This is just not fair for Kimi

[Xosé Estrada]

It's true Kimi did not performed as good as spected in Ferrari, despite the 2007 title (he deserved it but woldn't be possible without McLaren suicide). But he will pay the highest price for the Santander-McLaren-Ferrari maneuver, I'll try to explain myself.

Ferrari wanted Alonso, and Santander (Spanish biggest bank and one of the biggest F1 sponsor's) wanted Alonso in Ferrari, so what Santander did to be able to do that?

- Sponsoring Ferrari to bring Alonso there.

- More important: mantain (nobody thought that could happen) McLaren sponsoring and pay the transfer for Kimi for 2010 season, so there is a free seat in Ferrari for Alonso. Of course they own Abbey and other British banks so it's also interesting for them in this sense.

What this means?, it means that Kimi will arrive to a team that really didn't wanted him to be there instead Kovalainen, that was clearly a second driver in not same conditions as McLaren beloved driver and star Hamilton.

It is believed that Hamilton is not keen on the prospect of teaming up with Raikkonen. "At the moment I'm very happy with how things are in the team but we have to see what happens," he said. - F1-Live

I think Kimi will suffer a lot in McLaren because I think he's as fast as Hamilton and we all know what happened in 2007, since McLaren realized that Hamilton is one of the best drivers in actual grid and can become a legend, they preffer him to win over any other driver. Ok, it's normal, it's home product, raised inside the team and is British, nothing to say, but what would happen to Kimi?... hopefully with no fuel strategy everything would be easier for him but anyway he has to know he will be the number two. I think McLaren was honest after 2007 season not taking another very-top driver and let Hamilton rule the team, but now, and not because them but because sponsoring, they are going back to 2007 situation but with Kimi instead of Alonso. Maybe Kimi character is better than Alonso's for that, Alonso just can't shut up, no matter if he has reason or not he says what he thinks in that precise momment and sometimes that's like a bomb for team stability... Kimi simply didn't talk... but means this he doesn't suffer?, don't think so.

So I think the big looser in all this history is Kimi, hope everything goes good for him, F1 is about speed, he's not smiling or making friends in F1 but he's probably the pure fastest driver in actual grid.

Cya!.

 

[Abdul Al-Amry]

Xose in all honesty, the only team in F1 that has been fair to its drivers is McLaren. History has proved that. Pairing Lewis with Kimi will be great for the team, great for F1. Kimi doesnt rant, Lewis expects a challenge. Unless the principles I highly respect from Ron Dennis with fairness has changed since he is no longer Team Princple.

 

[Ben Tusting]

From Mercedes Benz it's a good move as the constructors title is a huge thing for them

 

[kalniel]

I agree Abdul, McLaren enjoyed Kimi greatly when he drove for them - from an engineers perspective he was apparently really good. It was only Ron Dennis that he didn't really get on that well with, due to his partying, but Whitmarsh is a bit more relaxed, and Ferrari have managed to keep press of Kimi down to a level sponsors are happy with.

I think it'll be a great partnership and push both drivers to perform better than ever.

 

[Xosé Estrada]

Xose in all honesty, the only team in F1 that has been fair to its drivers is McLaren. History has proved that. Pairing Lewis with Kimi will be great for the team, great for F1. Kimi doesnt rant, Lewis expects a challenge. Unless the principles I highly respect from Ron Dennis with fairness has changed since he is no longer Team Princple.

Well, they always said, but saying is nothing... you can't say there was parity in 2007, because if Alonso does what hamilton did in Hungary he would be banned from the team, and instead nothing happened to Lewis...

 

[Abdul Al-Amry]

Well, they always said, but saying is nothing... you can't say there was parity in 2007, because if Alonso does what hamilton did in Hungary he would be banned from the team, and instead nothing happened to Lewis...

I doubt he would have been banned. I also am sure Ron had a few words with Lewis. With McLaren's parity its very hard to please both drivers. Lewis got the job done more than once when Alonso expected to be treated #1. I wonder why he joined a team which clearly doesnt support Ferrari way of doing business. Also if they always say and do nothing then that same year Alonson and Lewis wouldnt finish equal on points.

 

[Damian Henderson]

Sorry Xose, your a good friend but I think this is more of a Bash at Lewis / Mclaren and you still being a bit bitter about Lewis beating Alonso when he was a rookie on equal grounds. And Lewis has only got quicker then he was so IMO he's even quicker then Alonso now unlike in 2007 where they where both pretty equal.

Kimi will do great at Mclaren, and they will both be given equal chances.

 

[Ryan Callan]

Xose in all honesty, the only team in F1 that has been fair to its drivers is McLaren. History has proved that. Pairing Lewis with Kimi will be great for the team, great for F1. Kimi doesnt rant, Lewis expects a challenge. Unless the principles I highly respect from Ron Dennis with fairness has changed since he is no longer Team Princple.

Williams.....

 

[Maurice Hurkmans]

IMO the way Ferrari is treating Kimi now is unfair towards him. Ofcourse, we have to wait how things will work out in the coming weeks, but it looks like Ferrari is ditching him for Alonso. I think Ferrari are taking a great risk there, cause they don't know how Massa will come back after his serious injury and imo Kimi is overall a bit more complete then Massa.

So the whole F1 transfer market for 2010 will be put to a standstill, until Ferrari has decided his 2nd driver for 2010.....that prolly will be Alonso, which means the exit of Kimi. Like Abdul stated earlier, i think McLaren will be the best team for Kimi. Lewis and Kimi will make a great team and i think they even can make eachother even better. Someone needs to lit the fire again in Kimi and i think McLaren is the only team atm where Kimi can accomplish that.

 

[Abdul Al-Amry]

Williams.....

Agreed.

 

[Ryan Callan]

If it wasn't for Massa's injury I think HE would have been dropped. But they felt they can't drop a driver who is injured.....

 

[Maurice Hurkmans]

If it wasn't for Massa's injury I think HE would have been dropped. But they felt they can't drop a driver who is injured.....

you think? F1 is really "stonecold business" sometimes and i reckon that if Ferrari wanted to drop Massa they easily could have done that at the end of the season, injured or not. If Kimi is dropped, which is prolly going to happen, Ferrari need to send him away with loads of money due to contractbreach.

I think Ferrari is done with Kimi, cause Kimi prolly doesn't fit in the current team anymore according the Ferrari management. I wish Kimi a far better team then Ferrari for him, cause "Iceman" or not, he's still a superbe driver

 

[Xosé Estrada]

Sorry Xose, your a good friend but I think this is more of a Bash at Lewis / Mclaren and you still being a bit bitter about Lewis beating Alonso when he was a rookie on equal grounds. And Lewis has only got quicker then he was so IMO he's even quicker then Alonso now unlike in 2007 where they where both pretty equal.

Kimi will do great at Mclaren, and they will both be given equal chances.

Not at all, I just respect Kimi and like him like driver, and I disrespect McLaren and how they manage drivers since Hamilton is in team. I don't think Kovalainen is as far as Hamilton as it seems, and I'm afraid the same will happen with Kimi and that can be the end of his F1 career.

I don't have doubts Alonso can win Hamilton in same conditions, he did, and he did with Schumi that was an out-of-this-world driver, winning two world champs with him on track, so that's not the question.

I say is not fair for Kimi because now he lefts Ferrari to go to McLaren as a merch, in a exchange, and I'm sure about what will he find there. Some of you respect McLaren a lot (I never did, since Senna times) so that's the difference between perspectives about what will happen to Kimi there.

Hope I'm wrong and everything goes well for the Finn.

 

[Mark Birney]

IMO

That pretty much sums up this abomination of a thread...

And Ryan, on what grounds would Ferrari sack Massa?

 

[kalniel]

And Ryan, on what grounds would Ferrari sack Massa?

I have nothing against the guy and he's obviously a good driver, but he does seem to panic rather easily (white visor!) and require a hell of a lot of coaching over the radio during a race. Every time other (ex)drivers hear it while commentating they express surprise at it.

However I bet Alonso would be more happy with Massa as a teamate than Kimi, so the decision is a bit easier.

 

[Richard Kay]

I think the coaching over the radio is more about Mr. Smedley developing an ego of his own. Ever since he got tagged with the character of "cheeky northern chappie done good" he's become quite the limelight hogger.

 

[Mark Birney]

Smedley is cool, shaddap!