[Iceman]

Kimi Raikkonen will take a sabbatical from Formula 1 in 2010 his manager Steve Robertson reportedly told the media in his native Finland on Tuesday.

The 2007 world champion has been informed by McLaren that they will not be signing him for next season.

The news is yet another sign that McLaren are hours away from confirming Jenson Button alongside Lewis Hamilton to create the first British champions pairing for 41 years, since Graham Hill and Jim Clark at Lotus in 1968.

But it is bad news for Raikkonen who badly misjudged his hand in contract talks with Woking, that have been going on since close to the start of the season.

McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has been attempting to sign the Finn since March and the deal could have been done and dusted before Button’s talks ran into trouble.

"The option for next season at Formula 1 level was McLaren or nothing," Robertson said.

"Kimi and McLaren didn't reach an agreement, so he won't drive in F1 next year.

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"The opportunities to return to Grand Prix competition for 2011 are there, when there will be more interesting places available.

"At the moment it looks like that could be Red Bull.

"Kimi said before that he wants to race and a sabbatical doesn't change anything in that respect.

"Moreover, it means that Kimi can find a drive where he can fight for victories and world championships.

"Next year he will do rallies and possibly the Le Mans 24 Hours, which both interests and excites him a lot."

Raikkonen is said to have been demanding a considerable salary from McLaren despite a £12m pay off by Ferrari to make way for Fernando Alonso - a salary they have not been prepared to meet.




I ****ing hate jenson button i hope the **** crashes and dies

[pinkmichk]

i'm really not happy about all this i've been moaning about it since the kimi news came out on twitter last night

[Iceman]

im pissed of as hell and am thinking of things to vent my anger......facebook group will be first then twitter account saying im jenson button, then horrible saying all over tibb about him hes a fooking joke of a driver worlds biggest ****!

[pinkmichk]

have you seen that button has been confirmed as being the new mclaren driver i am so not happy loads on twitter are happy bout a all british team but frankly button is crap and if me a huge red car hater can welcome kimi to mclaren would have said a lot jenson is on twitter go spam him with hate

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by pinkmichk

have you seen that button has been confirmed as being the new mclaren driver i am so not happy loads on twitter are happy bout a all british team but frankly button is crap and if me a huge red car hater can welcome kimi to mclaren would have said a lot jenson is on twitter go spam him with hate

its all too *****

[pinkmichk]

apparently jenson revealed today he has always been a life long mclaren fan so its a huge dream what a load of wank grah damn you mclaren kimi would have been a epic pairing with lewis

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by pinkmichk

apparently jenson revealed today he has always been a life long mclaren fan so its a huge dream what a load of wank grah damn you mclaren kimi would have been a epic pairing with lewis

well i wont be watching next year at all, no reason to now......wherever kimi goes i go...

[pinkmichk]

i'll be watching for lewis hope him and button pairing goes the same way as the alonso hamilton one

[Iceman]

No iceman = no f1, its all bullshit and it will be the worst ****ing season ever. Jenson button drove for 10 years and won 1 race up until last season. The team took advantage of a loop hole in the rules which gave them the early advantage, hence why jenson fell apart mid season and didnt win anything after race 7. He wins and then goes on about how he had a schumacher like year, yes a ****ing schumacher year. Michael schumacher is a 7 yes 7, nope didnt get it, 7 time world champion, jenson button won 8 races in his career schumacher won nearly a hundred, jenson button has 6 fastest laps, schumacher has over a hundred, michael schumacher was champion for over 1500 consecutive days, jenson button will hopefully be ****ing dead after 100 days. this just causes caos for the sport and puts its future in doubt (not that it needed that anyway). Jenson bangs on about being the best you have to beat the best.....FACT he never beat schumacher ever.......Jensons first race win came when schimacher and alonso crashed and he had already changed his tyres, i call that luck. the **** has no bottle, no skill, nothing and mclaren are only doing this to have an all british team, if i was hamilton id be pissed off that hes getting nearly the same as him with absolutely no talent at all. When he leaves F1 I will watch again. Poor Kimi he finally gets the fear back and finds himself without a seat, the Iceman has left to take a sabatical, the last person to take a sabbatical was also a finnish driver Mika Hakkinen, he never came back, I pray the ICEMAN returns and shows all these idiots why he has the name ICEMAN!

[Iceman]

Kimi Raikkonen will be missing from the grid in 2010 after failing to agree a deal to drive for McLaren, according to his management. Raikkonen, who has a keen interest in rallying, is expected to pursue other options next year as he looks to secure a winning drive for 2011.

The Finn, 2007 world champion with Ferrari, agreed to leave the Italian team at the end of this season despite having a year of his contract still to run, in order to make way for Fernando Alonso. He has always said he would only contemplate staying in the sport with a top team.

"The Formula One alternatives for next season were McLaren or nothing,” Raikkonen’s manager Steve Robertson was quoted as saying by Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat. “Kimi and McLaren could not reach an agreement, so he will not drive at F1 level - at least not next year."

Raikkonen previously spent five seasons with McLaren, from 2002 to 2006, winning nine Grands Prix and twice finishing runner-up in the drivers’ championship. He moved to Ferrari for 2007, taking the title that year, but was overshadowed by team mate Felipe Massa the following season.

This year Raikkonen has experienced mixed fortunes, with pundits repeatedly questioning his level of motivation. He won the Belgian Grand Prix, but was subsequently hampered by Ferrari’s decision to halt development of their 2009 car.

He also made his World Rally Championship debut at his home event in August, setting competitive times before crashing out. He could now return to that series next year, although Robertson hinted his driver’s Formula One career is far from over.

"Kimi still lives and breathes driving ambition,” he added. “In that sense a year off means nothing. More important is to find a place for Kimi where he can fight for victory and the world championship."

“It’s hard to believe that I have been in Formula One for nine years already,” was Raikkonen’s own take on the situation earlier this month. “I am very motivated to win races and a championship again and will only remain in Formula One if I can race for a team that can give me a car to fight at the front.”

Raikkonen’s apparent removal from the running for a 2010 McLaren seat has already boosted media speculation that the British team could sign reigning world champion Jenson Button to partner Lewis Hamilton next season.

source F1

We salute the Iceman

[pinkmichk]

its so crappy kimi really stepped his game this season esp compared to the last one button i just dont rate at all said all along he got lucky barrichello drove better than button and he was the 2nd seat driver i hope kimi returns i really do
do you think the button mclaren pairing has something to do with that engine deal with mercades? cos kimi has been on cards for ages then all of a sudden in like 2 days he no longer even being considered let alone signed

[Iceman]

piss take im so gutted

[pinkmichk]

james allen has just tweeted this (can we dare hope its true)
#f1 Media voices around the world suggest Raikkonen in talks with Mercedes about dramatic comeback. Is it real or urban myth?

[Iceman]

Holy ****!!!!!!!!!

[James]

According to reports from Brazilian media, Kimi Raikkonen has finalised a deal to race with the new Mercedes Grand Prix team for 2010.

With reports earlier today signalling Raikkonen’s exit after McLaren talks failed and the subsequent signing on champion Jenson Button, his manager Steve Robertson told press that McLaren was his only option.

“The options in F1 were with McLaren next season or not at all. Kimi and McLaren were unable to reach an agreement, so he will not drive at the F1 level – at least not next year.” Said Robertson

Although the source of the news has been proved correct a number of times this year, we will await to hear anything more official.

http://www.thecheckeredflag.co.uk/20...-in-the-night/

Hope it is true, but I think McLaren should have signed him.

[Iceman]

Maybe maybe maybe oh how i would love if he did and then completely own button and showed him what he's missing out on

[pinkmichk]

i dont wanna get hopes up even though he wont be at mclaren i really want him driving next yr (who'd have thought i would be saying this about kimi)

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by pinkmichk

i dont wanna get hopes up even though he wont be at mclaren i really want him driving next yr (who'd have thought i would be saying this about kimi)

well if you look at it, its still a great grid without him...alonso, lewis, massa, vettel, senna and kobayashi (if he gets a seat) but the big name draw always has and always will be kimi...

[pinkmichk]

yeah it is a fab grid (esp if like you say kobayashi gets a seat) but it wont be same without kimi so i really hope its true (and yes i agree mclaren messed up by not signing him) i'm going to bed now but will keep looking on twitter for news from the f1 people i an following

[Iceman]

Originally Posted by pinkmichk

yeah it is a fab grid (esp if like you say kobayashi gets a seat) but it wont be same without kimi so i really hope its true (and yes i agree mclaren messed up by not signing him) i'm going to bed now but will keep looking on twitter for news from the f1 people i an following

cool, Night Mich! think ill follow the people your following!

[Iceman]

LONDON (Reuters) - Kimi Raikkonen's plans for a one year sabbatical from Formula One lasted less than 24 hours before his manager suggested that he might be open to offers from Brawn's new owners Mercedes.

Steve Robertson told the autosport.com website on Thursday that the Finn, who failed to reach a deal with McLaren after leaving Ferrari, was not 100 percent certain to be absent next year.

"This is Formula One," said the Briton, who manages the 2007 world champion with his father David.

"If they can offer, or convince us, that they can provide Kimi an opportunity that Kimi is happy with, and that we are happy with, and he feels he can win races and the championship, then never say never. There is always a possibility."

Brawn won both titles this year with Britain's Jenson Button, who has now departed to McLaren. The champions will compete as Mercedes next season, with Germany's Nico Rosberg expected to be one of their drivers.

Speaking in Macau, Robertson said Raikkonen's position was not all about money.

"There are not many teams that would appeal to Kimi because he is honest when he says he has got to have a car to win. He is not interested in the money.

"Of course, money is a part of it but he doesn't need the money. He wants a car where he can show his talent."

David Robertson said on Wednesday that McLaren could not afford Raikkonen and the driver was going to go rallying instead before aiming for a return to Formula One in 2011.

[Iceman]

Raikkonen has announced he will drive in rallying this year confirming that he will leave F1 for a year...confimring schumi's return?????????

[Iceman]

actually couldnt give 2 ***** about kimi if it means schumi is back.........

[Iceman]

Youtube video

Iceman was the apprentice while the master was recouperating, he will be back to win again!

[Iceman]

Formula One's loss is very much the gain of the World Rally Championship after it was announced that Kimi Raikkonen is to drive for Citroen's junior team next year.

Given both the standing of the 2007 World Champion within F1 and the latter's desire to restrict its drivers from competing in other braches of motorsport, the move is sure to attract plenty of attention and might be seen as a real coup for the WRC.

But, as the 'Ice Man' of the race track undergoes his metamorphosis into one more 'Flying Finn' on the loose, how do you think Raikkonen will perform? Do you think his talent can translate and bring him victories this season?