Will Kimi Raikkonen Make a Comeback?
How long will Kimi Raikkonen’s exile from Formula 1 racing be? When he left the sport at the end of last season to pursue rally car racing, many people thought that it was not a long-term departure. The general consensus was that Raikkonen’s entry into the World Rally Championship was a temporary dalliance and a way to keep busy until a high-quality Formula 1 ride opened up.
Raikkonen’s performance with the Citroen Junior Team has been up and down in his first season in the WRC – he’s struggled at times but has already finished in the points twice with an eighth place finish at the Jordan Rally and a fifth place result at the Rally of Turkey. He joined Carlos Reutemann as the only drivers to score points finishes in both the WRC and Formula 1.
However, it appears that Raikkonen’s growth from rally car novice to title contender might be over before it’s had a chance to blossom. The 2007 world champion has been linked to several possibilities in the future. News this week that Mercedes-Benz Motorsport Vice President Norbert Haug travelled to Raikkonen’s home in Switzerland fuelled the latest round of speculation about Raikkonen’s plans for next year.
Raikkonen left Ferrari at the end of the 2009, with most people expecting that he would join Lewis Hamilton at McLaren. But negotiations with the team fell apart and McLaren selected the reigning world champion Jenson Button instead. Raikkoken flirted with other teams – including Mercedes – and turned down a ride with the now-defunct Toyota F1 team before deciding to give rally driving a try. He initially said that the sabbatical from Formula 1 would be brief but his recent success led him to be vaguer about his future plans in recent weeks.
This hasn’t stopped the rumour mill from working overtime in finding Raikkonen a ride in 2011. There’s no question that with a shortage of experienced drivers capable of winning races (and world championships) in Formula 1, almost any team that could lure Raikkonen back to Formula 1 would receive an immediate boost. As McLaren boss Martin Whistmarsh recently said, Formula 1 would be “richer” for having Raikkonen back in the fold.
The most likely landing point for Raikkonen would appear to be Renault. The team was forced to sign unproven Russian Vitaly Petrov as their second driver to Robert Kubica in the off-season because of financial pressures and the independent sponsorship Petrov brings to the table. But Petrov has struggled to adapt to Formula 1 racing, leaving Kubica stranded without a solid partner. Kubica and the Renault team have made significant strides in recent weeks and rumours of increased sponsorship could mean that the team has more money to spend on bringing in a veteran driver to replace Petrov next year. Many media reports have suggested that Raikkonen is their main target.
But Haug’s trip to meet Raikkonen creates an interesting new scenario. Raikkonen and Mercedes appeared to be keen to work together after Raikkonen’s deal with McLaren fell apart. However, the team switched course after Michael Schumacher announced plans to return from a three-year retirement and drive for the team. But what looked like a no-brainer for Mercedes has turned out to be bittersweet – Schumacher has struggled to regain his championship winning form and has lagged behind teammate Nico Rosberg. Haug’s visit to meet with Raikkonen could be a sign that Schumacher‘s comeback with Mercedes is in jeopardy of coming to an unexpected end.
Raikkonen could easily end up at either Renault or Mercedes next season. He could even wind up with Red Bull if the team’s current in-fighting continues and Mark Webber winds up not coming back in 2011. No matter where he ends up, it seems obvious that Raikkonen is too talented and too hot of a commodity not to be racing for a championship-calibre team next year in Formula 1.
Tags: