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[sagi58]

You gotta give the guy credit, he has no "fear" of the media!!

 wrote:">F1 Austrian Grand Prix: Raikkonen to retire if Ferrari doesn’t renew deal?

Kimi Raikkonen: I think you guys are worrying about it [2016] more than me. I always said it is not the end of my life if I don't race next year, but obviously I want to be here and I feel that the team is definitely going in the right direction.

Kimi Raikkonen says if he doesn't stay with Ferrari next season, then he will not be with any team.

Raikkonen was again quizzed on his contract negotiations with the Scuderia for 2016 ahead of this weekend's Austrian Grand Prix, and he again stressed that the decision is not his to make.

“I don't have anything to discuss, they have a contract and they have to sign it. It is as simple as that. It is not my decision. You have to ask the team. If I am not with Ferrari, I am not with any team, as simple as that,” he replied.

“I think you guys are worrying about it more than me. I always said it is not the end of my life if I don't race next year, but obviously I want to be here and I feel that the team is definitely going in the right direction and doing the right things.

“I am sure in the future the team can be the team to beat, but obviously we have to still work and improve.”

Meanwhile, when it was put to him if he would accept a new contract with a lower salary, an irked Raikkonen replied: “I heard something about it. Did you write it? I would be interested to know who writes it...

“It is bullpoo nonsense that you guys come up with all the time. You keep writing that and it is fine with me. You have no idea what my contract says.

“I have a contract and they have to sign it, as simple as that. One of you, whoever writes it, is in here...”

When the journalist in question identified himself, Raikkonen continued: “Have you seen my contract? No? So you just come up with bullpoo...

"You don't know the contract but you write stuff? So you write stuff that is not true? Maybe you should start writing things that make sense...”

[CigarGuy]

Better to quit then be fired?

[darwin dali]

2016: Kimi out, Bottas in - you read it here first.

[myownalias]

2016: Kimi out, Bottas in - you read it here first.

Doesn't Williams have a contract with Bottas for 2016?

[darwin dali]

Ferrari has deep pockets...

[myownalias]

I guess it depends on how badly Williams need the cash... if Williams have a watertight contract, I think Bottas is a good enough talent to force him to drive for them!

[darwin dali]

And there's always Hülkenberg...

[sagi58]

Kimi's already on notice, from what Arrivabene said, earlier in the season.
That is, his continued employment depends on his performance, this year.
Unfortunately, for those of us who "love" Kimi, it hasn't been good thusfar.

I have to agree with DD... Bottas may be heading for Ferrari. Even the most
airtight of contracts can be broken by "mutual" consent. Hülkenberg?
Why not?

I guess it will all depend on just how badly Ferrari want to win.

[darwin dali]

...mutual consent lubricated by

[sagi58]

Yup... One gives and gets, One takes and pockets!!
See? Mutually beneficial!! After all...

[sagi58]

Regardless of what is being reported, I'm sure the heat is on... no?

Glenn Freeman wrote:">Ferrari: 'Too early' to decide Kimi Raikkonen's Formula 1 future

Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene says it is too early to decide if Kimi Raikkonen will stay with the team in Formula 1 in 2016.

The 2007 world champion's future has been the subject of speculation this year, and Raikkonen hit out at media reports last week claiming he would have to take a paycut to stay on.

Arrivabene, who says he will have to make a recommendation to Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne later in the year, believes it would be demotivating to decide Raikkonen's future already, particularly if he is not retained.

"There are many many things to consider and now is too early to tell him something or to decide something," said Arrivabene.

"I could look too defensive or protecting Kimi, but we are not even halfway through the season.

"Try to be in my position, and going to Kimi to say you are out or you are in or whatever.

"I want the guys to be concentrated on what they are doing and to give the maximum."

He added Ferrari has an internal deadline by which time it has to have a decision made, and the final say will be with Marchionne.

"Of course you have a deadline, and I'm not going to tell you when the deadline is," Arrivabene said.

"I could suggest my view and then we need to talk with the president to take the final decision.

"In the normal world, normal companies work like this.

"If you are the president you can do whatever you want. If you are not you have to share your decision to get approval."

While Raikkonen has had two tough weekends in a row in Canada and Austria, Arrivabene said Ferrari's decision would be based on a far wider set of parameters.

"It's not a question of today or yesterday," he said. "It's an overall view that is conducting our decision.

"I was talking about performance - performance means a kind of holistic approach.

"How is the feeling with the engineers, how hard is he working, how quick is he?

"We will decide when it is the appropriate time, for him and for us."

[sagi58]

Laurence Edmondson wrote:">Maurizio Arrivabene sets criteria for Kimi Raikkonen staying in 2016

Maurizio Arrivabene has named the areas in which Kimi Raikkonen will be judged ahead of a decision on the Finn's future later in the year.

Raikkonen had his worst weekend of the season in Austria, qualifying 18th (which became 14th once grid penalties had been applied to others) and crashing out of the race after the second corner. He is now 48 points adrift of team-mate Sebastian Vettel in the standings and pressure is mounting as Ferrari decides whether to keep him at the team next year.

Arrivabene insists the Austrian Grand Prix weekend will not influence Raikkonen's future directly and a decision will instead be based on analysis of various different aspects.

"It's not a question of today or yesterday," Arrivabene said. "Of course we have a deadline [for a decision] and I'm not going to tell you when the deadline is. But it's an overall view that is about conducting our decision.

"I was talking about performance, performance means a holistic approach: how is the feeling with the engineer, how he's working with the engineer, how he's getting points, how he's getting podiums, how he's quick, how he's working out - many, many, many things. And now it's early to tell him something or to decide something.

"I could look a bit too much defensive or protective of him, but we are not even halfway through the season. Try to be in my position and to go to Kimi for example to say you are out or you are in or whatever. I want the best to be concentrated on what we are doing today and to give us the maximum."

Arrivabene said the ultimate decision will rest with Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne.

"I could suggest my point of view and then you need to talk to the president to take the final decision. In the normal world, the normal companies work like this. I mean if you are the president you can do whatever you want, if you are not you have to share your decision to get the approval."

[sagi58]

Way to go, Kimi!!!

Don Quarrell wrote:">Lewis Hamilton snubbed by fans in F1 popularity poll

...Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button in the fan survey, which was conducted by the Grand Prix Drivers’ Association, and which collated results from 215,000 voters...

...The global survey, which was conducted in 194 countries and 15 different languages, saw...

Controversial Finn Raikkonen was voted the most popular driver on the F1 grid...

...the top three of the teams’ popularity list with Ferrari, McLaren and Williams making up the podium...

[darwin dali]

Ouch for LH

[sagi58]

Ouch for LH

I was hoping that my editing skills would lessen the blow!!