[Driver] Kimi Raikkonen joins Ferrari for 2014.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by wnut

This article in PitPass was interesting comparing Alonso with Prost

http://www.pitpass.com/49679/Back-To-The-Wilderness

"Luca di Montezemolo has said recently, 'Drivers, we've had a lot, some very good, some great, but drivers come and go, while Ferrari remains.' In 1991, Alain Prost said something to the effect that his Ferrari 643 was like driving a truck. He was dropped for the final race and then sacked."


Bait and switch with Massa?

I get that feeling too. Deep down they're not happy with Alonso. As a driving talent, they think he's great. As an employee, they're sick of his politicking and sliminess. Getting Kimi on board is a convoluted way of getting one back on him. It fires a warning shot across his bow and shows him who's really in charge. The appointment will remove a level of comfort that he had when Massa was in the garage next door... and of course it signals that they have options if they do a 'Prost' with him. b1ackcr0w is right, things are never straightforward at Ferrari.

[MarkG]

I actually like Ferrari's attitude regarding drivers, that drivers come and go, and none are bigger than Ferrari. It is a part of why Ferrari is the team they are. Non pay-drivers that get to F1 all have pretty much the same speed, and in this age of zillions of gigabytes of data, driver traces, reliability, paddleshifts etc, plus simulators, you get pretty much the same performance from any of them speed-wise, it's just a question of attitude that separates them.
The playstation cars of today don't really allow the real differences in driver ability to show.

[ace007]

Originally Posted by davyboy

I get that feeling too. Deep down they're not happy with Alonso. As a driving talent, they think he's great. As an employee, they're sick of his politicking and sliminess. Getting Kimi on board is a convoluted way of getting one back on him. It fires a warning shot across his bow and shows him who's really in charge. The appointment will remove a level of comfort that he had when Massa was in the garage next door... and of course it signals that they have options if they do a 'Prost' with him. b1ackcr0w is right, things are never straightforward at Ferrari.

Indeed, Alonso's comfort zone became too comfortable and it will be simply "sublime" to watch the battle start next year! We could have another early exit indeed if the winging doesn't stop... Let's have it. F1 needs exactly that! 2 number 1 in the same team like Mclaren used to do!!

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by davyboy

I get that feeling too. Deep down they're not happy with Alonso. As a driving talent, they think he's great. As an employee, they're sick of his politicking and sliminess. Getting Kimi on board is a convoluted way of getting one back on him. It fires a warning shot across his bow and shows him who's really in charge. The appointment will remove a level of comfort that he had when Massa was in the garage next door... and of course it signals that they have options if they do a 'Prost' with him. b1ackcr0w is right, things are never straightforward at Ferrari.

I agree with all of this, and added to the technical changes, I think 2014 is going to be a very interesting season (if not always for what people may call 'the right reasons').

[Bononi]

Like TGF said, an explosive season is coming to us next year.

[Mike E]

Apparently Ferrari have nabbed Lotus aero guy Dirk de Beer as well.

[Tiny]

People can say whatever they like but NO ONE can say that Alonso is good WHEN another driver gets under his skin , i think Kimi would just laugh at him trying to test the status.

As the rumers say Vettel is in at a latter stage also.
Wounder what "Whinonso" has to say about that?
Hes has an ego bigger then Ferrari and that is what is getting his as fired.
NO thats right i do not care much for Alonso.

[Adam43]

"Wit"

[Bononi]

He's ready :0

[Aysedasi]

No Adam that's wit.........

[F1Pete]

Kimi taking a snooze is not as bad as James Hunt falling asleep in the car on the track during testing.

[chunterer]

Originally Posted by F1Pete

Kimi taking a snooze is not as bad as James Hunt falling asleep in the car on the track during testing.

Plenty have done that during a race as well judging by some performances we have seen recently.

[Marbot]

Originally Posted by chunterer

Plenty have done that during a race as well judging by some performances we have seen recently.

All of them were dreaming of driving a Ferrari, except for Massa, who was just dreaming about not driving a Ferrari.

[Spritle]

Interesting quotes from Montezemolo:

"Raikkonen is a case almost identical to that of Lauda, Niki also said 'enough' at one point because he was sick with Formula One," Montezemolo told Gazzetta dello Sport. "I spoke of the twin brother of Kimi [in 2009] because the driver we had was not the same one we had hired [in 2007]. The break has been good, he has returned to the top, won, and finished many races. I want a driver who will not make me regret losing [Felipe] Massa, and here he is. I want wins, consistent performances and podiums".

Talking about the recent differences of opinion with Alonso:

"I am the first to understand his discontent," he added. "Let's say his dissatisfaction is like the anger of a footballer who is called to the bench and tells the manager to get stuffed. But I'd rather deal with someone like that than a wuss!"

Full story here.

[Marbot]

"Someone take this bag of snakes and lay'em out straight for me" (Which Movie?)

Or: There seems to be a whole lot of driver threads heading towards total and utter oblivion.

[Bononi]

Let me tell you... Montezemolo watched "Rush" this weekend...

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by davyboy

It would be nice to think that from a contractual perspective, both of them are equal, but I find it very hard to believe that Alonso's contract does not place him as the clear number one. All the evidence points in that direction :

o His protracted negotiation
o The fact that when he was hired, it was Kimi [number one at the time ?] that had to be removed rather than Massa [even though Massa was injured].
o The formal support role Massa has had to play throughout his time with Alonso.
o If you remember, at the time, it was Kimi they had to remove in order to

Kimi may act dumb in the media and recalcitrant at the track, but don't let that fool you. He and his management are shrewd operators when it comes to money.

If you look at it from a driving perspective, then Kimi is better off staying at Lotus, where he is revered, is number one and could have a chance at a championship if they produce a decent car next year. However, that team is in financial difficulty and rumour has it that Kimi's owed money by them. Does Kimi believe they will have the resources to progress let alone maintain their current level ? Worse still, maybe they're in deeper financial difficulty than we're aware of ?

If you look at it from a financial perspective, then Kimi is better off taking a number two role at Ferrari. Though his driving and opportunities for ultimate success will be compromised, he is likely to milk a fortune from the deal... And if he behaves himself, the lucrative gravy could be extended to the end of his career.

As Chunterer said earlier, Kimi is looking more and more like the Irvine of the 2010s.

We were right... it was a purely financially motivated move - see here.

[garcon]

It turns out one of the reasons Kimi decided to leave Lotus is ... he likes to be paid!

Who knew?!

[JamesH]

Originally Posted by davyboy

We were right... it was a purely financially motivated move - see here.

Bit disingenuous, don't you think?

Being paid vs not being paid is a purely financial move of course. Just not the same financial move as being paid a lot vs being paid even more.

[Marbot]

These F1 drivers don't know they're born!

When I were a lad...........

[Bononi]

Well, maybe he was afraid of starving and not be able to pay the mortgage...

You know, poverty is such a sad thing.

[F1Pete]

Divorce can do that to you...

[Paarma]

He did get his basic salary from Lotus, but not the performance based bonuses. Classic example of doing too good of a job.

If Kimi gets on Alonso's nerves too much they just might buy him out again. Maybe that's what he's after, getting paid for not driving in F1.

[Adam43]

Kimi goes for the money. I think the modern parlance is, whatever. Or maybe even, watevs. Or as JamesH put it, that is a bit disingenuous.

[davyboy]

Originally Posted by JamesH

Bit disingenuous, don't you think?

I don't think so. People may have moral issues with an individual as wealthy as Kimi putting the need for more money ahead of the raw quest for driving success, but that's for them to deal with. At his stage in life/career, if a team like Ferrari are prepared to shower him with dollar bills in exchange for his support to get Alonso a WDC, then why shouldn't he take it.