SILLY SEASON 2009/2010

Fuck! I'll miss Kimi. I fear this is not a sabbatical and this is really a retirement. Hope he succeeds in WRC.
 
me too man! He's nearly the whole reason I watch! Next year just wont be as good w/o him. He's 30 now, I expect at least 2 years in WRC, or he might just finish there.. I guess it depends how much he wants to grab the all important 2nd F1WDC. He's supposedly also racing in Le Mans in '10 as well.

So this pretty much confirms Button to McLaren as well no?
 
The Daily Mail claims Button to McLaren is a done deal, should be announced tomorrow.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...eal-join-Lewis-Hamilton-McLaren.html?ITO=1490

The BBC is also running the story that Nico Rosberg is a done deal to Mercedes.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/motorsport/formula_one/8362295.stm

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.

Several more sources are claiming di Grassi is a done deal to Manor. I'll add all three to the list the moment either the driver or the team confirm the contracts.
 
w00t, Kimi & WRC = epic combination!

Unlike Button, Kimi has the luxury of taking a whole year off, while still earning millions of $$. I'm really glad he didn't budge on the contract with McLaren.





Anyway, it looks like I will support the following drivers and race team in 2010 :

Button & the team he sides with. Hopefully it will be Mercedes.

Alonso - minus Scuderia Ferrari

Vettel - minus team Red Bull
 
does this mean.......its possible...............that you might support...................................a mclaren? :shock2:

Im calling it now, piquet 2010 baby! Im feeling WDC! oh YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
 
While I see your name Matt, I must add somethings to my list, as someone has sent me a new article.

Nelson Piquet Jr. has been linked with Campos and Force India: http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/091117101431.shtml

List updated with some new drivers because of boredom.

Starting Drivers with contracts or team ending at seasons end (12):

Heikki Kovalainen (Probably gone, but expected to stay in F1. New team?)
Nick Heidfeld (Sauber?)
Romain Grosjean (Future has been thrown up in the air, but I expect he'll re-sign, at the least a test-driver.)
Jaime Alguersuari (Expect to re-sign)
Nico Rosberg (Brawn? Leaving Williams.)
Kazuki Nakajima (Leaving Williams. Maybe out of F1.)
Adrian Sutil (Re-sign?)
Jarno Trulli (Toyota quit. Malaysia?)
Jenson Button (McLaren?)
Kamui Kobayashi (Toyota quit. I completely forgot about this guy, I hope the other teams don't. Malaysia?)
Nelson Piquet (Force India? Campos? NASCAR?)
Luca Badoer (Don't laugh. The guy is still regarded as one of the best in test driving. Could be a valuable asset to a new team that is looking at running youngsters, like Campos.)

Test/Back up Drivers with contracts ending at the end of the year (8):

Pedro de la Rosa (Probably back with McLaren. Has been linked with Campos)
Gary Paffet (Was linked with Prodrive at one point. Who knows where he is going.)
Marc Gene (Has been linked with Campos. Probably out at Ferrari unless they decide to carry two test drivers again.)
Christian Klien (Staying with Sauber?)
David Coulthard (Has said he would like to race again, but who would give him a seat? Expect to stay with the BBC.)
Brendon Hartley (STR? The only reason he left was to concentrate more on his F3 and Renault World Series racing.)
Anthony Davidson (Give this man a seat! Has been linked with Manor and Lotus.)
Alexander Wurtz (Tried to start his own team. I wonder where he will end up.)

Seats open (12-14):

McLaren x1
Ferrari x0
Toyota loves hybrids too much
Renault x1
Red Bull x0
Toro Rosso x1
Williams x0
Force India x1 (**)
Brawn GP Mercedes GP x2
USF1 x2
Dallara-Campos x1
Manor F1 x1
Lotus Malaysia F1 x2
** Sauber F1 x2 (If they take Toyota's spot)

Drivers signed through next season (13?):

Lewis Hamilton - McLaren (He ain't leaving.)
Felipe Massa - Ferrari (Has a seat, according to Luca.)
Fernando Alonso - Ferrari (Signed 9/30. Three years.)
Giancarlo Fisichella - Ferrari (Signed contract at Monza, will become test driver after this year.)
Mark Webber - Red Bull Racing (just signed extension)
Sebastien Vettel - RBR (He ain't leaving)
**Vitantonio Liuzzi - Force India (Signed through 2011, with race seat clause for next year.)
Robert Kubica - Renault (Signed 10/07)
Bruno Senna - Campos (signed 10/31. Rookie.)
Rubens Barrichello - Williams (Signed 11/2)
Nico Hulkenberg - Williams (Signed 11/2. Rookie.)
Sebastien Buemi - Toro Rosso (Signed 11/9.)
Timo Glock - Manor GP (Signed 11/17.)

Drivers leaving F1 for sure next season. (2)

Kimi Raikkonen - ??? (McLaren talks ended 11/17. Probably will go to rally)
Sebastien Bourdais - Superleague Formula - Sevilla FC (Canned from STR 7/16. Supposedly also in talks with both Peugeot in LMS and several IRL teams for next year)

Piquet. Grrrr......

Thoughts?
 
Bring back Yuji Ide.

Pleeeeaaase.

Let Yoong drive for Lotus as well.
 
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

Pitpass is usually quite trustable. And I couldn't imagine McLaren letting Kimi go unless they already had an agreement with Jenson...
 
Sutil should be given the equivalent of a plastic cup so if he drops it, it doesn't matter.
 
I really hope he will be back for 2011, but I doubt it.

Anyway, I am hoping Kobayashi gets a seat, as he is really good...and definately one of the most sympathetic drivers out there.
 
Ross Brawn thinks Button should stay put at Merc/Brawn.

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.
 
Mercedes should get Kobayashi. This would be epic. Koba in a competitive car. Kobayashi for WDC 2010 anyone?
 
I'll miss Kimi, but it was his decision not to be an F1 driver. I'm sure he had a number of options but he was only interested in McLaren, with his own conditions, his commitment to F1 was next to zero.
I'm sure he's going to have much fun competing in rally next year, good luck!

Oh, and I doubt he will ever make a comeback.
 
Damnit. Kimi's gone :( I have yet to get used to the McLaren/Mercedes separation. Ok, Gary: "Remember, McLaren is the old Hamilton/Kovalainen team and Mercedes is Brawn."
 
I'm fucking crushed, I can't even put it down in words properly. I got the news this morning and it was not a good way to start my day. I really hope Kimi comes back to F1... but like what some of you feel, I too fear that this is not a 1-year sabbatical. I wish him all the best, but I'm really going to miss him in F1.

:cry:
 
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