pfrocker
Well-Known Member
Fuck! I'll miss Kimi. I fear this is not a sabbatical and this is really a retirement. Hope he succeeds in WRC.
BBC said:The team has not yet confirmed Rosberg, who drove for Williams in 2009, but he is widely known throughout F1 to have already signed for the Mercedes team.
Piquet? blah, bring back SATOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
For the Sato part or the Piquet part?
This.bring back SATOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
Raikkonen to sit-out 2010 season
18/11/2009
Kimi Raikkonen's manager, Steve Robertson, has said that the 2007 World Champion will take a sabbatical next season after failing to secure a seat with McLaren.
The Finn, who was given an extremely generous pay-off by Ferrari in order to vacate his seat early and hand it to Fernando Alonso, had previously said that he would only compete in 2010 if he could secure a drive with a top flight team. However, talking to Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat, Robertson revealed that such a deal was highly unlikely and that Raikkonen would opt to watch from the sidelines.
"The options were with McLaren next season or not at all," he said. "However, Kimi and McLaren were unable to reach an agreement, and consequently he will not drive at the level of F1, at least not next year.
"A gap year means nothing for Kimi," he added. "He is more interested in fighting for wins and the World Championship. F1 will miss him, he worked hard over the summer doing things in a Ferrari that only the best drivers are capable of."
Robertson was unable to give any details as to how Raikkonen will spend his time next year, however, the Finn has made no secret of his desire to try other disciplines, and having contested a round of the WRC this year a few more rally appearances could be on the cards.
The fact that Raikkonen was unable to agree a deal with McLaren appears to suggest that the Woking team is now focussing on Jenson Button.
http://www.pitpass.com/fes_php/pitpass_news_item.php?fes_art_id=39574
Autosport said:Brawn against Button McLaren switch.
Ross Brawn believes that Jenson Button's future in Formula 1 would be best served by staying at the team that helped make him a title winner, rather than make the switch to rivals McLaren.
Despite mounting speculation that Button is close to signing a contract to join McLaren, having agreed terms with the Woking-based team, Brawn is adamant about where the world champion should drive in 2010.
"Negotiations [with Button] are continuing and the reports that he has already agreed terms with McLaren are not helpful. I would be amazed if that were the case," Brawn told The Independent newspaper.
"His best future is with our team, where he has a good group around him, and there's a lot to be said for that. The logical thing would be for him to stay with us, but of course logic doesn't always prevail."
Talks between Button and Brawn stalled after the two parties could not agree financial terms for a new deal - with Button's camp adamant that he deserved a wages hike after taking a ?5 million pay cut for this year.
But with Brawn's finances tight, even following its takeover by Mercedes-Benz, the team and driver could not agree on a figure before McLaren entered the equation.
Brawn CEO Nick Fry told Radio 5 earlier this week that his team would not get involved in an auction for Button's services.
"We've had discussions with Jenson on what we think is a sensible salary and this is not going to change anything," Fry said about the impact of the team becoming Mercedes Grand Prix. "We're running with a budget that is probably less than most and that's what Mercedes likes."
McLaren appears set on finalising a deal with Button, having broken off talks with Kimi Raikkonen about a deal for 2010 ? which has left the Finn facing a sabbatical next year.
Mercedes GP will run Nico Rosberg in one of its cars next season, with speculation having linked Nick Heidfeld with the other seat should Button jump ship.