Howett and Toyota waiting on Raikkonen

[Dare]

Kimi might have been a good fit at Toyota!!!He would
surely have been the #uno driver
 

 

 
Having lost Kubica to Renault, Toyota chase Raikkonen.
 
Toyota team president John Howett on Saturday said Kimi Raikkonen's management is asking for more money before the Finn agrees to switch to the Japanese-owned team for next season.

Spain's Diario AS newspaper insisted earlier today that Raikkonen actually signed for McLaren Mercedes almost immediately after agreeing to leave Ferrari at the end of the season.

But Howett told the BBC at Interlagos: "His manager has asked for more money and we've said we think we've put enough money on the table. 
 
"

Howett also admitted that putting test and reserve driver Kamui Kobayashi in the race seat full time is an option for 2010, but that a decision has not yet been made.

E.A. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM 

[raindancer]

Actually imo Toyota have developed the car a fair bit and I sometimes ponder whether their driver combination let them down. In a sense would a top driver like LH, Kimi or FA delivered better results. I am not suggesting that Jarno trulli is a slouch but .....
However Kimi is clear that he wants a car that can potentially win the championship, is the Toyota good enough + who will develop the car ?

[FW14B]

I do not know but I just cannot see a 'top' driver in a Toyota any time soon.  Kubica preferred to go to a troubled Renault team than Toyota and that says a lot to me.  There is just something about the team that makes me doubt their credentials as a real threat.

[littledave]

Toyota is a strange team. Here, there and everywhere. There just is no sense of direction. One thing that has alway been missing and that has been a strong driver linup up which is strange as I'm sure they have a god few £££ to spend on driver wages.

IMO they should have binned Trulli same time as that waste of space Ralf Shumacher.

Would be a shame to see Kimi go to Toyota, Maclaren is where it's at. Knock down Hamilton a peg or two.

[raindancer]

But if we pause and reflect, Toyota has shown pace although not very consistently. WOuld a driver the calibre of Kimi drive them that little extra needed for the last gasp ? I am curious because although Toyota may not have offered $49 M he still wouldnt have come cheap and atleast a few times more tha trulli. That is big money.
However the contract is only for a year I presume.

[Scott]

If Kimi moves to Toyota, then it's because he's decided his F1 career is over and they have the biggest chequebook on offer and he's decided he will try to bleed as much $$$ out of F1 that he can.  Then he'll move on to rallying once nobody will offer him a big one year contract anymore.

Seriously, Toyota would be a dead end for Kimi.  Why would he say on one hand that he'll only drive for a team that can win right away, and not in the same breath say Mclaren?  Brawn doesn't have the money, so unless RBR punts Webber, there is no other team on the grid capable of that (I think - but Brawn surprised us all).    

[cosworth151]

Toyota is waiting on Kimi?

They'd have better luck with Godot!

[FW14B]

Well Toyota now seem to believe Jarno Trulli will stay on next year, with an offer being on the table as well.  What is the likelihood they start 2010 with Glock and Kobayashi as their pairing?

[littledave]

But if we pause and reflect, Toyota has shown pace although not very consistently. WOuld a driver the calibre of Kimi drive them that little extra needed for the last gasp ? I am curious because although Toyota may not have offered $49 M he still wouldnt have come cheap and atleast a few times more tha trulli. That is big money.
However the contract is only for a year I presume.

This thing is with Kimi he want's to drive a good car fast. I don't think he is that bothered about going to help make a slow car go fast.

[John S]

But if we pause and reflect, Toyota has shown pace although not very consistently. WOuld a driver the calibre of Kimi drive them that little extra needed for the last gasp ? I am curious because although Toyota may not have offered $49 M he still wouldnt have come cheap and atleast a few times more tha trulli. That is big money.
However the contract is only for a year I presume.

This thing is with Kimi he want's to drive a good car fast. I don't think he is that bothered about going to help make a slow car go fast.

I think that's what all drivers want, the real champs can make a car perform beyond it's norm that is what makes them special.

Many great drivers have had trouble setting cars up and have relied on teamates to do most of the preparatory work, then they jump in and make their No 2 look slow.

The trouble for a Kimi/Toy tie up is finding the right development driver to play a supportive and productive No 2 role. IMO

[SennaMan]

Toyota is waiting on Kimi?

They'd have better luck with Godot!

Lol, exactly cossie! 

[raindancer]

Just read that Kimi has asked 25 M Euro from Toyota and that John Howett has given up. However Kimi has two more options according to the paddock.