475 replies to this topic

[Gilles4Ever]

F1 Racing @F1Racing_mag

BREAKING: Ferrari has retained Kimi Raikkonen to partner Sebastian Vettel for the #F1 2016 season: autosport.com/news/report.ph…

 

[GoldenColt]

Stability over performance then. 

[Equinox1]

Amazing. Kimi has the best management in the sports history. Never seen someone consistently perform so badly keep getting resigned by top teams. He has been terrible this year yet re signed? I bet it was for 20 million again. 

[CPR]

Oh no, our precious silly season is coming to an end!

[Marklar]

Was about to post it. You beat me, Gilles ;)

The expected decision which means that the silly season has lost its main twist

[ScuderiaSV1]

Couldn't be happier for Kimi and Ferrari!  This speculation needed to end.  Whatever is going on upstairs for Kimi, I hope he can put it behind him and start performing like we all know he is capable of.  Would love to see Seb and Kimi take some wins from the Mercs to close out the season!  Forza Ferrari! Forza Kimi!

[Jerem]

I expected this. Ferrari has a history of keeping their drivers even when they are not doing as good as expected. They have a clear #1 with Vettel. Next year, when drivers they're interested in become available on the market, Kimi will retire to make room.

The story could have been different without Bianchi's accident.

[charly0418]

That means Willliams and Force India are staying put.

[hamilton10000]

It's not necessarily the wrong decision but I don't think they should have confirmed it so early. He's shown almost nothing that should keep him at Ferrari

[Requiem84]

So Kimi in '16, Verstappen in '17? 

 

(*Runs away!    )

[Christbiscuit]

Ah Kimi's good entertainment, I'm pleased to see him stick around. It puts a halt to any major shuffles. Now the spotlight will turn to Jenson and his predicament.

[HeidfeldsBeard]

Cue the 'fantrums'...

[sennafan24]

Not the most exciting piece of news. I suppose retaining Kimi is good for team harmony.

 

Let the guessing game for 2017 commence 

[VolvoT5]

I'm delighted, I just hope Kimi can perform better and repair his damaged reputation as he will most likely be gone at the end of 2016.

[mclarensmps]

Honestly, though, good for Williams!

[sennafan24]

So Kimi in '16, Verstappen in '17? 

No chance.

 

Max will be achieving world peace by then 

Edited by sennafan24, 19 August 2015 - 15:27.

[KavB]

I'm delighted, I just hope Kimi can perform better and repair his damaged reputation as he will most likely be gone at the end of 2016.

It's a shame because he did just that after his Lotus stint. But now it's been shattered so I am hoping he is able to get the results next year and is able to leave the sport with a bang and not a whimper.

[Marklar]

That means Willliams and Force India are staying put.

Nope both need money. Especially FI...

[VolvoT5]

Amazing. Kimi has the best management in the sports history. Never seen someone consistently perform so badly keep getting resigned by top teams. He has been terrible this year yet re signed? I bet it was for 20 million again. 

Well that is one way of looking at it.  

Another way of looking at it is is that the teams (Mclaren, Ferrari, Lotus) all see something internally in their data that means they think Kimi is worth keeping.  I mean in reality they are highly intelligent business people, engineers, etc, and they have access to all the data and options.   They must keep signing Kimi for a reason.......  ? 

[ConsiderAndGo]

I want his manager. He's done an incredible job.

 

Undeserving of the drive, but I hope this weight off of his shoulders allows him to relax, and cut out the god awful mistakes.

[kosmos]

Congratulations Kimi, more money in the bank!.

[viceroy1]

Poor decision from a total "team" performance point of view. Kimi has less than half the points of his teammate. They can never hope to win the WCC in light of this fact.

[MikeV1987]

He was always the most realistic choice, 2016 should be his last though. I bet he took a big pay cut to stick around for another season.

Edited by MikeV1987, 19 August 2015 - 15:41.

[anyeis]

I wonder if he has agreed to move over for Vettel for rest of the season (if he ever was in front lol) if he has a shot at WDC

[Marklar]

I wonder if he has agreed to move over for Vettel for rest of the season (if he ever was in front lol) if he has a shot at WDC

I think except of 1 or 2 exceptions Vettel will anyway beat him without help.

[Radion]

I wonder if he has agreed to move over for Vettel for rest of the season (if he ever was in front lol) if he has a shot at WDC

He moved over for Massa in 08. What does that have to do with anything?

[brr]

He should have moved to McLaren and relive the past: Ron Dennis and a massively unreliable engine.

[superden]

Poor decision from a total "team" performance point of view. Kimi has less than half the points of his teammate. They can never hope to win the WCC in light of this fact.

Yes, because you have a better idea of what is, or is not, in Ferrari's best interests than Ferrari themselves. Was it just that your preferred driver wasn't hired? You may not understand the decision, but you are in no position to state whether it is 'poor' or not.

Edited by superden, 19 August 2015 - 15:42.

[Ice1Fan]

Finally sanity wins!!! Not stupid "speculations".

[charly0418]

Nope both need money. Especially FI...

 

I dont see them getting rid of Hulk and Bottas for a driver with $$$. No way

[Jimisgod]

Looks like Ferrari has accepted losing the WCC in 2016.

[tifosii]

Expected news,there is no competitive driver such as Alonso on the market in 2009

Bottas and Hulkenberg are not the same level as Alonso now,so Ferrari need not change their line-up

[Button4life]

Great number 2 driver for Ferrari. A bit better than Massa and best friends with seb. Fair play Tifosi!

[charly0418]

Looks like Ferrari has accepted losing the WCC in 2016.

 

I still think Kimi can finish 1 position behind Seb regularly, which is what Ferrari wants

 

Of course, he's never gonna beat Seb, so there's that

[Muppetmad]

A gutting choice, because there are several drivers out there I'd like to see have a shot in that seat. Keeping the same drivers in the top seats is justifiable when they're performing, but Kimi simply hasn't performed since he returned to Ferrari - and given how much money Ferrari paid to have him not drive for them after his first stint in the team, I never understood why they chose him again in the first place.

[Fastcake]

I wonder how much he'll be paid? Ferrari must have negotiated a substantial cut over the €20m odd he was apparently earning this year, given his current performance.

Edited by Fastcake, 19 August 2015 - 15:48.

[K-One]

Kimi only got drive because he could settle for one year deal, Vettel does not want competition, pay cut and fans like him.

Lol

Edited by K-One, 19 August 2015 - 15:51.

[MikeV1987]

 

I wonder how much he'll be paid? Ferrari must have negotiated a substantial cut over the €20m odd he was apparently earning this year, given his current performance.

 

IIRC Shell paid most of his salary, he probably did take a big pay cut though. 

Edited by MikeV1987, 19 August 2015 - 15:51.

[anyeis]

Next year teams will try to run as soft tires as possible. Definitely as much softer in some tracks than this year.

It shoulld be good for him

[hittheapex]

I don't think there is an obvious replacement for Raikkonen from a performance point of view going into 2016. The following season, 2017, will be a different matter and Ferrari will have the pick of a bigger crop. All four of the Red Bull drivers look like potential candidates in the medium term. The two Toro Rosso rookies have made a good start and hopefully can develop into top drivers. Kvyat is becoming comfortable at Red Bull and we've seen what Ricciardo can do. Rosberg might also be available for 2017. He signed a "multi year" extension in 2014 so there may be clauses in there that allow him to go to Ferrari if he chooses (or for Mercedes to replace him). Bottas will still be around. And there's always Nigel Mansell.

[MikeV1987]

Next year teams will try to run as soft tires as possible. Definitely as much softer in some tracks than this year.

It shoulld be good for him

 

Allison will be more involved in preparing for 2016 as well, the car might suit him better like the Lotus days.

Edited by MikeV1987, 19 August 2015 - 15:57.

[DutchQuicksilver]

Good decision, he's still got what it takes to drive for a top team. Kudos to Ferrari for recognizing this as well. 

[Abranet]

Gutted. Was hoping we would get rid of Kimi and his poor performances.

 

Ah well, hopefully 2017 will have someone deserving of the opportunity. 

[VolvoT5]

I wonder how much he'll be paid? Ferrari must have negotiated a substantial cut over the €20m odd he was apparently earning this year, given his current performance.

If Kimi was accepting a huge pay cut then surely that just goes to prove his detractors wrong about the "lack of motivation"  and "only turning up for a paycheck" claims? 

[Radion]

Rai lost at least 30 points due to reasons out of his control. He'd still trail Vettel in terms of points, but I doubt any other driver would have scored much more points than him. So the wcc argument is weak.

[VolvoT5]

A gutting choice, because there are several drivers out there I'd like to see have a shot in that seat.

 

Several drivers did have a shot at the seat -  Ferrari examined the options and decided Kimi was better than the alternatives.    Ricciardo isn't available and what has Bottas done that is so amazing this year?   

[vista]

Makes sense for Ferrari. I believe they have one of the most harmonic (and best) top pairings in F1 and the positive vibe in the team will continue  (as long as the car isn't a dog). Vettel is performing fantastically at the moment, and Kimi has shown top notch pace, especially the first half of the year and has been unlucky not to score more points, so - in my opinion - Ferrari is set for a spectacular 2016.

[zeph]

And there's always Nigel Mansell.

[Kyo]

Yeah, I already expected this. Ferrari kept Massa even longer and he was performing just as badly.

[SpeedRacer`]

Happy Kimi is staying, but I fear this will set in a place a sequence of dominoes falling to mean the end of Button's career - and tbh, he deserves one more year more than Kimi does.