Will Kimi be rehired

[Dare]

Kimi deserves 2019

http://www.f1i.com/news/315942-leclerc-contract-tie-force-ferrari-ditch-raikkonen.html

[guest3164]

I know people say the Ferrari of old when Enzo ran the team would take on young drivers with limited experience, but the Ferrari of old did not run with a such obvious number 1 driver.  I'd be wary if I was Leclerc about being destroyed as a driver by being subservient to Vettel.  If I were Ferrari I'd want him to spend a few more years at Sauber or Haas to really fine tune his racing, hope maybe Vettel retires and then bring in a more experienced Leclerc. 

Therefore, I'd sign Raikkonen again as he fits what Ferrari need.  He is accomplished, experienced, still bloody fast and just doesn't do politics. 

[Dare]

I know people say the Ferrari of old when Enzo ran the team would take on young drivers with limited experience, but the Ferrari of old did not run with a such obvious number 1 driver.  I'd be wary if I was Leclerc about being destroyed as a driver by being subservient to Vettel.  If I were Ferrari I'd want him to spend a few more years at Sauber or Haas to really fine tune his racing, hope maybe Vettel retires and then bring in a more experienced Leclerc. 

Therefore, I'd sign Raikkonen again as he fits what Ferrari need.  He is accomplished, experienced, still bloody fast and just doesn't do politics.

But it looks like a deal was already made. I'd let Vettel go
and keep Kimi. Leclerc will be better for it

[guest3164]

But it looks like a deal was already made. I'd let Vettel go
and keep Kimi. Leclerc will be better for it

Indeed, but we know in F1 that contracts can at times be worth less than the paper they are written on and Ferrari can pretty much dictate what happens with Leclerc.  I still would not be totally surprised to see some work around happen. 

Do I see Raikkonen at any other team though?  Probably not, McLaren wouldn't go back to him, Haas I guess might look at him and you'd probably not rule out Sauber, although I reckon they would go for Giovinazzi if/when Leclerc goes to Ferrari.  I'd love him at Williams, but that would require my lot to actually pay a driver. 

[Dare]

But it looks like a deal was already made. I'd let Vettel go
and keep Kimi. Leclerc will be better for it

Indeed, but we know in F1 that contracts can at times be worth less than the paper they are written on and Ferrari can pretty much dictate what happens with Leclerc.  I still would not be totally surprised to see some work around happen. 

Do I see Raikkonen at any other team though?  Probably not, McLaren wouldn't go back to him, Haas I guess might look at him and you'd probably not rule out Sauber, although I reckon they would go for Giovinazzi if/when Leclerc goes to Ferrari.  I'd love him at Williams, but that would require my lot to actually pay a driver.

I think Kimi has said he's not interested in any other ride
but Ferrari. Of course money talks

[Alianora La Canta]

My understanding was that Vettel was already signed for 2019 - though I would be uneasy about basing a title chase on any of Ferrari's current options in their current state of development. It would not surprise me if it was easier to "bend" Leclerc's contract than Vettel's, should Ferrari decide it needs to keep Kimi - Charles would likely accept a drive with Haas or Sauber provided he remained under the Ferrari umbrella, but Seb emphatically would not.

[cosworth151]

Racer says Leclerc to Ferrari is a done deal. They say it will be announced this week. I really, really hope they've wrong.

https://racer.com/2018/09/04/leclerc-set-for-ferrari-move-this-week/

[Jericoke]

Obviously if I wanted to win an F1 race in any car, today, I would pick Kimi over Leclerc in a heartbeat.  Anyone would.

However, Ferrari already has a driver better than Kimi in Vettel.  (I know, I hate to admit it too). While having the best possible driver in your second seat is good, there's also the future to worry about.

Will Vettel be amongst the best F1 drivers in 2 years, 3 years, 5 years?  By then Kimi likely won't be, so Ferrari will either need to go hunting for the best driver, or find someone who's already familiar with the operation and is a team player. 

Not locking up Kimi is crazy, but not planning for the future is also crazy.

So... which crazy is best for Ferrari?

[guest3164]

The more I watch Vettel, the more I think he is not such a good driver.  Yes, from the front he can dominate races and he is very fast in qualifying, but I do feel Ferrari are suffering from throwing all their eggs into his basket.  Kimi is suffering from sub-optimal strategies (Ron speak at it's finest!) and I think that masks his actual speed in comparison to Vettel.  Sebastien is just too prone to lapses of judgement and concentration that Hamilton, Ricciardo and Alonso don't have and his race craft seems to be lower than theirs as well.  Add in the fact he even appeared to have a hissy fit that Ferrari 'let' Kimi out qualify him, I think they might want to consider letting Kimi loose once in a while during races.  Keep Kimi, let Leclerc learn from him and then in a few years Giovinazzi might be ready or sign someone from another team (like Ricciardo or Verstappen).  Let Vettel go and do something else 

[Scott]

Future smootcher.  I’m of the “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” stripe.  Another year or two might make a longer term Ferrari strategy more apparent, and the 2020 rules are going to mix things up anyway.  Wait until then and see who’s available for shopping. 

For now, keep Kimi.

[cosworth151]

If I were Ferrari, I'd keep Kimi in the A team and leave LeClerc in the farm system for a while, maybe at Haas. To paraphrase what was said said above, Kimi will finish races that Seb won't, and a driver has to finish to win.