view photoRoss Brawn has played down suggestions that Kimi Raikkonen could be lined up as an alternative to the hesitant Jenson Button for 2010.
With Brawn and Button at odds over the 29-year-old new world champion's desire for a pay-rise, Raikkonen is similarly stalling on signing up with McLaren.
When asked about the technically-available 2007 world champion by Auto Motor und Sport, Brawn said of Raikkonen: "Too expensive. His management is negotiating as if the compensation of Ferrari doesn't exist."
He is referring to speculation that the 30-year-old Finn's agreement to leave Ferrari one year early involved a termination payment of a rumoured €25m.
The Finnish media reports that Raikkonen's management is in possession of a McLaren contract for 2010 and is studying the fine details, including clauses that would prevent rally competition.
"I have options and I still want to be here, but everything needs to be perfect," said Raikkonen in Abu Dhabi. "I have no reason to make any contract that I don't feel 100% happy with."
Meanwhile, Sir Jackie Stewart advises Button to bring his Brawn talks to a close by agreeing a deal now.
"He's going to make big money for quite a few years. The odd two or three million is neither here nor there," said the triple world champion.
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Jenson should get advertising space on his own car for the amount of money he gave up to race for Brawn! Jenson gave up more in contractual obligations (actual cash value to the team) than Branson ever put in. By some reckoning, you could say (weakly claimed) that Jenson is a major shareholder.... (Maybe he should be -- after all the team was sold to RB & NF for £1 mostly on Button's recommendation to Honda!) :D
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Maybe that's why he sold the space on his helmet to that drinks company and called the car a "monster" on his 6th win. Curiously enough, that's about when he lost focus...
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:)
Kimi was tied for second as the highest paid athlete with Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan with 45 million dollars in 2009. He's not going to do anything he does'nt want to. Can't say I would care too much either.
We get natural fast drivers and then you get drivers that go through a school and support for years to make it to the top. Kimi is one of the natural fast drivers. It is in his blood. He has the shortest Pre-F1 history than any other driver on todays grid and he was always there to be recon with.
I take my hat off for his management to secure him a fat paycheck.
However, whoever want a competative driver and have a competative car, they have a championship with Kimi around or at least a very exciting chase.
Brawn had a great jump on the rest with the brilliance of Brawn. Next year will be different, money talk and it will be back to the old days.
dear Kimi, it was hard luck for what happend in Abu Dhabi anyway... as what you say you have right in Abu |Dhabi "I have no reason to make any contract that I don't feel 100% happy with." but in my opnion Brown is good team first they got a good a car with financial broblem.... i know Marclean islike your home but you to remember Marclean make alot of broblem anyway is your decision if want to go to Brown,Marclean or to retire from F1 and move to rally... let see whay next days hide us... i REALLY want see you next year coz without you Fi have no enjoy you make us happy... goodluck pls make your decision as soon as possible i need rest iam always open all the site which contact about F1 world :)
yor crazy fans
Mayyadah
DER MATT WHO WON THE TITLE NONE OF YOUR LIST LMFAO
kimmi is hands down one of, if not the best driver on the grid.
kimmi alonso maybe hamilton and vettel in the elite section.
the next pot includes massa button.
Crazy when you think that Kimmi was payed more than the total of every other driver above him on the leader board, he is good but does he really think he is better than Button, Vettel, barichello, Webber and Hamilton all combined?
The biggest value for money has to be Rubens if the reports in an earlier post on wages is true.
Jenson put more money into Brawn than Virgin so Ross should first put that back on the table as was promised and pay him his worth Jenson and Ruby both worked on the car not just the geeks in head office come on Ross get it sorted.And as for Sir Jackie Stewart make your mind up you were putting Jenson down at the start of the season so keep your nose out of things that have nothing o do with you. ALL HAIL THE FROME FLYER No 1
i would love to see next year what brawn and button would do without hondas money that developed the 2009 car. again tyre marks from alonso, hamilton & vettel on both brawn and button arses.
Iceman is too expensive for any team, as long as he's expecting to be paid about €25 M per year.
Many team managers would be ready to hire a less competitive and cheap driver instead of having Kimi in their teams at that price.
The difference could be used to develop and improve the car during the season, namely now that everyone is trying to spare the maximum of money.
Kimi should remember that there are many interesting drivers on the market, and that he'll better make up his decision (a reasonable one) before it's too late for him.
Ribohn... Where are you thinking from? 95% of the work and development of the car was done by Honda, not Brawn. They will be out of it in 2010.
No surprises there then!The discount sale posters should soon be appearing on Kimi's windows.
Button needs Brawn much more than Brawn need Button. The competition next year should not be caught with it's technical trousers down like this year and without the advantage of the Brawn thinking this year Button would not have gained the huge advantage that he did at the beginning of the season. Once the competition caught up, he was often an also ran.
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