Toyota keen on Raikkonen

Kimi will have many options...



Toyota are planning to offer Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen a five year contract worth an estimated 100 million euros from 2007, German newspaper Bild reported on Sunday.

The Finn, who finished runner-up to Fernando Alonso this season after winning seven races, is contracted to McLaren until the end of 2006.

In October Raikkonen, 25, was forced to deny rumours that he had already agreed to replace dethroned champion Michael Schumacher at Ferrari at the end of next season.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/27/2005 01:53AM by madotter.

by what ferrari are now saying that ms is now and their future i really do not think kimi has singed for them.

I dont think he would go to toyota though still think he will stay at mclaren. would love to see him and alonso in the same team

alonso and kimi in the same team! haha fireworks!

would be the ultimate team!

ive always had a suspiscion of Alonso to Toyota but.. meh.. kimi wont leave, hes not dumb, he knows Mclaren will deliver him a championship quicker and easier than TF.

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"Trulli was slowing down like he wanted to have a picnic" LOL

he should have the advantage in 2007 if he stays anyway just because he knows the team, and the car will probably need to be adapted to alonso's crazy driving style too, like it was for montoya and it took him half a season to get going (altho there was the 'tennis' incident to account for too)...

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i wouldn't like him to go to Toyota. Toyota do nothing for me, i am totally indifferent to them. i have no feelings for them at all. the fact they threw a shedload of money at Ralf for a multi-year deal says it all.

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RIP Jules, never to be forgotten. #KeepFightingMichael

Toyota and Ferrari arent the only teams after Kimi also Renault wants him and I think most of the other teams too and of course McLaren want to keep Kimi in their team .

(GMM) While Kimi Raikkonen might have the offers of McLaren, Renault, BMW and now Toyota on his table, the signs are still pointing to a done Ferrari deal for 2007.

Significantly, the Maranello team's president did not deny that an agreement with the Finnish driver had been struck, when asked how Raikkonen's renowned off-track lifestyle would fit in Italy.

''There are no night clubs here in Maranello,'' Luca di Montezemolo said at the team Christmas Party, ''and (Jean) Todt would keep him in check about the drinking.

''There wouldn't be a problem.''

So why, if the Kimi-Ferrari deal is struck, hasn't the team - in Alonso-McLaren style - already let the world know?

Montezemolo insisted: ''Everything should come at the right time. To announce today he will race for us in 2007 would go against nature.''



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/27/2005 09:30PM by vesuvius.

Di Montezemolo says it like Kimi has already signed the contract. I think Kimi goes to Ferrari. He will take Schumachers place 'cause he will stop after 06.

Di Mont is the one saying MS is the future, I think he thought MS would retire at the end of 2006 now I think MS will carry on and kimi could only go there if MS left.

I think he'd be silly to go to Ferrari really, the team was built around Schumacher, how many of those people he brought with him will leave when he does, or soon after?

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"Di Montezemolo says it like Kimi has already signed the contract."

looks more like if they sign him

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/27/2005 11:32PM by tripleM.

i want to see kimi at mclaren sooooooooooo much.

"Di Montezemolo says it like Kimi has already signed the contract."

WTF? All what he says is they wont allow drivers to drink and party like Kimi is doing all the time!


But yes that contract might be with Toyota..

Kimi, so, Massa Fernando Sebastian is faster than you. Can you confirm you understood that message?

Kimi will go to the team that he believe's is the best one if it's Toyota then he will go there .

Well in terms of Budget and Development potential Toyota would be the best choice. Ferrari will have a hard time on the Budget side, if they wont find an adequate replacement for vodafone (even though Phillip Morris might pump their A***s full of dollars). But the other thing that has been mentioned before is the fact that the Men in charge will leave seen (Byrne, Brawn, Todt) and despite the usual claims that such a loss wont affect the team, it WILL!!!
Toyota on the other hand is in the Phase that Ferrari was in when Schumacher came, they r developing. And i guess it would be the best way for Kimi to become Worldchampion for the second time (after 2006 of course!!! )

Jean Todt said Ferrari doesnt have any problems with budget because marlboro will sponsor them even more.

This is only a very rough edit but hey...

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@ Vesuvius

Well and Briatore said that Alonso is the future of Renault LOL

U can give Sh** on what a Teamprincipal is telling. The would not even admit a fact if it hit them right in the Eye.

dangermouseaix Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> @ Vesuvius
>
> Well and Briatore said that Alonso is the future
> of Renault LOL
>
> U can give Sh** on what a Teamprincipal is
> telling. The would not even admit a fact if it hit
> them right in the Eye.

did he ? I think he said that Kovalainen is the future of Renault (if they even have one)




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2005 04:54PM by vesuvius.

Teams will always bluff all the time about their driver line ups, maybe because of their sponsors but i can't see Kimi going to Toyota. IMO Toyota has underachieved since it started despite having a huge budget, well respected chief designer and a great engine. Toyota isn't exactly a prestigious marque either, as Muks put it, they do nothing for me.

they will do better next year thought they had a good year last year