Good Riddance or Sorely Missed? - By Paul_Murtagh

Early on Wednesday morning the manager of Kimi Raikkonen, Steve Robertson, revealed that the Finn will take a sabactial from Formula 1 in 2010 after talks with McLaren broke down. Raikkonen only targeted a McLaren seat as he believed they were the only option who could guarantee him a race-winning car, but the deal is believed to have broken down over wage demands and the number of PR days to be covered. Raikkonen's decision has caused divided opinions in F1.

There are many out there who believe F1 is losing a real talent for next year. Since his first grand prix in 2001 Kimi was regarded as a huge talent. He joined the select band of drivers to have scored points on his debut, and made very little mistakes during his maiden campaign. This led to a big move to McLaren, and in 5 years with the team Kimi achieved 9 wins and even a championship charge in 2005, before the lure of the Prancing Horse with Ferrari in 2007 took him to Maranello. Kimi finally achieved what many believed to be an overdue championship in 2007, but since then things haven't gone well for him. But Kimi showed at Spa last season that he still does have race-winning pace, and could do a good job for any team.

But then there is the camp that believes Kimi has kept his seat in F1 recently on his reputation alone. Since winning the title at Brazil in 2007, Kimi has only won 3 races, whereas team-mate Felipe Massa won 6 races in the same period. He has also crashed out of races when perhaps pushing that little bit too hard (Belgium and Singapore 2008), but perhaps the reason why some people are glad to see the back of him is his attitude. Kimi seems to have a couldn't-care-less attitude towards F1, earning the biggest wage in the sport by some margain. An example of Kimi's poor attitude was at this season's Malaysian GP, when the race was red-flagged for poor weather. While almost all of the drivers either sat in their car or poured over telementary data with their engineers, Kimi was sitting at the side of the circuit eating an ice cream - not the image many applauded. Many feel that Kimi was also taking a seat more deserving of another driver who would make more of an effort - and so did Ferrari who replaced him a year before the end of his contract with Fernando Alonso.

So he split opinions, and looks like his F1 career is over. But are you glad to see the back of him, or sad that F1 could be losing a great talent?

Comments

[sportsman]

I am glad to see him gone.As fast as he can be doessn't really do anything to change my opinion.
His couldn't care less attitude and constant demands to have everything his own way and refusals to do the PR work,which is essential for the sponsors to supply the money,which he demands as salary added to his mediocre race perfomances it was obvious that he would find it nearly impossible to get seat next year.
He has had his chance in F1.And his departure creates an opportunity for a far more deseving driver to be given a drive in F1

[Flood1]

I am disappointed that he didn't reach his full potiential. He seemed to hold much more promise that he delivered and that in large part was his own fault.

I was glad that he won the championship. I was tired of the goings on in team McLaren between Louis and Alonso. I didn't want to hear any more of their fussing.

I doubt that he will be back in F1.

[KM-TV]

They say that he'll go to the WRC, and in a Citroen C4 WRC. Be assured that any deal with that will involve a lot of fincancial input from Kimi himself, because the notion that he could just walk into a works team is frankly nonsense. His past rally record is not exactly spectacular - except for the exit from last year's rally of Finland. That WAS spectacular...

As for a return to F1, never say never, He has talent, he just needs to be bothered to use it.

Maybe DTM? Maybe Sportscars?