Raikkonen deal with Renault almost done (New developments)

Looks like Kimi will kick Schumi's ass at Ferrari

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"I'm an artist, the track is my canvas, and the car is my brush."

Raikonnen has not only been on the cards for Jean Todt within the past year. I remember the interest shown for Raikonnen in 2002 when he drove for Sauber, which was more or less at that stage, a mini swiss ferrari team. It's more than likely Ferrari will be Kimi's chosen option.

And once he is there, i get the feeling he will be against Schumacher on an equal status. Jean Todt always favoured Schumacher to Irvine, Barrichello and Massa, but now he is openly in favour of Kimi.

What is Massa's contract at Ferrari?

Massa had 1 year deal for Ferrari and team had an option to continue that deal that option closed over a month ago but of course they can always sign a new one.Jean Todt isnt the only Ferrari team member who likes Kimi also Luca di Montezemolo and Ross Brawn are fans of Kimi .



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2006 11:33PM by vesuvius.

@ Badger27, Kimi drove for Sauber in 2001, he was at McLaren in 2002

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RIP Jules, never to be forgotten. #KeepFightingMichael

Who will replace Alonso at Renault if Raikkonen goes to Ferrari (Replacing 2006 champion Michael Schumacher)??

Kovalainen is one of the main candidates.

and during the last race, the commentators said it might make sense for another of Flavio's drivers to be in renault, namely Webber (if Fisi goes too). but i doubt he would have 2 of his own drivers in the same team at the same time (Kova is a Flavio driver, isn't he?).

so it could be anything like:

Fisi/Kovalainen
Fisi/Webber
Webber/Kovalainen
Raikkonen/Fisi
Raikkonen/Kova (2 Finns in the same team?)
Raikkonen/Webber


or any other combination of drivers, who knows?

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RIP Jules, never to be forgotten. #KeepFightingMichael



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2006 12:31AM by Muks_C.

Fisichella has already signed a new contract for 2007.

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"I'm an artist, the track is my canvas, and the car is my brush."

oh yeah, my bad.

he is far from a team leader though, so they need someone with spark.

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RIP Jules, never to be forgotten. #KeepFightingMichael

If Renault can't sign with Kimi I'd give Hekki fellow a chance. They'll have nothing to lose, and he's been testing for a year at Renault now.

"he is far from a team leader though, so they need someone with spark"

I could be wrong but the only driver in who has beaten Fisi as a team mate is Alonso and he is driving at least as good as him recently. Maybe with Alonso gone for next year we will see the Giancarlo of old.

Very true, Fisichella drives better in my opinion when he knows he's clearly the better driver in team.

from itv-f1.com ([www.itv-f1.com]):

Schumi-Kimi match-up moves closer



Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen will race head-to-head as Ferrari team-mates next year, according to a report in this week’s Autocar.

The Maranello squad’s line-up has been the biggest talking point of the ‘silly season’ and is the key to the 2007 driver market.

A Schumacher-Raikkonen match-up has been mooted for months, but is contingent both on Schumacher choosing to prolong his Formula 1 career and Raikkonen moving from McLaren to Ferrari.

Both of these scenarios now look increasingly likely.

The word in the Hockenheim paddock last weekend was that Renault’s overtures to Raikkonen have failed and the Finn will head to the Scuderia after all.

Raikkonen’s Ferrari deal has been in the offing for a long time, with persistent rumours – denied by his management – that he has already signed a pre-contract agreement with the team.

And although Renault has made a concerted bid for his services in recent weeks, the French manufacturer’s competitive eclipse by Ferrari is likely to have steadied any ‘wobble’ Kimi had over his decision.

Meanwhile Schumacher is revelling in Ferrari’s resurgence.

The 37-year-old showed every sign of being a man at the top of his game as he romped to his third successive win at Hockenheim and made further inroads into Fernando Alonso’s championship lead.

Ferrari’s technical director and Schumacher confidant Ross Brawn told ITV Sport last weekend that Schumacher is more motivated than ever as his quest to reclaim the title from Alonso gathers momentum – an observation echoed by the German’s manager Willi Weber.

There is therefore now a strong expectation that Schumacher will defer his retirement and re-sign with Ferrari for another year.

The team has scheduled the long-awaited announcement of its 2007 driver pairing for its home grand prix at Monza next month.

Autocar claims that Ferrari will confirm a Schumacher-Raikkonen ‘superteam’ – and that both drivers will have equal status within the team and be free to compete with each other on equal terms.

This would be a departure from Ferrari’s favoured policy over the last decade – during which time the team has been moulded around Schumacher – of having a clear lead driver and number two.

Raikkonen will almost certainly have sought assurances from the team on this score, but maintains that being team-mate to Schumacher per se holds no fear for him.

"I will announce my decision when the time is right, and Michael's decision has no influence on my future," he reiterated in a recent interview with the official F1 website.

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come on guys, make it happen!

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RIP Jules, never to be forgotten. #KeepFightingMichael

Well, if that happens and Ferrari indeed lets them race on equal terms, it would be bloody awsome!

I'll believe it when i see it,

Wonder how many pitstops Kimi will have problems with thus allowing MS to leap frog him on track




LS's Tip of the week
ESSENTIAL OILS aren't essential unless you're an engine, a gearbox or a twat

having a Hissy Fits again?





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/02/2006 06:03PM by Stan.

I did post a nice comment here, but my net messed up.

Basically, the 94 would have happended with any other drivers imo.

Hill was ambitious, but MS was damaged. Hard to call. But i feel MS shouldnt be getting condemned as much as he is for this.

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

after williams press release, the 2007 lineup is much more clear to me!

Ferrari: MSC and RAI
Renault: FIS and ?
McLaren: ALO and WEB
Honda: BUT and BAR
Williams: ROS and WUR
Toyota: TRU and ?
BMW: VIL and HEI/KUB
MF1: ? and ?
SA: SATO and ?
RBR: DC and KLI/MAS (?)
STR: LIU and SPD

The next moves are depending of Kimi's decision! Massa is clearly depending of KR's decision!

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"I'm an artist, the track is my canvas, and the car is my brush."

more likely to be ms and massa at ferrari, or kimi and massa. schumi isnt sportsman enough to team with a quality driver. i want raikonnen to stay at mclaren and webber in the renault, he will drive just as well as alonso, and poo all over fisichella

Wrong thread chet.

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

Having Webber in a McLaren is ridiculous. I don't know where he'll be next year, but certainly not at McLaren.