The ongoing discrepancy between Kimi Raikkonen’s wage demands and the salary that his most likely F1 2010 employer McLaren-Mercedes is willing to pay him could force the Woking-based outfit to look to out-of-work BMW-Sauber refugee Nick Heidfeld instead – as it emerged that the Finn might do better financially by taking a year off.
Following the official announcement that he was being released by Ferrari to make way for fellow F1 World Champion Fernando Alonso next season, Raikkonen was linked with a number of teams, from Renault to Red Bull and Toyota to McLaren.
However, whilst the 2007 title-winner wasted little time in making clear that only the latter option was of interest to him [see separate story – click here] – having competed for the Silver Arrows for five years from 2002 to 2006, triumphing nine times along the way and arguably being unlucky to miss out on title glory in 2003 and 2005 – it soon became apparent that there was, and remains, quite a gap between his own valuation of his financial worth and McLaren’s estimation.
Due to having been forced to terminate Raikkonen’s contract a year ahead of schedule, Ferrari promised to pay the 18-time grand prix-winner €17 million if he does not compete in F1 in 2010, or €10m if he does. To that end, Germany magazine Auto Motor und Sport reports that McLaren is offering a deal of just €5 million, reasoning that his total would thereby be a more than acceptable €15 million – but the 30-year-old’s management team of Steve and David Roberston is said to be unwilling to budge on its demands, as well as the stipulation that Raikkonen has to attend fewer sponsor days than would be the norm.
Should no agreement be forthcoming, it is being mused that of all the other names mooted as potential team-mates to 2008 F1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton – assuming, as is widely anticipated, that Heikki Kovalainen is not retained for a third consecutive season at the multiple title-winning concern – Heidfeld is near to the top of the list, with team principal Martin Whitmarsh having told spox.com that in his opinion the experienced German is perhaps the most underrated driver on the grid.
Heidfeld himself has admitted that he is ‘not ruling out any team’ in the wake of BMW’s withdrawal, and should ‘Quick Nick’ indeed join McLaren, it would doubtless please engine-partner Mercedes-Benz and represent a deserved boost for the oft-overlooked man from Mönchengladbach.
The 32-year-old acted as McLaren-Mercedes test driver back in 1998 and triumphed in the International F3000 Championship (now GP2 Series) for the McLaren Junior Team the following year, only to be passed over in favour of then Sauber team-mate Raikkonen when Mika Hakkinen retired at the end of 2001, to the general surprise of paddock observers. Whilst Raikkonen’s career subsequently took off, Heidfeld’s has yet to really accelerate out of neutral – but a McLaren seat in 2010 could finally offer him the chance to fulfil his undoubted talent and break his grand prix duck.
Comment 14 - 33 of 33
Kimi won't have a ride next year.
ha ha...if heidfeld gets the mclaren drive touronroute will need to eat the biggest slice of humble pie ever concieved
Heidfeld it's the best option for McLaren.
well Mic #30 no one denies that Mclaren wants to sign Kimi and Kimi's eyes is to rejoin Mclaren but the big question is will Mclaren pay him what he's asking for? or will Kimi reduce his price to rejoin Mclaren?!no one can deny that Kimi is a talented and fast driver but Kimi began to look as if his concern is money and only money then comes the championship ...
Most of us agreed that ticket sales for F1 GP next year at most of the venue will be much more higher than this year if Kimi join McLaren compared to Heidfield. Ron Denis appearance at the Abu Dhabi GP and Mika Hakinen involvement is some of the McLaren activities adds speculation that Kimi will join back McLaren. Both of them are responsible to bring in Kimi to McLaren. Kimi has more experience to drive at McLaren compared to Heidfield. Furthermore R. Kubica performs better than Heidfield at BMW Sauber. People like to see more on the comeback dirver rather than a new driver. So base on this review, I think McLaren will choose Kimi to drive for them in 2010.
Kimmi won his first GP title here in Malaysia in 2003.No one can deny that Kimmi is World Champion if Kimmi was given a reliable car in 03 & 05 season by McLaren Mercedez.Kimmi have the ability to drive fast but he is been provided with a car which runs slow. Look at Honda with less than 20 points and no wins in 2008 and Brawn GP which are the World Champion and the drivers are same. Does it make any different? So I can say that Kimmi will be World Chmpion 2010 if McLaren able to provide him a reliable and fast car. From Sashe Tharan, Malaysia.
I'm not sure that Kimi is faster than Massa or Massa is faster than Kimi. you can make an equal argument for either... you just picked last year, what about this year or the year that kimi won the WC.
Massa is not paid as much because Kimi was able to negotiate a better deal, that's all. No one is worth the money Kimi makes, or the money Lewis or Massa makes for that matter. Money paid is not a reflection of speed, it's a reflection of negotiating power.
My only point is that Kimi is appreciably faster than Nick Heigfeld, or Kubica, or Fisci... or whom ever else that has been rumored for the other MacLaren seat.
You can always say that 'if it weren't for a couple of bungled pit stops, tire punctures, blown engines, crashes, or the marshals picking up your rivals car and putting it on track, THEN you would have one. Bungled pit stops are a part of the game.
Kimi struggled to beat Massa most of 2008 and 2009 so why should Mercedes/Mclaren pay Kimi more than Massa size wages ? Kimi is no great shakes as a test driver and he clearly over rates himself by a faktor of 50 just as Ferrari have done the last two years.
Lets not for get but for a couple of bungled (probably on purpose) pit stops and the Piquet Corner cheat Massa and not Lewis would have been World Champion last year, where was Kimi then ?
Tooling round the back of the pack after another heavy night partying ?
Kimi deserves his retirement at least we know 'quiet NIck' will give 100 percent because he has it all to prove :-)
Kimi is the best driver of the world.... Iceman must drive for Mc Laren and the Team will win all the circuits of 2010, beaten Ferrari drivers and Red Bull too
I love the idea that people watching tv are experts in Kimi's motivation by 'watching his body language'. I think it's pretty clear that no one has any idea what is going on in Kimi's head. The reason he was ousted from Ferrari has nothing to do with a lot of things, but i would say 90% with a certain bank from Spain that insisted that Alonso would driven (and that they were willing to pay Kimi's 'pension'). Personally, I think that Kimi is clearly the fastest option for MacLaren. Does anyone really think that Heidfelt, Rosberg or Kubica or Koby is faster than Kimi? Really?!!! You may not like Kimi but you have to admit he has speed. The only reason for MacLaren not to sign Kimi is Hamilton and potentially his negative reaction. I would LOVE to see Kimi and Lewis battle it out in equal cars and no fuel strategy bs!
i like heifeld only complains when merited he his better than webber and button and barrichello and or if he drives for mclaren he will win a few races a help them to the contructors title that mercedes crave
is a problem to find a maclaren driver. SOmeone able to be second driver, but not raising the issue...as there is no second drivers in mclaren....yeah, right
No he doesn't. Forget Kimi - go for Rosberg.
Heidfeld deserves the chance
You must think though that Kimi has been paid big money for a reason but cant see Whitmarsh paying him what I think he is asking.
Kimi could reduce his price at the last hurdle to get in McLaren and stump the German.
Kimi is effectively a pensioner he should get used to it, take the company Ferrari Tractor and plough fields and pretend to be a rally driver.
It will be interesting to see 'quiet Nick' at the Mercedes 'B' team with Lewis :-)
I won't be surprised if Kimi calls it a day.
His body language has been saying "get me out of here" for some time. He won 1 WDC by default when the destabilisation of McLaren programme was running, but he I don't think his Ferrari years have been too happy. - It has been mooted that that is the reason why he's out of Ferrari- they want a more "flamboyant" character and Kimi isn't exactly bursting with charisma.
Nothing but a top drive will do for him and who can afford him?
I think that Kimi will prefer to take a one year rest from F1 and go rally since Ferrari offered to pay him 10M $ if he participate in 2010 so he'll get 10M $ frm Ferraei + what the team he'll drive for him guess around 5m $ so he'll get maximum of 15M $ or about, while if he go rally he'll get 17M $ from Ferrari + what he'll get from his team if we say arround 3M $ thats about 20M $ except if other F1 team offer to pay him 10M $ or more and I doubt so in these financial situation.
does any one know what's the matter with this crazy brucef1lee?! is he normal?! how old is he!
I think Mercedes is wanting a german driver in the Mclaren seat. as for Raikkenon he can go plow fields for a couple of seasons and reconcider his worth in F 1 .
Please login to post a comment
Not already a Yahoo! user ? Sign up to get a free Yahoo! Account