A good result for Kimi for now, but are Ferrari actually looking to the future ? Horner said earlier in the year, that their cars would come good later in the series, and he was right. Both Max and Ricci are right up there with the best........so if the financial package from Red Bull is a good one, why move ? Ferrari's quality and reliability ghost has come back to haunt them....temporary, we only hope ! Max to Ferrari to stir things up......Kimi to semi-retirement.......Vettel then chucks toys out of pram ! Nah ! ...wouldn't work.....but the racing would be good until the Ferraris fell to bits. 2018 F1 could be very very boring for a Ferrari fan.......
Kimi and Massa are not what they were in 2009. Kimi got literally crushed by FA. He is so old news its pathetic to have to read about how great he is or was etc. He is not helping the team move along as they currently just realized quality control might be of some use. The Ferrari way of things is simply useless. Kimi and Vettel need to leave. A new regime needs to take over and move Ferrari forward. I have zero faith in either driver. Vettel has control and anger issues. He is an adult and in general they don't just disappear at all, his issues. He wont out grow them and this year is utter proof. Keeping Vettel happy is not a winning strategy. He is an employee and replaceable at that with talent waiting. If he is afraid to be pushed with and younger talented driver as his garage mate, he can go to DTM for all I care. Kimi is slow and inconsistent. Do the numbers as I did and he averages 6.75 in the WDC. So he wont be helping the WCC or ensuring Ferrari 1 and 2's with his inconsistent performance over time. The math is not in his favor, nor is age and the talent around him that is simply F A S T E R.
While I'm no absolute fan of KR, I believe continuity is useful in a team environment. If it's working, it spawns camaraderie, predictability, confidence and results. The Scuderia has pulled itself up to, but not yet even with, MB, and that's, at least in part, due to the work the drivers have done. Change that equation by replacing people (especially the guys in the seats) now, and you risk going backwards. I don't care for KR's laissez faire attitude. For the kind of money he earns, he ought to be working very hard to contribute. Again, some of this may be down to his Finnish demeanor, and he's got far more perspective as a 39-year-old than someone does at 18, 19 or 20. So, he's mature? Goodness, by that age and with that much experience, I'd bloody well hope so. Not only that, prior to re-signing, KR's performance always seems to ratchet up. Yet, after, it goes back to merely adequate. So, as noted, I wonder what his true motivation is. Generally, I think it was a mistake to re-sign KR the second time. LdM basically broke up a dominant team (MS/JT/RB) to bring KR on in the first place (which, at the time, I felt was a mistake, too). That didn't work out so well. So, why a second time? His performance at Lotus? Well, the devil you know may be better than the one you don't, but I've never been a fan. And, probably won't be. Obviously, I hope for good things out of both drivers, but there's work to be done to narrow the gap, and I'm not convinced KR is the guy with the work ethic or intensity to get there. He may be the most experienced driver on the grid, but it's not like he's generated great success for the teams he's driven for, either. As I said, adequate (and, on occasion, VERY fast), but only exceptional when it suits him (i.e. the car is just right). CW
Kimi has had more than enough time to show what he can do. He is not doing it. He's been fun to see and hear. That has now become old. He hates the press. Wow. Such a talent.Sorry Kimi but talking to the press has long been part of the job. He is the least flexible top driver and is overtly sensitive to a lacking front end. He doesnt drive around problems he just endures and finishes. We need him why?
As mucha s i like Kimi, i agree he's very far from the driver he was 10 years ago...we need someone else.
I'm not so sure, with such a delicate car and balance, with Seb the clear number one driver, ferrari have to work with supporting the one car the best they can, i.e., Kimi in the second car. How many other drivers (except of course, any one of us armchair experts) would want to drive knowing we are not allowed to be number one, and even if lapping Seb, would have to cede places to him if it meant Seb staying in a championship race.. none. Certainly not a young charger, certainly not a experienced great, like ricci or Alonso. Without being able to get them, then Kimi is a match for the rest..... I don't see grosjean, sainz, perez or any of the other also rans to be better than Kimi, and especially if they are signed as number two, and they definitely aren't fit to lead ferrari, the greatest team ever to make the grid. Sorry, Kimi is a great driver, when the car is right, superb (just like any other, yes, including elton, who wins then the car is right, and moans when it isn't but has the Mercedes to guarantee a crack at at least second every race even if it isn't working well)
If Vettel is eventually mathematically out of contention for WDC,i would not be surprised to see the old Kimi putting in a stormer to take a win.
He has had how long to do that LOL! He's a paid number 2 marking time until he is simply replaced. He has a job because the team is bowing down to the spoiled one who fears a repeat of Red Bul and Ricci....period.
I think you underestimate the value that those inside ferrari give Kimi in feedback in private, he is apparently a very good tester. Of course, I'm assuming it's very monosyllabic!, but thorough. That is worth a great deal in times of limited testing
I can see that. Yet in the overall he continues to disappoint. He should be a bit more effective but his inconsistency over-shadows the better efforts. Plenty of pundit former drivers etc continue to point that out. I do think he costs more than he provides in return.....
Maybe, but you gotta love the man. Lives the dream of racing a ferrari, former world champion, mindset that can't be intimidated. I agree that he was faster 10 years ago, but I don't think he is far from the perfect number two for our Sebastian with his 'stressful demeanour' which needs to know he only has to worry about external challengers, not from within Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
A little bit off-topic, but regarding Seb it seems some blame him for not wanting to be challenged within the team and only accepting a number two as team mate. One has to remember that it's exactly what Michael Schumacher did, and in his case it proved beneficial for him and for the team.
He doesn't earn that much. What he costs in salary they more than make back in hat sales alone. He's been fast again this season, particularly after the opening races. He qualifies closer to Vettel than I expected (time wise), in races he's not far off either...lets not forget Vettel is a 4x champion. He's been very unlucky quite a few times this season. I think he could've won Malaysia, Ferrari was blindingly fast, as was Kimi that weekend (remember he oh so nearly snatched pole). Singapore he could've won (wouldn't be allowed to but that's sort of beside the point). Monaco they switched places (understandable). The problem is, who do you really replace him with? Ricciardo is very fast, and it'll be another season lost for Ferrari as they squabble over 1st and 2nd and lose too many points to each other. Ocon, Hulk, Perez have too much to prove, the FI pair proven they will not listen to team orders anyways (I think Hulk would listen) Verstappen means they'll have to sack Vettel. It'll be fireworks from day one. Vettel won't be able to beat him, neither will listen to team orders, rather have a crash than be passed by one another. Zero point in paying Vettel 50 million anymore. Alonso would be the same issue I imagine. Giovinazzi is unproven, and I don't think "good enough" Grosjean is a whinging prick and not good enough. Still doesn't understand the brakes (not at Lotus/Renault and not at Haas either). Leclerc is great, but obviously unproven in F1. I have little doubt he'll be good but same issue as above...he has too much to prove. He'll be easier to handle than others though. I see a few options: 1) Keep Kimi. Team harmony, fans love him, they can manage him. Doesn't throw tantrums. 2) Take on Leclerc (I see this likely to happen for 2019) 3) Sack Vettel and get Verstappen with Hulk, Ricciardo or Leclerc in 2nd seat.
Welcome back to the pool. I expect they will take either Max or Ricci ,and have to change this idea of a no2 driver ...its not really working is it ? If Vettel doesn't agree too bad. i still hope Kimi will take a win this year ..he kind of deserves it .
Red Bull, Ferrari and Mercedes all want Max. He will go where he has the best chance of becoming WDC; at the moment that is unquestionably Mercedes. I like Hulk(interested to see how he and Sainz compare and interact) but I think that he has a long term contract with Renault and he is getting a bit old by current F1 standards. If Leclerc has a solid first season I think he is the front runner for the second seat at Ferrari.
I believe 2019 we will see either Ricciardo or Leclerc in red. For now my money is on Ricciardo. +1 on all. It'll be a massive bidding war. Mercedes with the deepest pockets, the best car...I do think Hamilton will simply leave F1 if they sign Verstappen. Leave on a high etc. Ferrari can't afford 2x massively salaries and the intra-team fighting. Though I do wish Verstappen to win the title in a Red Bull or Ferrari rather than Mercedes....Especially if the car he wins it in isn't the fastest of all as that means we'll see a proper fight for the title with real overtaking rather than another runaway season with no competition.
I think 2018 will be Kimi's last in F1, and hope Ferrari will let him loose after CoTA. If Seb's car fails this weekend, let Kimi loose earlier. He can be fast, if left to race and not play 2nd fiddle. I, too, think Ricci will end up at Ferrari, and would complement Seb, and maintain team harmony. Similar to how Ham and Bottas get along.
Two things I would like to see: Either Max being team mate of Lewis and then we would see how good Lewis actually is (although I fear there would be more political competition behind closed door than on track) or a Red Bull that is capable of him taking the fight to the Mercedes and look who (Max or Lewis) gives in when they clash
Yep I want to see Max against Lewis but I'm convinced it won't happen. If it does, props to lewis for accepting that challenge. My hope is a slightly slower red bull but still beating Hamilton, more satisfying
It is not going to happen before 2021 at best, because Red Bull has just announced that Max Verstappen has signed until 2020 included...
Its 10 years today that Kimi was WDC for Ferrari. The old guard are gradually moving over to make room for the young guns. Can't help thinking where Ferrari would be today if they had Max and Ricci onboard?
