fisichella at renault till end of 2007
Discussion
Raikonnen is the key to what happens I think, if he stays at McLaren he'll partner Alonso, Schumacher has signed a new contract at Ferrari so will Raikonnen now go there, would he be a number 2 to Schumacher? Which leaves an open berth at Renault to partner Fisichella, who has said that he will be partnering a Finn next year but which one he wouldn't/couldn't say.
Kovalinen will be in a renault alongside Fisi.
Raikkonen has been signed to Ferrari for almost a year.
I think Lewis Hamilton may be in the other Maclaren car, alongside Alonso.
There is a strong rumour that Coulthard may be in the other Ferrari next year if Schumi steps down....
Bennno
Raikkonen has been signed to Ferrari for almost a year.
I think Lewis Hamilton may be in the other Maclaren car, alongside Alonso.
There is a strong rumour that Coulthard may be in the other Ferrari next year if Schumi steps down....
Bennno
Edited by bennno on Monday 19th June 13:09
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There are rumours kicking around at the moment that Kimi Raikkonen is close to agreeing a deal to race for Renault in 2007 and 2008. The team has already signed up Giancarlo Fisichella and with strong rumours from Italy that Michael Schumacher has agreed to a new two-year deal with Ferrari, it is likely that Raikkonen will now either stay where he is at McLaren, alongside Fernando Alonso, or move across to take Alonso's drive at Renault. Running a Raikkonen-Alonso duo would be expensive for McLaren with a total driver budget (including testers) of around $45m, an increase of around $10m on this year's costs. However, the stories of a Raikkonen offer from Renault suggest a three-year deal worth only $63m. This does not sound like a very attractive deal, given that Raikkonen is currently earning that sort of money at McLaren and was looking for a serious hike in salary in 2007 and that Michael Schumacher will probably be leaving Ferrari at the end of 2008, and raikkonen wants to be available when that happens. It may also not be possible to do such a deal as Ferrari may have first option on Raikkonen's services for the year's ahead. A two-year deal thus makes more sense for Raikkonen.
All of this is not very cheery news for Heikki Kovalainen who was hoping to step up to become a Renault F1 racer in 2007 after a year testing for the team. If Fisichella and Raikkonen are signed there will be no room for him. He might land a drive elsewhere but moving straight into the Renault team, as Fernando Alonso did, would be a much better option for the young Finn.
GP.com said:
There are rumours kicking around at the moment that Kimi Raikkonen is close to agreeing a deal to race for Renault in 2007 and 2008. The team has already signed up Giancarlo Fisichella and with strong rumours from Italy that Michael Schumacher has agreed to a new two-year deal with Ferrari, it is likely that Raikkonen will now either stay where he is at McLaren, alongside Fernando Alonso, or move across to take Alonso's drive at Renault. Running a Raikkonen-Alonso duo would be expensive for McLaren with a total driver budget (including testers) of around $45m, an increase of around $10m on this year's costs. However, the stories of a Raikkonen offer from Renault suggest a three-year deal worth only $63m. This does not sound like a very attractive deal, given that Raikkonen is currently earning that sort of money at McLaren and was looking for a serious hike in salary in 2007 and that Michael Schumacher will probably be leaving Ferrari at the end of 2008, and raikkonen wants to be available when that happens. It may also not be possible to do such a deal as Ferrari may have first option on Raikkonen's services for the year's ahead. A two-year deal thus makes more sense for Raikkonen.
All of this is not very cheery news for Heikki Kovalainen who was hoping to step up to become a Renault F1 racer in 2007 after a year testing for the team. If Fisichella and Raikkonen are signed there will be no room for him. He might land a drive elsewhere but moving straight into the Renault team, as Fernando Alonso did, would be a much better option for the young Finn.
Si Shaw said:
Hamilton and Alonso at Mclaren ?? :O
what a driver line up that would be !!
what a driver line up that would be !!
Alonso is already there, Hamilton is McLaren contracted and pushing for a drive.
Montoya has already been dispatched.
If Hamilton isnt selected then he would probably be placed in another team for a year, but McLaren dont really have a feeder team with no second team with Merc engines so this is less likely imho.
Bennno
Si Shaw said:
Hamilton and Alonso at Mclaren ?? :O
what a driver line up that would be !!
what a driver line up that would be !!
I think Mclaren would be better off promoting Gary Pafett to partner Alonso next year and give Hamilton a test/reserve roll and another year in GP2. Would keep the wages down and would be good to see Pafett in F1.
Chris
Bennno, whilst I think that what you state may be the eventual outcome, I have it on good authority that Raikkonen is still deciding whether to take up Ferrari's offer or not...unless you really do know something I don't (are you a mate of Steve Robertson's by any chance...?). Admittedly, my source is an old hack and thus not as good as someone from the other side of the fence, as it were!
Your comment about Coulthard - why elect for an experienced pair of hands at Ferrari if Kimi has already signed?...better (and cheaper?) to keep Massa I would have thought?...Besides Todt has already refuted the Coulthard rumour....so it must be true then
What's more interesting is why Fisico has only been signed for a further year - does that suggest that Renault have longer term plans for driver succession?
Your comment about Coulthard - why elect for an experienced pair of hands at Ferrari if Kimi has already signed?...better (and cheaper?) to keep Massa I would have thought?...Besides Todt has already refuted the Coulthard rumour....so it must be true then
What's more interesting is why Fisico has only been signed for a further year - does that suggest that Renault have longer term plans for driver succession?
woody said:
Si Shaw said:
Hamilton and Alonso at Mclaren ?? :O
what a driver line up that would be !!
what a driver line up that would be !!
I think Mclaren would be better off promoting Gary Pafett to partner Alonso next year and give Hamilton a test/reserve roll and another year in GP2. Would keep the wages down and would be good to see Pafett in F1.
Chris
Right. Putting Hamilton in a race seat too soon will likely end up like Button - he'll believe his own hype and then totally underdeliver.
Hamilton has always delivered and has won a lot of championships already both in kartinga nd single seaters, F3, Euro F3, GP2 (elect!). Remember Hamilton has been "ron-ified" and like Hakkinen and Raikonnen, will be calm and collected rather than succomb to the playboy lifestyle of F1. McLaren will not let the millions invested in hamilton go to waste because he wants to party in monaco each weeekend.
Button was third in the F3 championship the year before he got the F1 drive.
Button was third in the F3 championship the year before he got the F1 drive.
FourWheelDrift said:
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He might land a drive elsewhere but moving straight into the Renault team, as Fernando Alonso did, would be a much better option for the young Finn.
GP.com said:
He might land a drive elsewhere but moving straight into the Renault team, as Fernando Alonso did, would be a much better option for the young Finn.
How is starting with Minardi "straight into" Renault, other than having FB as his manager?
You know I never thought that fixing where Alonso was going before the season even started would lead to such an excellent silly season later in the following year!
What else?
Button signed by Honda to do a year of F1 power boat racing and a one off appearance at Indianapolis so he can rent his Monaco property out for the week because he needs the money?
DC paying Christian Horner for a GP2 drive?
MacDonalds to enter F1 as sponsors for Drive Through penalties?
The term "White Line" to be banned as racial incitement.
Race strategies that are totally geared towards passing during pit stops to be investigated as thought crimes?
What else?
Button signed by Honda to do a year of F1 power boat racing and a one off appearance at Indianapolis so he can rent his Monaco property out for the week because he needs the money?
DC paying Christian Horner for a GP2 drive?
MacDonalds to enter F1 as sponsors for Drive Through penalties?
The term "White Line" to be banned as racial incitement.
Race strategies that are totally geared towards passing during pit stops to be investigated as thought crimes?
pablo said:
Remember Hamilton has been "ron-ified" and like Hakkinen and Raikonnen, will be calm and collected rather than succomb to the playboy lifestyle of F1. McLaren will not let the millions invested in hamilton go to waste because he wants to party in monaco each weeekend.
On the public facing side - indeed, McLaren team members always appear rather staid and clinical.
But there is, and always has been, more to McLaren than meets the eye. Let's just say McLaren are good at keeping hotel managers schtumm when their drivers are up to antics.
Si Shaw said:
I think Hamilton is ready for f1, and friend was at silverstone lst week and said Hamilton looked awesome in GP2.
I watched the GP2 on ITV last weekend and can confirm that
They also had a word with Ron Dennis who said Hamilton will almost certainly be in FI next year.
The difference in his ability compared to other GP2 drivers is astonishing. The man is a natural.
In the second race he came from 8th on the grid to lead, within just a few laps.
I'm off down the bookies!!
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