[pinkmichk]

i cant believe we still waiting on news

[Iceman]

Silverstone got the go ahead............................................. .........FINALLY

[Iceman]

Kimi Raikkonen’s management team visited McLaren’s Technology Centre on Wednesday as guests of Martin Whitmarsh, itv.com/f1 has learned.

Steve and David Robertson were seen in conversation with the McLaren team principal while walking around parts of the squad’s Woking base.

Former world champion Raikkonen has been heavily linked with a return to McLaren since reaching an agreement with Ferrari to end his contract with the team a year early so that it could make room for Fernando Alonso.

But although the Robertsons’ McLaren visit suggests McLaren is indeed making a serious bid to re-sign the Finn after his three-year stint at Ferrari, itv.com/f1 understands that other candidates remain in the running for the seat alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2010.

Raikkonen has made it clear since his Ferrari departure was confirmed that he is only interested in remaining in Formula 1 next year with a team that will give him the chance to challenge for a second world championship.

Amid speculation that disagreements over money had slowed the progress of his initial talks with McLaren, Raikkonen told reporters at the season finale in Abu Dhabi said he wouldn’t be compromising on any deal just to stay on the grid.

"I have options and I still want to be here [in F1], but everything needs to be perfect," Raikkonen said in Abu Dhabi.

"I have no reason to make any contract that I don't feel 100 per cent happy with.”

The 30-year-old has previously hinted that he could take a sabbatical from F1 or switch to the World Rally Championship if he does not secure a drive he is happy with before next season.

Raikkonen has appeared the most likely driver to become Hamilton’s 2010 team-mate for weeks, although Whitmarsh has previously not ruled out the prospect of Heikki Kovalainen retaining his drive despite his disappointing results this year.

The possibility of new world champion Jenson Button joining Hamilton in an all-British line-up has also been mooted with the star yet to agree a new contract at Brawn.




**** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** **** YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[pinkmichk]

excellent news bout silverstone
ahhhh come on kimi we pretty much know your going to mclaren just come out and confirm already

[Iceman]

definately there so he is, why else would his management and PR team be there?????

[pinkmichk]

there no other reason they would be there not that i can think of

[Iceman]

jenson button is at the mclaren factory, I will stop watching F1 if button goes to mclaren....

this better be a ****ing joke!

[pinkmichk]

GRAH nooooooooooooooooo please no button to mclaren that will ruin it for me chants we want kimi we want kimi we want kimi

[Iceman]

the sport will lose any credibility........

breakaway series anyone?

[pinkmichk]

i wasnt so sure bout a breakaway but yup if button goes mclaren i would follow one we dont want a all english team button is crap he got lucky this yr kimi is a far better driver

[pinkmichk]

German car giant Mercedes has bought the Brawn Formula 1 team in a move that is likely to see Jenson Button join McLaren as Lewis Hamilton's team-mate.

Mercedes will buy a controlling interest in Brawn, believed to be 75% but is expected to continue as McLaren's engine supplier.

Brawn, who won both world titles in their debut season in 2009, will be rebranded as the Mercedes GP team.

Nico Rosberg will be their lead driver, with Nick Heidfeld his likely partner.

Neither driver has yet been confirmed

its not looking good at the minute for not having button at mclaren its just looking more likely after this news

[Iceman]

can see why button was at mclaren now last week, i think the sport is dying.....

[pinkmichk]

gutted kimi is not racing in f1 next year which also means button to mclaren is basically a done deal

[pinkmichk]

button is now hamiltons team mate

Jenson Button has signed to drive alongside Lewis Hamilton in an all-English line-up at McLaren next season, BBC Sport has learned.

The world champion's move will be announced later on Wednesday.

The confirmation follows news that former world champion Kimi Raikkonen will not race in F1 next year.

The move leaves McLaren with one of the most exciting driver line-ups in F1 and Button facing arguably the toughest challenge of his career.

Button's former team Brawn, who have been taken over by Mercedes, made Button an offer, but the 29-year-old did not consider it acceptable.

His switch means McLaren will be fielding the last two world champions in the same team, Hamilton having won the drivers' title in 2008.

Button's preference for McLaren is not solely to do with money, according to sources. He also believes it is the best option for his career.

After a poor start to the 2009 season, McLaren came back strongly in the second half of the year, while Brawn, after dominating the first third of the season, slipped back in competitiveness as the year went on.

Button's manager Richard Goddard was unavailable for comment.

Brawn emerged from the ashes of the former Honda team, after the Japanese company pulled out of F1 last winter.

Button took a pay cut last winter to help secure the team's future and they went on to win the world championship together in Brawn's debut season.

Now renamed Mercedes Grand Prix, the team have already signed the German Nico Rosberg as one of their drivers.

[Gemmer-x]

eep not sure if moving to mclaren is a great move for Button.. i understand why though; potentially better car/ more moneys but hmm i'm not sure if i like the 'all english line up at Mclaren'

[pinkmichk]

hello gemmer none of us from what i can gather are happy about button going to mclaren we all wanted kimi there with lewis

[Iceman]

Gemma the best thing button could have done was retired......that way all the people who seem to think he was a good driver would remember him that way and not the driver who went for 9 years and didnt win a race....

[pinkmichk]

Originally Posted by Iceman

Gemma the best thing button could have done was retired......that way all the people who seem to think he was a good driver would remember him that way and not the driver who went for 9 years and didnt win a race....

i agree with this he just got lucky last season and wasnt exactly consistant throughout the season

[James]

Formula 1 young driver test is on at the moment.

Pics - http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/8390583.stm

Paul di Resta did well, looks like. I have watched him in German DTM.

Di Resta impresses in Jerez test

Scotland's Paul di Resta posted the second-quickest time at the end of the first day of Formula 1's young driver test at Jerez in Spain.

The West Lothian driver, 23, vying for a place as Force India's test and reserve driver for the 2010 season, finished behind Spain's Andy Soucek.

Di Resta was eight places ahead of his team rival, American JR Hildebrand.

Englishman Gary Paffett was third in a McLaren, Mike Conway sixth for Mercedes and Oliver Turvey 11th for McLaren.

Di Resta - the cousin of IndyCar Series champion Dario Franchitti - started three days of testing with the Force India team on Tuesday.

"It's a great opportunity and something I have waited a very long time to get a hold of," Di Resta told BBC Scotland earlier this week. "Who knows what the future holds, but my aim is to get into Formula 1."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/moto...ne/8389637.stm

[Iceman]

final day of testing today then?

[Iceman]

Jenson Button now an official Mclaren driver should have retired

[Mark]

New ferrari car picture. Top half of the image is the new car, bottom half is the old car. Seems the cars are a little longer now

[Mark]

Williams car:

[Iceman]

Im not a fan of Ferrari anymore

Have to support the greatest!!

I do like the new ferrari though, didn't think it would be that much longer to be honest...

[Mark]

http://carlaunch.mclaren.com/