Kimi
09-19-2013, 10:33 AM
#1
Race Director
Thread Starter
Kimi
Sept. 19 (Telegraph) -- Kimi Raikkonen has confirmed
long-standing paddock rumours that he has not been paid by Lotus,
describing it as "unfortunate" and admitting that the state of
affairs was largely behind his move to Ferrari next year.
The 33-year-old Finn, a world champion with the Scuderia in
2007, will return to Maranello next year to form a
formidable-looking partnership with double world champion
Fernando Alonso.
And Raikkonen, who had been open in recent weeks about the
"assurances" he would have needed to stay at Lotus, admitted that
money was a major motivating factor.
"The reasons why I left from the team are purely on the
money side, and the things I haven't got, my salary," Raikkonen
said. "That is an unfortunate thing."
When asked if there was anything Lotus could have done in
the end to convince him to stay, he said: "There were a lot of
things, I am sure they know what there are.
"It is hard to say which way it would have gone if it would
have happened, but I am very happy [with my decision]."
There is some confusion over whether Raikkonen was referring
to his basic salary, or whether he was referring to
performance-related bonuses agreed in his contract. He finished
in the points a record 27 times in a row for Lotus, a run which
only ended in Spa last month.
Lotus' parlous financial position is symptomatic of a wider
issue in Formula One, with many of the smaller teams struggling
to keep their heads above water.
In response to suggestions that his Ferrari partnership with
Alonso next year might prove "explosive", Raikkonen said that he
saw no reason why they could not make it work.
"We are all old enough to know what we are doing and the
team is working to make sure, if there is something, that we can
talk it through," he said.
"It is not like we are 20-year-old guys any more. I might
be wrong, but time will tell.
"I am pretty sure all things will be good. For sure there
will be hard fight on the race circuit, and sometimes things go
wrong, but I am pretty sure it will be OK."
long-standing paddock rumours that he has not been paid by Lotus,
describing it as "unfortunate" and admitting that the state of
affairs was largely behind his move to Ferrari next year.
The 33-year-old Finn, a world champion with the Scuderia in
2007, will return to Maranello next year to form a
formidable-looking partnership with double world champion
Fernando Alonso.
And Raikkonen, who had been open in recent weeks about the
"assurances" he would have needed to stay at Lotus, admitted that
money was a major motivating factor.
"The reasons why I left from the team are purely on the
money side, and the things I haven't got, my salary," Raikkonen
said. "That is an unfortunate thing."
When asked if there was anything Lotus could have done in
the end to convince him to stay, he said: "There were a lot of
things, I am sure they know what there are.
"It is hard to say which way it would have gone if it would
have happened, but I am very happy [with my decision]."
There is some confusion over whether Raikkonen was referring
to his basic salary, or whether he was referring to
performance-related bonuses agreed in his contract. He finished
in the points a record 27 times in a row for Lotus, a run which
only ended in Spa last month.
Lotus' parlous financial position is symptomatic of a wider
issue in Formula One, with many of the smaller teams struggling
to keep their heads above water.
In response to suggestions that his Ferrari partnership with
Alonso next year might prove "explosive", Raikkonen said that he
saw no reason why they could not make it work.
"We are all old enough to know what we are doing and the
team is working to make sure, if there is something, that we can
talk it through," he said.
"It is not like we are 20-year-old guys any more. I might
be wrong, but time will tell.
"I am pretty sure all things will be good. For sure there
will be hard fight on the race circuit, and sometimes things go
wrong, but I am pretty sure it will be OK."
09-19-2013, 07:22 PM
#2
King of Cool
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
What's left out in that article is the most important thing:
When they asked him why he still shows up to races and races for Lotus even though he's not getting paid?
Kimi's response? "I love racing."
And there still are people who always question his motivation...
When they asked him why he still shows up to races and races for Lotus even though he's not getting paid?
Kimi's response? "I love racing."
And there still are people who always question his motivation...
09-19-2013, 09:33 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
Maybe a few yrs away did him good.
09-19-2013, 09:40 PM
#4
Super Moderator
Needs More Cowbell
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
Needs More Cowbell
Lifetime Rennlist
Member
You don't suppose that Luca saw all the Santander $$ and foolishly believed that DV would win multiple WDC, do you?
No, you're right, Kimi was a slouch and deserved to be fired ... DV has done SO much more for the team.
09-19-2013, 10:15 PM
#5
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Whoa
09-20-2013, 11:50 AM
#7
Burning Brakes
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09-20-2013, 12:22 PM
#8
Drifting
Yes, they should have questioned the motivation of the LAST driver to actually WIN a WDC with Ferrari. Clearly winning a WDC is reason to fire the driver.
You don't suppose that Luca saw all the Santander $$ and foolishly believed that DV would win multiple WDC, do you?
No, you're right, Kimi was a slouch and deserved to be fired ... DV has done SO much more for the team.
You don't suppose that Luca saw all the Santander $$ and foolishly believed that DV would win multiple WDC, do you?
No, you're right, Kimi was a slouch and deserved to be fired ... DV has done SO much more for the team.
09-20-2013, 01:32 PM
#9
Burning Brakes
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I've seen people ask but it's never answered. I have a feeling that you have to do a de in your underwear or endure some rite of passage before anyone will let you in on this dark secret. But yes, DV is rennlist for Alonso, afaik.