McLaren would consider taking Kimi Raikkonen back from F1 rivals Lotus

[Dare]

I hope Kimi stays at Lotus and has the
car to win it all next year


The Guardian, Tuesday 27 August 2013 12.57 EDT

Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen was at McLaren from 2002 to 2006
The Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen drove for McLaren in F1 from 2002 to 2006. Photograph: Tom Gandolfini/AFP/Getty Images
McLaren have hinted they may yet make a move for Kimi Raikkonen after failing to sign him last year. Martin Whitmarsh claims the Finn is "determined" to leave Lotus, a comment that is unlikely to please the McLaren team principal's counterpart at the Enstone-based team, Eric Boullier.

Whitmarsh does not feel Raikkonen will get his way and has also suggested McLaren's driver pairing for next season will be unchanged, with Jenson Button alongside the young Mexican Sergio Pérez.

Conceding to being "a big fan" of Raikkonen, who drove for McLaren from 2002-2006, Whitmarsh has not entirely dismissed the idea of the 33-year-old returning to Woking.

Asked by formula1.com whether he had ever considered luring Raikkonen back to McLaren, Whitmarsh said: "Yes, we have. I probably shouldn't be but I'm completely open. Last year we had talks with him but for various reasons it didn't happen. This year we've had no talks – yet.

"Kimi is determined to go somewhere else and I sense he will not succeed in that goal, so let's see how he gets on there. We are not talking to Kimi at the moment, so let's see what happens in the drivers' market."

Whitmarsh said McLaren owe it to Button and Pérez to continue for another year after failing them this season with a car that has been off the pace. "We haven't given our drivers the car we should have done this year but they've been fantastic ambassadors and I think they deserve another go with us next year."

Michelin have confirmed they would be interested in a return to Formula One but only under certain conditions. The tyre company's director of motor sport Pascal Couasnon has, though, dismissed reports that he was due for an imminent meeting with the F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to discuss the possibility of a comeback.

And Couasnon has stated Michelin would only return as long as F1 diverted away from the situation Pirelli has found itself in, where it has had to develop quickly degrading tyres to improve the show.

Speaking to Le Figaro, Couasnon said: "I guarantee I have not scheduled any meetings with Bernie Ecclestone. I hardly know the world of F1 but all of these people depend on each other.

"If negotiations were to begin, we would lead them to the FIA, Bernie Ecclestone and the teams. We have already sent [to the FIA] the same information as we've made public, so our position is known to all. If the FIA agreed to negotiate a different way of using tyres in F1, then perhaps we are ready to talk."

[Scott]

Everybody is turning it up so Kimi can sign a bigger contract?

I'm still confused.  Why would Kimi leave Lotus to go anywhere but RBR?   

[John S]

So who's seat is kimi supposed to slot into at Macca? 

Jenson has done enough with a rubbish car to be retained and Perez's backers are reckoned to be the main sponsor next year at McLaren, could this be why there have been no talks this year? 

Seems to me many of the big team spokesmen are really bigging up Kimi without actually having any interest in signing him, - I think they call that gamesmanship. 

[lkjohnson1950]

I think Kimi is worried that Lotus don't have the resources to properly develop a totally new package. Next year's cars will be quite different in several ways besides the powerplants and he wants to give himself a shot at a more innovative team. If he can find one.