Räikkönen makes escape from poverty

F1 ex-World Champion may next concentrate on rally driving

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Despite all the rumours, Kimi Räikkönen’s decision to have at least one sabbatical year from the Formula One racing circuit still came as a surprise.
      In the end, the McLaren contract folded because of disagreements over money.
      “McLaren could not afford Kimi”, the Finnish driver’s manager David Robertson told the BBC.
      “It was not in Kimi’s interest to continue driving with the salary that the team was prepared to offer. Therefore he will now concentrate on rallying.”
     
In the same breath, however, Robertson affirmed that Räikkönen wants to return to Formula One in 2011.
      “But with all the money he has earned he doesn't want to go in a medium-type team for money.”
      “He would only race for a team capable of winning grands prix and world titles.”
      Robertson’s words were merely received as confusing.
      So, does Räikkönen want to drive rally or F1? And if everything was down to money this year, how come that will not be the case next year?
     
Räikkönen revealed to the Finnish daily Turun Sanomat that he wants to be the first driver to win both the Formula One and the World Rally Championship title.
      If this is the case, Räikkönen would have to concentrate all his efforts in rallying. And if he does that there will be no going back to F1.
      For Räikkönen there may be an opening in Petter Solberg’s WRC team. The Norwegian has said so to the news agency NTB.
      It is an altogether different matter, though, whether Räikkönen will ever make it to the top in rally driving.
     
Robertson’s words make more sense when one takes into consideration the fact that Ferrari will pay Räikkönen 17 million dollars if he takes a sabbatical year in 2010 or if he retires from the sport, but only ten million dollars if he moves on to another F1 team.
      Still one can ask whether it would not have been better for Räikkönen to accept McLaren’s offer of EUR seven million, which will now end up Jenson Button’s pocket.
     
Button’s decision is also puzzling. For less than two million euros, the Briton left the Brawn GP team, where he was the king, and moved over to McLaren, where Lewis Hamilton and his family control the pecking order.
      Button’s move to McLaren also marks the end of Heikki Kovalainen’s two-year stint with the British team. Kovalainen's future in the sport is unclear.
      He might secure a seat with Renault, but that team has yet to decide if it will take part in Formula One in 2010. Kovalainen drove for Renault in his first season in F1 in 2007.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  Kimi Räikkönen to take sabbatical year from Formula One (18.11.2009)

Links:
  Kimi Räikkönen (Wikipedia)
  Kimi Räikkönen official site

Helsingin Sanomat