aixI

[Alburaq]

 

https://twitter.com/...767582602477568

 

There are plenty of positive, celebratory items on Lotus' social media pages re. Kimi's birthday. [/size]

Besides, that cartoon suggests that Alonso isn't looking forward to having to race with Kimi, so it's a cheeky dig at Fernando rather than evidence of Lotus having a problem with Kimi.[/size]

I really can't wait until the end of the year when we can all draw a line under this and move on.[/size]

I became a Lotus fan because I was a Kimi fan and I was so excited to see him back in F1. I've got to say, I'm unlikely to follow him to Ferrari again as I don't think I can handle the thought of a Kimi vs Fernando thread. [/size]

 

Edited by Alburaq, 17 October 2013 - 09:50.

[Cyanide]

 

It's a joke and if anything it portrays Alonso in a bad light, Lotus aren't doing anything to Kimi in that cartoon.

 

Looks like an overreaction, look at this one

Lotus F1 Team @Lotus_F1Team

Hope you enjoyed the special delivery from Maranello! Here at Enstone though? We prefer this one... #Kimi34

https://www.youtube....h?v=zNSJJk5aixI

 

 

Well not everybody believes that, and some fans on twitter were upset when they saw the tweet. It can be interpreted in a lot of different ways. Regardless, this topic is focused not just on that but on the other things that happened between Kimi and Lotus since his announcement of going to Ferrari. 

[Zava]

 

It's a joke and if anything it portrays Alonso in a bad light, Lotus aren't doing anything to Kimi in that cartoon.

 

dunno, to me it says "you're stupid you left us, this is what Alonso will do to you on a daily basis!", and not "Alonso is this much annoyed/afraid of you driving next to him"

[Jovanotti]

What Kimi thinks about all this: http://youtu.be/87xhvbtCQCo?t=30s

 

That said, I think the cartoon is a tad disrespectful (as were the two rabbits when the Ferrari move was announced), and not even funny besides that.

Edited by Jovanotti, 17 October 2013 - 09:57.

[Wander]

This thread is ridiculous. I'm sure the relationship is as good as it can be between a team and a driver who has decided to switch to a competing team. And even if it wasn't, I still don't think it would be anything worth talking about with the season coming to a close in just four races.

[MikeV1987]

No big deal, it's just a cartoon.

Edited by MikeV1987, 17 October 2013 - 09:58.

[Gilles4Ever]

dunno, to me it says "you're stupid you left us, this is what Alonso will do to you on a daily basis!", and not "Alonso is this much annoyed/afraid of you driving next to him"

He is going to wish him happy birthday on a daily basis?

 

As someone else said "Besides, that cartoon suggests that Alonso isn't looking forward to having to race with Kimi, so it's a cheeky dig at Fernando rather than evidence of Lotus having a problem with Kimi."

 

Looking at the strategies in the races since Kimi's announcement and his results, does it really look like it's a team trying to screw their driver?

[kosmos]

dunno, to me it says "you're stupid you left us, this is what Alonso will do to you on a daily basis!", and not "Alonso is this much annoyed/afraid of you driving next to him"

 

, is a dig to Kimi, not Alonso.

 

The cartoon is wrong, the same way Kimi venting Lotus economic problems was too. Eye for an Eye

Edited by kosmos, 17 October 2013 - 10:05.

[MikeV1987]

I think you guys are over analyzing this tweet lol.

[Zava]

He is going to wish him happy birthday on a daily basis?

 

As someone else said "Besides, that cartoon suggests that Alonso isn't looking forward to having to race with Kimi, so it's a cheeky dig at Fernando rather than evidence of Lotus having a problem with Kimi."

 

Looking at the strategies in the races since Kimi's announcement and his results, does it really look like it's a team trying to screw their driver?

ha but no.

Alonso is not just wishing him a happy birthday on the pic, is he? in hungarian, we have a proverb for that, "he crushes pepper under the nose of somebody". I don't know if there's a suitable proverb for that in english, but I hope you get the vibe.

[Cyanide]

Looking at the strategies in the races since Kimi's announcement and his results, does it really look like it's a team trying to screw their driver?

 

Of course they won't screw him over, they're fighting for 2nd spot in the WCC. 

 

I'm not saying they'll sabotage his car, because that's a fairytale story and a topic for conspiracy theorists. But I don't think they'll give him the priority and praise he enjoyed before. 

 

I'm just saying - Kimi gave the team as much as the team gave Kimi and they should be aware of that before posting photos like this. It's not even remotely humorous and I don't see anybody laughing under the comments section. 

Edited by Cyanide, 17 October 2013 - 10:20.

[e34]

Alonso, and by extension, his fans, once again dragged into something that is not their business. 

[fabr68]

Alonso, and by extension, his fans, once again dragged into something that is not their business.

+1

Why is Alonso pushed to the center of other drivers-teams dramas?

Maybe Lotus should make cartoons of themselves giving Raikkonen bouncing checks. I bet Raikkonen would rather get his unpaid salary over birthday cakes from other drivers.

[nectar]

Alonso, and by extension, his fans, once again dragged into something that is not their business. 

 

And,  Kimi's fans as well. I read something like " You bring that on yourself" from LotusF1team, but in the meantime, nothing they say now is going to change any situation.

So, whatever

[beute]

people pay too much attention to the media...
everything is taken apart and analyzed just way too much.

stop blowing everything out of proportion.

their relationship is more or less the same.
it is just that both parties have stopped using the media to blow smoke up their arses, now that it is clear their collaboration is coming to an end...

[RosannaG]

I think this picture suits much better Kimi's personality... 

 

 

Happy Birthday Iceman! 

[santababy]

Well not everybody believes that, and some fans on twitter were upset when they saw the tweet. It can be interpreted in a lot of different ways. Regardless, this topic is focused not just on that but on the other things that happened between Kimi and Lotus since his announcement of going to Ferrari.

Cyanide, totally agree with you.
Its NOT funny any more!

[Shiroo]

You guys are bringing fanboysm to the brand new level, seriously. 

If he will drink Red Bull instead of Burn you will say that it says everything about relationship between the team and Kimi.

I mean no offence towards anyone, but it is cirebox, and you have been with the team for 2 years (I mean the Kimi fans) and you are aware how he draws the stuff.

[fed up]

 

It's a joke and if anything it portrays Alonso in a bad light, Lotus aren't doing anything to Kimi in that cartoon.

 

Looks like an overreaction, look at this one

Lotus F1 Team @Lotus_F1Team

Hope you enjoyed the special delivery from Maranello! Here at Enstone though? We prefer this one... #Kimi34

https://www.youtube....h?v=zNSJJk5aixI

 

This

[Cyanide]

disrespectful? It is god damn Cirebox image, he wa susually doing the same. I do not ifnd it "disrespectful"

 

You guys are bringing fanboysm to the brand new level, seriously. 

If he will drink Red Bull instead of Burn you will say that it says everything about relationship between the team and Kimi.

I mean no offence towards anyone, but it is cirebox, and you have been with the team for 2 years (I mean the Kimi fans) and you are aware how he draws the stuff.

 

Just because you don't agree with the whole matter doesn't mean you have to drag the ridiculous "fanboyism" concept in here. 

 

For some people, the drawing is in bad taste because they think it's Lotus sending a message that Alonso will humiliate Kimi next year and it's his mistake for leaving the team. It's their opinion and they're entitled to it - like I said, there are different interpretations. 

 

I know you have a deep love for Lotus, but just because you're a fan of them doesn't mean everybody else is a blind fanatic and you're the only one who is right. I've seen your attitude in the Lotus thread and there's a good reason why you have 2 warnings already. Just sayin'.

[kimister]

I actually didn't understand what they tried to say with that tweet    Anyway, they say it has a good meaning for Kimi .

 

https://twitter.com/...786901684150272

 

 

 

p.s. anyone knows how to embed a tweet on a post ? I have been trying for a while , but couldn't achieve yet 

Edited by kimister, 17 October 2013 - 12:19.

[RosannaG]

I actually didn't understand what they tried to say with that twit   Anyway, they say it has a good meaning for Kimi .

 

I don't either... Perhaps we are not smart enough! 

[santababy]

It's a joke and if anything it portrays Alonso in a bad light, Lotus aren't doing anything to Kimi in that cartoon.

That's also bad, why are they disrespecting a driver(Alonso) of another team?
Its not even funny anymore.

[Jvr]

I doubt very much that these messages have been reviewed by Lopez or Boullier. IMO they are just Lotus PR team pranks where they again are trying to get maximum visibility to the team in Social Media (and definitely will get it as with the Rabbits). I agree getting Alonso involved in the joke is tastless, though.

[quidam]

http://youtu.be/2GXij1Ia64Q

 

 

[grunge]

You guys are bringing fanboysm to the brand new level, seriously.
If he will drink Red Bull instead of Burn you will say that it says everything about relationship between the team and Kimi.
I mean no offence towards anyone, but it is cirebox, and you have been with the team for 2 years (I mean the Kimi fans) and you are aware how he draws the stuff.

oo please go get some perspective..you are not going to find anything wrong with anything they do and thats cuz of your own fanboyism tilted glasses.

its perfectly understandable how someone would find these cartoons in bad taste and Yes Im one of them..not just because its directed at Kimi on his birthday but also because because i cant for the life of me see the purpose of dragging Alonso into all this??..its none of Lotus's business whether Kimi and Alo get along at Ferrari.

[intelligentsia]

One cartoon in itself isn't much, but there was also a Starwars cartoon that upset a few people a while back. Then there was also comments from Lopez, and the constant jibes from Permane. Lets just say that Lotus aren't doing a good job of holding on to Kimi's fanbase. 

[NexusIcon]

I find their alternative PR work refreshing, if I'm honest. Sure, it doesn't always hit the mark but that's to be expected really. There is a big audience out there and no two people are going to like exactly the same thing or have the exact same sense of humour or irony.

It definitely is a step up from the robotic, "safe", PR work that most large organisations live by.

If you don't like their tweets don't follow their twitter feed, it's as simple as that. I'd assume their PR department's social media success is judged by the number of subscribers they have so, rather than giving yourselves stomach ulcers getting irate about their tweets, vote with your smartphones and unfollow them. If numbers start to drop they'll get the message.

[grunge]

and thats not the first time this has happened either..the "screwing over" image when KR signed for Ferrari was equally bad most people didnt have too many objections to it cuz what it did was make them look like sympathseekers more than anything else.

[Wolfie]

You guys are bringing fanboysm to the brand new level, seriously. 

If he will drink Red Bull instead of Burn you will say that it says everything about relationship between the team and Kimi.

I mean no offence towards anyone, but it is cirebox, and you have been with the team for 2 years (I mean the Kimi fans) and you are aware how he draws the stuff.

It doesn't matter if Kimi drinks Burn next year, but you can be sure that some Kimi-fans stop drinking Burn and stop using Unilever's products etc. etc.

 

Lotus had a serious chance of keeping Kimi-fans although Kimi was gone, but their comments and drawings may rub fans the wrong way. It will be interesting to see how many Lotus-fans they have next year.

 

There's no need to put the fanbase down, because they are very supporting in every possible way. For many it's the most natural thing in the world to support sponsors who support the team for which Kimi drives.

 

I still haven't seen even one drawing/statement from Lotus where they would had joked about Romain in the same way. Let's face it, it's not at least becuse they have a shortage of that kind of material

 

But had they done that, then the jibes at Kimi would not be anything special.

[ReeVe]

I just think you guys are overreacting a bit .... it's just a cartoon and it's not even "making fun" of Kimi 

[Shiroo]

It doesn't matter if Kimi drinks Burn next year, but you can be sure that some Kimi-fans stop drinking Burn and stop using Unilever's products etc. etc.

 

Lotus had a serious chance of keeping Kimi-fans although Kimi was gone, but their comments and drawings may rub fans the wrong way. It will be interesting to see how many Lotus-fans they have next year.

 

There's no need to put the fanbase down, because they are very supporting in every possible way. For many it's the most natural thing in the world to support sponsors who support the team for which Kimi drives.

 

I still haven't seen even one drawing/statement from Lotus where they would had joked about Romain in the same way. Let's face it, it's not at least becuse they have a shortage of that kind of material

 

But had they done that, then the jibes at Kimi would not be anything special.

 

1. Lotus fans will stay, cause for them it won'tmatter who drivers. Only Kimi-fans will be gone probably.

 

2. Let's be honest, Kimi fanbase is tenfolds larger, so they will hit the bigger fanbase. 

[grunge]

, is a dig to Kimi, not Alonso.

The cartoon is wrong, the same way Kimi venting Lotus economic problems was too. Eye for an Eye

Venting??.the guy had driven almkst the whole season without a single dime being payed to him...how did u expect him to react??

and the "financial problems" comment from Kimi was actually to defend Lotus when he was asked about his reasons for his move to
Ferrari..Saying that he signed only because of money reasons was a way of saying he didnt think Lotus was any less a prospect for next year than Ferrari..and that he rated the tean personnel very highly.

[Oho]

Venting??.the guy had driven almkst the whole season without a single dime being payed to him...how did u expect him to react??
 

 

Well allegedly he was paid his basic salary, and its not like he needs the money for making ends meet thus deferring payments as such should not have been a major issue. I can fully appreciate him looking for greener pastures but I don't understand why he had to bring the money issues into the open. Maybe he felt, and rightly so, exploited. Oh well then again, what he said was really nothing that was not more or less known in advance, only that missing payments influenced his decisions gave Lopez his chance to paint him as money grabbing whore.

Edited by Oho, 17 October 2013 - 13:26.

[icecream]

i'm not a lotus or kimi fan.. also not not a fan.. if that makes sense.. ie, kimi & lotus neutral

 

i find these cartoons to be unprofessional, and they come across as bitter.  not what i would expect from a top tier motorsport company.  same goes for the tweet when kimi announced he was going to ferrari. 

 

perhaps that's not the intention, but it is the result. 

[fabr68]

Who is supposed to laugh at this joke?

Getting a cake stamped in your face is about the worst gift you can receive in your birthday.

It is a tasteless joke. The kind that would most likely get you a punch in the face rather than laughs.

[Wolfie]

1. Lotus fans will stay, cause for them it won'tmatter who drivers. Only Kimi-fans will be gone probably.

 

2. Let's be honest, Kimi fanbase is tenfolds larger, so they will hit the bigger fanbase. 

Obviously I meant Kimi-fans who automatically support the team he is in, it's those Lotus-fans who they probable lose.

[Disgrace]

The Lotus feed is probably the most unbearable stream of drivel on the internet. #ignore #hashtagtwat #moarhashtags

[TomNokoe]

Oh my goodness It's a joke.

[santababy]

I still haven't seen even one drawing/statement from Lotus where they would had joked about Romain in the same way. Let's face it, it's not at least becuse they have a shortage of that kind of material
 
But had they done that, then the jibes at Kimi would not be anything special.

Exactly!

That cartoon is a new low by Lotus! Wonder what's next?
Good luck Kimi, you're gonna need it till end of season by the rate the "jokes" are going.

[Andrew Hope]

I agree. They should be thankful for everything he did for them in the last 2 years. This is more than wrong.

Whereas precious Kimi doesn't need to be thankful that Lotus took a gamble on him when he was done with his vacation? This **** is a two-way street.

[jedioriginal]

Whereas precious Kimi doesn't need to be thankful that Lotus took a gamble on him when he was done with his vacation? This **** is a two-way street.

what gamble ? Mediocre midfield team gets worlds most popular racing driver who is also a WDC.What a gamble indeed:)

[Fontainebleau]

what gamble ? Mediocre midfield team gets worlds most popular racing driver who is also a WDC.What a gamble indeed:)

Mediocre? World's most popular racing driver?

 

Jedi, do you have any support to those statements? I understand that you may like the idea, but as the former Renault F1 that team held more titles during the XXI century than any other team bar Ferrari by the time Raikkonen signed with them; and worked with one of the two most successful engine providers ever. As for Raikkonen's popularity, I have never seen any specific measure that would support him as the "best liked one".

 

Edit: btw, I have no idea of what Cirebox meant with his cartoon; but I am not entirely sure he is part of the Lotus team either!

Edited by Fontainebleau, 17 October 2013 - 15:42.

[discover23]

I totally understand the reaction by some fans. I believe this was completely unnecesary to bring Alonso into this mix. It depicts the picture that kimi will not be well received by his new teammate who would either bully him or use his political influence within the team to dominate him.
Spreading these misconceptions to the general public is for kids and not something that you would expect from a professional racing team.
It is very obvious that the relationship now is completely broken but kimi has a part in that for going public about his salary.
This stuff normally stays behind closed doors.