Kimi Raikkonen signs for Renault..
| November 26, 2011 | Posted by admin under Formula 1 |
We’re hearing reports that Kimi Raikkonen will partner Bruno Senna at Renault (aka Lotus Renault) in 2012. Remember where you heard it 1st! – Although nothing’s been announced we have it on firm authority from pit lane insiders at the Brazillian Grand Prix.
Sources tell us that he has signed for the Enstone based team and will lead the team,with Bruno Senna keeping the 2nd seat after good performances with them.
Raikkonen had been rumoured to be close to a deal with Williams, but that fell by the wayside leaving only Red Bull, but Webber’s there for one more season at least.
Raikkonen’s return means Kubica will probably sit out 2012 and come back to F1 in 2013 replacing Massa. For 2014 a Kubica – Alonso pairing would be very good.
Kimi Raikkonen will test the car before the end of the year. Petrov sealed his own fate with an “outburst” about the team’s strategy decisions after the Abu Dhabi race.
Raikkonen – Renault deal in 2012
It’s believed to be a 1 year deal, and we think this will suit Raikkonen who may try and squeeze into Red Bull ready for 2013 or 2014. With Ferrari happy with Alonso, and McLaren happy with their drivers, it seems as if there will be very few driver changes in the next 2 or 3 years amongst the top teams.
Maybe Kimi might only last 1 season before he gets bored of F1 again??
UPDATE : We brought you this news on Saturday, after Qulaifying for the Brazillian Grand Prix, the rest of the world took 4 more days to fidn this out! – Keep up with inside information in the F1 world on v6turbo.com!
Raikkonen has signed a 2 year deal which will take him up to the end of 2013 – and then the Turbo era begins! – Will he make a successful comeback or will it be Schumacher-esque? – admittedly he is younger, but comebacks can often disappoint. Renault are sure to be more competitive than they have been, but I’d see this as a stop gap so he can feel his way back in, and get a drive for Red Bull in 2014 ?
Raikkonen to Red Bull : 2014 ?
Remember where you read it first! – By 2014 Webber will be elsewhere, as much as I like Mark Webber, I don’t think he’ll be driving for a top team in 2014. Raikkonen would be 35 by then, and having ”done” Mclaren and Ferrari, where else is there left to go? – Unless VW/Audi etc enter F1 for 2014? – It’s safe to say that McLaren or Ferrari are unlikely to want the “Iceman” back. I personally think that Kimi should be one of the quickest men in F1 next year, I wouldn’t know whether he’s quicker than Vettel or Hamilton, but he should be thereabouts in terms of qualifying laptimes.
If I had to pick a driver to drive a race at relentless pace, lap after lap I’d chose Alonso or Button. Alonso might just the slight nod over Button, but I think by the time 2014 comes around Buttom may just shade it if McLaren are running a quick car possibly with a Honda Turbo V6 in the back..!
I read somewhere that Kimi is 3rd in the all time F1 fastest laps table, with 35! This shows he’s got the speed, but I think he maybe doesn’t maintain it throughout a race like Alonso does. Fitness? Technique? Concentration? who knows..
I know from doing endurance go kart races that after 40 laps or so, if you’re not racing close behind another kart, then you can lose concentration quite easily. Is this the difference between a quick racing driver and a multiple world champion? I think Senna learned the concentration aspect at Monaco one year, and he rarely made a mistake thereafter. Will Kimi be more consistent, and still blindingly quick? – I think he’ll be thereabouts but, scrapping for 6th place with Rosberg, Massa, etc to begin with.
2014? In a Red Bull? Maybe, but again I think time may move on, and Vettel and Hamilton plus one new driver, maybe Vergne will be fighting for the victories…………….
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