F1 2007 driver lineup: Your prediction

[si|verfish]

Witness the sneakiness of journalism and how a "creative" title duped y'all.

As far as that article is concerned, Schumacher said nothing about prefering Massa as a partner.

He probably has said so, but there was nothing in that article that backed up the claim in the title.

 

[BlackSamurai]

si|verfish, hmm, possible.

 

[BlackSamurai]

Comment from Norberg Haug

http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=125241

Haug: If Kimi's smart he'll stay with us
26 July 2006

Mercedes motorsport director Norberg Haug believes it would be a smart decision if Kimi Raikkonen would stay at McLaren. Raikkonen's contract expires at the end of the season and the Finn has yet to make up his mind where to race next season.


"If Kimi is smart he'll stay where he is," Haug told German magazine Auto Motor und Sport. "He will then be able to show who is the fastest driver at the grid, he or Fernando Alonso. He told me he didn't sign anywere else and I don't expect him to lie to me."

well, i have different tought, if Kimi is smart, he SHALL NOT stay where he is. Sacrify another season to proof that McLaren package suck together with new rubber? No way, man.

McLaren have one of the fastest driver in their seat, but their machine can't deliver the driver to the front grid.

PS: McLaren with Adrian Newey...

 

[si|verfish]

Of course he would say that. Haug comes out every GP and says, "We'll do well...etc" or something along those lines. McLaren aren't doing that well are they?

 

[prodigy]

Personally, i think Kimi's time in Mclaren is over. He's been close only twice in his career with Mclaren. Once in season 2003 where the title fight went down the wire to Japan where Kimi nearly nicks it when Michael had some trouble during the race. A smart team drive by Rubens helped Michael to it. Second time last year when Mclaren clearly had the fastest car and Kimi showed the world why he's one of the best driver in town with his sizzling drive in Spa and Japan. Unfortunately, he was let down by poor machine reliability, so at the end of the day, Renault still won because they had the overall best package.

I just feel Kimi has lacked the motivation to win in a Mclaren car. You just don't see the hunger in his drive anymore. Its almost as though he's given up in Mclaren, most clearly in Monaco where he was near to Alonso, only for the car to breakdown and he just walked straight into his yatch.

Kimi needs a fresh challenge and by moving to Renault or Ferrari, you will see a real fired up Kimi and then people would see the real talent of Kimi. His speed coupled with Ferrari's reliability will be a major force.

However, by the looks of it, Ferrari might not be ready for Kimi simple because Michael is still holding out for another season and we all know that if Schumi is in the team, he demands to be the undisputed number 1. And we also know Kimi is not someone like that.

 

[prodigy]

Of course he would say that. Haug comes out every GP and says, "We'll do well...etc" or something along those lines. McLaren aren't doing that well are they?

Haha, nice one. A complete opposite of how Michael use to talk about his chances in GP's. During that season when he completely blew the opposition apart, 2002 i think. In every grand prix, he would tell reporters that this race will be a tough one and the opposition will be strong in qualifying and race day, we have to buck up, we have to improve on the speed and shit like that. He use to say that every fucking race. And when the race starts, he's easily lap like 1 sec per lap faster than anyone else and by the first round of pitstops, he'd be 20 secs up on his team mate and in turn 10-15 secs up on the 3rd placed driver. After the second round of pitstops, he'd be cruising to the chequered flag.

 

[si|verfish]

Well, Michael wouldn't want to come across as a arrogant overconfident twat, now would he. Some pretense modesty goes a long way with the media. For example, it would be bad form to say; "Well, I spanked all the other drivers last GP, so this time I'm thinking of giving everybody a bloody good hiding...".

 

[butthead]

Personally, i think Kimi's time in Mclaren is over. He's been close only twice in his career with Mclaren. Once in season 2003 where the title fight went down the wire to Japan where Kimi nearly nicks it when Michael had some trouble during the race. A smart team drive by Rubens helped Michael to it. Second time last year when Mclaren clearly had the fastest car and Kimi showed the world why he's one of the best driver in town with his sizzling drive in Spa and Japan. Unfortunately, he was let down by poor machine reliability, so at the end of the day, Renault still won because they had the overall best package.

I just feel Kimi has lacked the motivation to win in a Mclaren car. You just don't see the hunger in his drive anymore. Its almost as though he's given up in Mclaren, most clearly in Monaco where he was near to Alonso, only for the car to breakdown and he just walked straight into his yatch.

Kimi needs a fresh challenge and by moving to Renault or Ferrari, you will see a real fired up Kimi and then people would see the real talent of Kimi. His speed coupled with Ferrari's reliability will be a major force.

However, by the looks of it, Ferrari might not be ready for Kimi simple because Michael is still holding out for another season and we all know that if Schumi is in the team, he demands to be the undisputed number 1. And we also know Kimi is not someone like that.

yeah... totally agree with what you say.... Kimi just lost his passion for winning... he used to be unable to hold in his anger and frustration... now he just walks away calmly...

but assuming he will sacrifice another season... why not sacrifice it Ferrari... being a 2nd driver for another year and support MSC to another WDC crown would not be bad.. if MSC does secure his WDC early in the season... heck he might even let Kimi have a few GP wins... in McLaren he will most certainly lose his place even though Ron says he has no favourite drivers... but he seems to have started putting blames on his drivers since last season...McLaren will just disadvantage Kimi too much...

but the best place for Kimi to show quick results would be of course Renault... but there is also no assurance that Flavio would favor Kimi over Fisi as Fisi has been with the team for quite long...

 

[munpeng]

Butthead, I kinda disagree with you. Coz Schumi knows Kimi has a huge market value and Kimi's status at Ferrari would go higher than Schumi, and I believe Todt would even select Kimi as their no.1 driver, coz Schumi is older than Kimi. It would maybe be the case of Schumi helping Kimi to win the title, rather than Kimi helping Schumi. So, Schumi may go against the idea of bringing Kimi in, coz in the end Schumi definitely knows Kimi is as fast as anybody he wants to be.

Actually Fisi is only spending his 2nd season at Renault this year. I think he joined them last year only, replacing Jarno Trulli, who then joined Toyota.

 

[butthead]

Butthead, I kinda disagree with you. Coz Schumi knows Kimi has a huge market value and Kimi's status at Ferrari would go higher than Schumi, and I believe Todt would even select Kimi as their no.1 driver, coz Schumi is older than Kimi. It would maybe be the case of Schumi helping Kimi to win the title, rather than Kimi helping Schumi. So, Schumi may go against the idea of bringing Kimi in, coz in the end Schumi definitely knows Kimi is as fast as anybody he wants to be.

Actually Fisi is only spending his 2nd season at Renault this year. I think he joined them last year only, replacing Jarno Trulli, who then joined Toyota.

nah... dun think Jean Todt would bring him in to be 1st driver... if Schumi is like wat you said...he would not even bother to help kimi grab his WDC title...

Schumi might bring Kimi in to become his protege, maybe??? if i were Jean Todt... i would ask Massa to return to testing roles for a season (if he is willing), give him a guarantee he will be back by 2008... kick Michael out by 2008 and bring back Massa to help Kimi...this situation would most satisfy all parties...

 

[munpeng]

"if Schumi is like wat you said...he would not even bother to help kimi grab his WDC title..."

Butthead, I really don't understand what you meant by that.

 

[ARTC5859]

After last weekend and what Michael said of Massa after the race on pit radio- he loves Massa. Massa can keep up but doesnt beat him. Massa is helping Michael take points away from Alonso and Kimi. So if Michael is staying - he'll want Massa to be with him. Not Kimi.

If Kimi is brought in to Ferrari he'd want to win.

 

[si|verfish]

After last weekend and what Masaa said of himself at the post race conference, he doesn't love being second. He wants to beat Michael and take points for himself. So if Michael and Massa is staying, Massa will not be contented with his role for very long.

 

[BlackSamurai]

Put it in this way, Schumi need Massa now to at least prevent Alonso getting higher point. He will love Massa until his 8th WDC is secured.

Until now Massa will feel very happy and in cloud 9, because podium is something he can never achieve in other F1 team in the past, but as a race driver, you will not want to stay at No.2 forever. Same thing happen to Rubens, he is so happy at the beginning of Schumi-Rubens partnering.

 

[butthead]

"if Schumi is like wat you said...he would not even bother to help kimi grab his WDC title..."

Butthead, I really don't understand what you meant by that.

i mean... if Schumi is really afraid of the finn being better than himself... and he will no longer be no. 1... why will Ferrari bother to keep Schumi??? for sure Schumi will never help Kimi win races...and Ferrari's ultimate goal is to score as much championship points with both their drivers and win the Constructors title alongside a WDC...

my point is ...what is the point of keeping someone who will never help the team reach their ultimate goal... it is going to be like the prost and senna issue all over again...

 

[butthead]

Put it in this way, Schumi need Massa now to at least prevent Alonso getting higher point. He will love Massa until his 8th WDC is secured.

Until now Massa will feel very happy and in cloud 9, because podium is something he can never achieve in other F1 team in the past, but as a race driver, you will not want to stay at No.2 forever. Same thing happen to Rubens, he is so happy at the beginning of Schumi-Rubens partnering.

yeah... it is very hard to know if Schumi is backing Massa up... he will be playing us like fools until the end of he season... although he did say a decision will be made at the end of the season... most likely to stall again...

 

[munpeng]

Yeah, Schumi will definitely not want Kimi to join him at Ferrari, that's why I would bet on Schumi to retire and Kimi to join later. After Schumi's chance of winning the title is now stronger, I believe he would make the decision at Monza.

Btw, my previous post meant that Schumi will not be in the same team as Kimi, and I said "it would rather be the case os Schumi helping Kimi", because everybody knows that, if Kimi joins Ferrari, it won't be Kimi the no.2 driver. If Kimi's going there, he will make sure he's the No.1, we all know Kimi's an ambitious driver. He will go wherever that guarantee him the highest chance of winning the title, that's why Renault is another possible destination, if Schumi decides to stay.

 

[si|verfish]

Renault aren't exactly sitting pretty right now. And with the exit of Michelin next year they will struggle. So Kimi might be having some serious thoughts about where his chances are better.

 

[munpeng]

There are now rumours that Bridgstone may give some advantage to Ferrari next year. Well, there's nothing much for Kimi to consider if Schumi wants to stay, he will just have to go to Renault, or stay at Mclaren. Unless Todt comes out and say "Kimi will be No.1 driver, Schumi No.2" Which is highly not likely, since they are happy with Schumi-Massa partnership.

 

[butthead]

Yeah, Schumi will definitely not want Kimi to join him at Ferrari, that's why I would bet on Schumi to retire and Kimi to join later. After Schumi's chance of winning the title is now stronger, I believe he would make the decision at Monza.

Btw, my previous post meant that Schumi will not be in the same team as Kimi, and I said "it would rather be the case os Schumi helping Kimi", because everybody knows that, if Kimi joins Ferrari, it won't be Kimi the no.2 driver. If Kimi's going there, he will make sure he's the No.1, we all know Kimi's an ambitious driver. He will go wherever that guarantee him the highest chance of winning the title, that's why Renault is another possible destination, if Schumi decides to stay.

still i think very unlikely.. MSC does have his fair share of respect in the team... main contributor over the years and the only one to have brought them out of a 21 years WDC and WCC drought