Boullier seeks to know Raikkonen's 'motivation' for F1 return

Eric Boullier has dropped some big hints about the possible identity of Robert Kubica's teammate at Renault in 2011.

The team is weighing up whether to keep Vitaly Petrov, the Russian rookie who is substantially financed, or push ahead with initial discussions with potential replacements.

The highest profile potential successor is Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion who agreed to leave Ferrari at the end of last year and has since been driving full time in the world rally championship.

"Yes, Kimi has been in contact with us, but we're not yet in discussion," Boullier is quoted by Auto Hebdo in the Singapore paddock.

"It could be a scenario if we decide not to keep Vitaly.

"What is certain is that if we decide to go back into talks with Raikkonen, I want to meet him to really assess the true motivation for his return," added Boullier, amid reports the 30-year-old Finn is primarily looking to replace his Ferrari income that is soon to end.

"Whether it's Kimi Raikkonen or someone else, I want him to be super-motivated to race with us. Whether he's Finnish, Chinese or French-Swiss, he has to prove he is motivated," said Boullier.

The nationalities cited by Boullier almost certainly refer to Renault reserve driver Ho-Pin Tung (Chinese) and the newly Gravity-managed Romain Grosjean (French-Swiss).

Also linked with Renault have been Adrian Sutil, and Spain's AS newspaper reports that Toro Rosso driver Jaime Alguersuari has also been in contact with the Enstone based team.

Peter Sauber, Raikkonen's first team boss in 2001, told the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat: "Personally, I'd be glad if Kimi came back. He is so different and talented."

Nick Heidfeld added: "He would be able to come back without the slightest problem. I have not been driving for a long time and yet I feel I have come back with exactly the same feeling."

And Kubica, Raikkonen's potential teammate, commented: "If I was in Kimi's position, I might stay in rallying.

"But I'm not saying that because I want him to stay there," added the Pole, who like Raikkonen is a rallying aficionado.

Source: Motorsport

Kimi's comeback would surprise his racing fellows

A year ago after Singapore Grand Prix, Ferrari announced that they had broken the signed contract for this season with Kimi Räikkönen. Now they are pondering on Singapore paddock whether Räikkönen could switch back to F1 from rally in 2011.

Turun Sanomat asked about his chances from people who have worked with him and from people who had raced with him.

Peter Sauber was the team manager who hired the 21-year old Finnish talent straight from Formula Renault -serie to F1 in 2001. Sauber lifted up his hands when I asked him how realistic the thought of Räikkönen's comeback to F1 sounds.

– I have absolutely no idea, I really don't know. Of course it could be possible after one year in rally. Otherwise I wouldn't have hired Nick Heidfeld myself.

– Personally I would be very pleased if Kimi would come back. I like that guy. He is so different and talented, Sauber said.

Heidfeld was Räikkönen's first team mate. How does he react to the talks about Kimi's possible comeback?

– If Kimi would want it then I'm sure that he could do it without the smallest adjusting problems. I was away myself for a long time and I believe I can do it too.

– In any case Kimi's one year away is not the same as Michael Schumacher's three years, Heidfeld said.

Jenson Button was one of the young talents the family Robertson brought to F1 along with Räikkönen. Button does not think that he will see his racing fellow on GP-tracks anymore.

– I don't think that Kimi likes this sport so much that he would still come back. At least it didn't look like that last year. It would also be difficult because Kimi would of course only want to drive a good car.

– Kimi seems to enjoy it in rally and he even flies there at times. But if Kimi himself would want to come back then there wouldn't be any problem with that, he would drive just as he did before, Button says.

Chris Dyer worked as Räikkönen's race engineer in Ferrari when the duo made miracles in 2007 with winning the WDC.

Ferrari's strategist knows Räikkönen's skills and ability to adjust, but on the other hand he also knows about his love for rally.

– It would be a surprise if Kimi would come back to F1. You can see from his face how much he likes rally. I think the managers are more for the comeback than he is.

– In itself the return of a driver who is on Kimi's level would be easy. One year isn't much. It would also be in his advantage when others have to get used to the new Pirelli tyres. And Kimi can also already use the KERS-button well.

What about Räikkönen's attitude towards F1-driving?

– I never noticed at any point that Kimi would have seemed less interested than he used to be. Yet it doesn't matter. I know Kimi so well that I know he does exactly what he wants to do next year and I don't want to start guessing over it one way or another, Dyer stated.

Fernando Alonso shook his head when asked of Kimi's chances to come back.

– I don't have the faintest idea. We drivers always want to do what we feel is best for us.

Felipe Massa was of the same opinion.

– Kimi seems to like rally more than F1. Personally I would never go to rally. It doesn't suit my head. Only Kimi himself knows what he wants, Massa said.

Renault's Robert Kubica could become the Finn's team mate should he decide to come back to F1.

– Anything is possible in F1. If Kimi decides to come back then I'm sure everybody welcomes him back. It wouldn't be difficult for him to adjust to all this again because rally is completely different.

– But I don't know about Kimi's plans. If I would be Kimi I would stay in rally but I don't say it because I would want him to stay away, I say it because I know how great a WRC-car is and since my nature is what it is, I would choose rally if I was Kimi.

Nico Rosberg who has closely witnessed how difficult it has been for Schumacher to come back is assured that Kimi would have no problems if he would come back.

– I know that Kimi likes to drive F1-cars. The comeback would surely be very easy. A different thing is if Kimi would accept that he wouldn't make as much money as he is used to. If Kimi demands the same salary as before, then I don't think that we will see him here anymore, Rosberg thinks.

Webber does not believe in the possibility of Kimi ever coming back to F1.

– Kimi has already learned a lot in rally. I'm sure it would be best for him to take advantage of it next year because he doesn't enjoy the numerous off-track tasks in F1. In rally Kimi has already made it half and half.

– I'm sure Kimi would want to drive F1-cars but when the hottest fire under the belt is gone I don't think it motivates him the same way it did before, Webber thought.

– I love rally and I have always followed it. It's just so damn difficult. I know what the notes mean there - and phew... I'm not laughing at all at the difficulties Kimi has had, Webber said.

Vettel tells it straight and says he misses Räikkönen and wants him back.

– Personally I would be really happy if Kimi would drive in F1 again. I think he is one of the best drivers and one of my most genuine favorites from the the whole F1-bunch.

– A year in rally hasn't taken an inch away of Kimi's competitiveness. I think that Kimi will come back if he gets the chance to drive for the WDC 100%, Vettel says.

Heikki Kovalainen would also be pleased if Kimi would come back.

– It would be cool to see how he would still do. A year in rally is not any hinder if Kimi only is motivated to drive in F1. Of course it also depends upon what kind of a car he would get his hands on since it looks like all top teams are closed. I'm sure Kimi has more than enough of challenges in rally too if he should decide to stay there.

Aki Hintsa from McLaren who also has been Räikkönen's family doctor is merciless when it comes to time lines.

– If Kimi will come back then it should happen now. It would still be possible in 2011 but after that he has no chances. The train leaves and nobody catches it. You can see it from Michael Schumacher's comeback. Kimi hasn't been away for as long as Schumi has. It would still be a different matter, Hintsa says.

– What is crucial is the human age that none of us can do anything about - no matter how talented you are. The more you are over 30 years, the more your ability to react will slow down and the ability to learn something new becomes more difficult. There's something new coming to these cars all the time so the equation also changes and the more it changes, the more it's minus, Hintsa sums up.

Turun Sanomat, Singapore

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Exclusive Nick Heidfeld Q&A: I feel honoured to be back

At the recent Italian Grand Prix, Nick Heidfeld was a hot candidate for a 2011 drive because of his recent tyre testing for Pirelli. But just days later, Heidfeld is back racing again, replacing Pedro de la Rosa at BMW Sauber for 2010's remaining five Grands Prix. Even though he doesn’t know the C29 at all, and despite having completed very little mileage this year, the German is sure he can deliver in Singapore and keep his rookie team mate Kamui Kobayashi at bay…

Q: Nick, you hoped your duties for Pirelli would raise your chances of getting back into a cockpit for 2011 - but you’re back already. Why did it work out so quickly?
Nick Heidfeld: Well, with my role for Pirelli, it was always clear that it would raise my chances for a 2011 cockpit and the talks with BMW Sauber obviously did not start just a day before the announcement. There have always been talks and there always was a bit of hope throughout the season - with regards to other teams too. And as nothing came up I took the duty with Mercedes as reserve driver, clearly with the perspective to return to a cockpit at latest in 2011.

Q: So the focus was on 2011. Were you therefore surprised to regain a race seat this year?
NH: Sure, the focus was on 2011. What has happened now is something you can’t plan for. That doesn’t mean that getting a cockpit is not always in the back of your mind. And if a good seat comes along, you grab it with both hands. What is really surprising is the time span. It took less than two weeks to get me back into racing. That really was a jump start. Normally you join a team and undergo all preliminary actions like a simulation of the car, testing and so on. It takes weeks and weeks - and now everything happened in less than 14 days.

Q: Being a reserve driver must be one of the loneliest jobs over a race weekend. How did you cope with that situation?
NH: It was not easy, but it was a decision that I took because I wanted to be at the tracks, show my face, stay in the mind of people and have an eye on every opportunity that arises. It was very interesting to work with Mercedes - with Ross Brawn and Michael Schumacher - to see how people who have had a lot of success in Formula One go about things. Hopefully I gained something from that.

Q: Do you feel sympathy for Pedro de la Rosa?
NH: Yes, very much so. He lives nearby in Switzerland and we meet from time to time and I got in contact with him pretty soon after it was decided. He took it very professionally and very well. He is a really nice guy, but he also knows how Formula One works and if I have the chance to get a cockpit I naturally grab it. I definitely would not say, ‘No thanks; it’s Pedro’s’.

Q: Why did you not start the season with the team?
NH: You’ll have to ask Peter (Sauber). We have been in talks and I was interested in joining the team but somehow we didn’t get together. That I am back now makes me feel somewhat honoured because the team knows me very well and if they didn’t know that I am good they wouldn’t have taken me onboard.

Q: Could it have been that Peter Sauber wanted to create a bit of distance between the old and the new?
NH: Without giving away too much I would say that Peter wanted a fresh start. I guess that was on his mind when he decided on his driver line-up.

Q: Could it be that Sauber somehow blamed the drivers for not giving better input on the car's development, which in the end led to BMW's withdrawal?
NH: I don’t think so. A car that is not so competitive is always a result of all the factors involved - not only the drivers - so I would not think that he would blame one driver for not working it out perfectly. He has been in Formula One for too long to not know that you achieve good results together - and you produce mistakes together. As I just said before I think he wanted a fresh start.

Q: What about your new car - the C29? How well do you know it after last season’s development work?
NH: I don’t really know it at all. It’s a new car. I know the structure, yes, and that helps. But with James Key there is a new technical director and he has changed quite a lot. And the tyres are completely different to those of last year, so what I will find on Friday is completely new to me. But I have so many seasons under my belt that I know what is important for a race weekend. What will immediately help is that I can most likely use last year’s seat and that the steering wheel layout is basically the same as last season’s. That should help me to get into the rhythm more quickly.

Q: How did you prepare for this weekend? Aside from the Pirelli drives, you haven’t been in a Formula One car much lately…
NH: It’s true, I haven’t driven the Mercedes car properly at all. I have only done some demos with it - but not on a proper track - and sure there were the Pirelli tests, but here again it was a different car and different tyres. Even so I hope that these test sessions sharpened my senses again and got me the feeling back. When I knew that that I would be racing in Singapore I immediately started to focus on the track layout. I walked the track yesterday to see any differences from last year. But basically there’s nothing too different from what I was used to in the past.

Q: You are teaming up with rookie Kobayashi, who has given the experienced De la Rosa a run for his money…
NH: Well, I don’t know Kamui very well. Just over the last week I have started to get to know him and I find him a very open, friendly and funny guy, with whom you should be able to cooperate very well. He has made a good name for himself in Formula One so I think it will be a good relationship. And competition is part of the business here so I really prefer it to have somebody who is pushing me…

Q: All eyes will be on you this weekend, so how will you cope with that?
NH: I am pretty convinced that I will be able to do a good job this weekend. How good? Let’s wait and see. I don’t know the car yet. This should not sound like an excuse, but we have seen with other drivers that getting into a new car is sometimes quite tricky. Sure the target is to beat Kamui, but that is normal team mate procedure. He would tell you the same about me. The expectations are clearly running quite high - not only in the paddock but also in the team. I like that. Because it shows that people believe in me. I am pretty comfortable with the situation, as in the past I usually performed well under pressure.

Q: After the remaining five races you will surely want more. How far advanced are talks about next year and where will you be?
NH: There are naturally talks with several teams - basically with all the teams that have a reasonable seat available. The top teams have no free cockpits anymore so it’s easy to guess to whom we are talking.

Q: Was it a bit of a risk to come back for these five races? You have the advantage of your Pirelli experience, but if these five races go badly that advantage might disappear. Are you worried about that?
NH: It was not at all on my mind and I don’t see it that way. I still think that having driven the Pirelli tyres is an advantage that has nothing to do with the races now. Sure it would probably have helped more to do more tests with the new tyres, but I wanted to race. I am sure that I will deliver.

Source: Formula1.com

Schumacher not about to abandon comeback - spokeswoman

Michael Schumacher's spokeswoman has played down rumours the seven time world champion is reconsidering his decision to return to formula one.

The rumours were triggered at Monza by the German's former team boss Eddie Jordan, who now stalks the paddock as a pundit for British television BBC.

Jordan said on Saturday that he thinks Schumacher, 41, is in danger of vacating the Mercedes seat after spotting multiple team bosses, drivers and managers entering and exiting the German team's motor home at Monza.

"I've a hunch something fundamental has changed. I believe he is disillusioned and thinking of quitting," said the Irishman.

But Schumacher's spokeswoman Sabine Kehm hit back: "Michael has no plans to quit at the end of the year.

"When he entered into the whole comeback scenario, he was fully informed about the situation with the car. That's why he chose it to be a three year contract -- you cannot expect to come back and win straight away in that situation.

"Obviously he would have wished that the developments to the car improved its performance more than they did," admitted Kehm.

"But it is a three year project to build a winning team and he is in the middle of the process."

Jordan also said he has "hear rumours" that Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn might not be staying.

But Mercedes-Benz's motor sport director Norbert Haug denied he is at loggerheads with Brawn.

"We are absolutely together working on next year's car," he said.

Source: F1 Complete

Schu staying put as Mercedes looks towards 2011

Michael Schumacher looks set to stay at Mercedes in 2011.

The famous German, who initially retired in 2006, is believed to have signed a three-year contract prior to returning to formula one this season.

But after a difficult re-acclimatisation, it had been widely speculated that the 41-year-old might prefer to step back out of the race cockpit at the end of 2010.

Boss Ross Brawn said in Turkey that he hopes both Schumacher and Nico Rosberg stay at the team in 2011.

Schumacher's younger brother Ralf also thinks the seven time world champion is staying put.

"I think he's pretty happy with what he's doing and, as far as I know, it's a three-year plan, so I'm sure we'll see him around for a while," he told 422race.com.

And Schumacher himself is quoted as saying on Thursday: "For me this is not a one-year project."

That commitment might lead to Mercedes eventually calling off development of the silver MGP-01 in order to concentrate early on its 2011 successor.

"By mid-season, we must look to put the F-duct in and catch up to the top," Brawn added. "If it is worthwhile to keep attacking then we will do it, if not we will concentrate everything on 2011."
The Briton told Italy's Autosprint magazine that he still thinks the pacesetting Red Bull cars are still within reach.

"Some aspects of their car is different from all the others," he explained. "Other teams will introduce these elements in the next races.

"I know that everyone is looking with great interest at their exhaust system," said Brawn.

Source: F1 Complete

[Video] Funny ad on Michael's comeback

Michael: Hi boys! Did you miss me?

Source: YouTube @whiteSetuu
Thanks: Nikki @S-V.org for the tip and translation

Schumacher: Who says I'm only back for three years?

When asked why he has agreed to return for three years rather than just one initially in order to test the water, Mercedes Grand Prix F1 comeback king Michael Schumacher responds: Who says I'm only back for three years?



As words to strike fear into the hearts of his rivals go, Michael Schumacher could scarcely have chosen them any better. When asked about what had prompted the signing of a three-year contract with Mercedes Grand Prix rather than just one year initially to see how things go, the record-breaking multiple F1 World Champion simply replied: “It doesn't have to be the end after three years.”

Schumacher will already be defying all conventional logic by returning to the fray this year at the comparatively grand old age of 41, when most F1 drivers are generally either contemplating putting their feet up or else turning things down a notch or two in order to race in something a little less physically and mentally demanding. Not 'Schumi'.

With his appetite for glory and thirst for battle clearly re-awakened by three years spent out of the cockpit since his original 'retirement' at the end of 16 seasons of top flight competition in 2006 – and palpably as fit as he has ever been, even entering as he is into his fifth decade – the German has an incredible eighth drivers' world championship in his sights in 2010, and quite possibly a ninth in 2011 and a tenth in 2012. And then, he reasons, if he is still capable of holding his own against rivals closer to half his age, why stop there?

“Three years wasn't really my intention, but the idea came from the team,” Schumacher told German newspaper Bild. “I look at it as a vote of confidence. The good thing is that we can have more success over the course of three years, but it doesn't have to mean it's over after three years.”

At the beginning of the F1 2013 campaign, the Kerpen native will be 44 years of age, and in support of the 91-time grand prix-winner's claim, the legendary Juan-Manuel Fangio was two years older still when he secured the last of his five titles in 1957. Giuseppe 'Nina' Farina and Sir Jack Brabham were also both over 40 when they clinched the crown.

Asserting that he is 'sure' of being competitive – even if it might be 'a little optimistic' to add another championship trophy to his extraordinary career CV as early as 2010 – Schumacher added that such an objective 'has to be our target and our motivation', before quipping that he just needs to remind himself which team he is driving for on his return, given that he has spent the past 14 years in the employ of Ferrari.

“I have to watch out not to drive into the red box when I change tyres,” he joked.

Source: Crash.net