Silly season 2010

[ESPImperium]

Toyota: http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 0718.shtml

Sutil: http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/n ... 1303.shtml

[axle]

Panasonic Toyota Racing shut down news on 8.11.2009

What is significant about 8 Nov that makes you sure they'll announce on that date?

While we're on the subject of crystal ball gazing, I'm not convinced all the new teams will make it to the first race.

8th of Nov = Budget day for Toyota...do they have one and how much will it be?

[vasia]

Budget day was supposed to be November 15th. This could be a pull-out announcement, or it could be confirmation that they will remain in the sport.

[ISLAMATRON]

In an autosport interview poor Kobayashi said he doesn't have the money to race in GP2 next year, and that if there is no F1 race seat in 2010 he'll have to go back and work at his fathers sushi restaurant.

what a shame! Kob is a brilliant driver and that he has proved it on more than one occasion in F1. I wish he should get a drive for next year for full season [-o<

by more than 1 do you mean 2? since thats the total # of F1 races he has done

[multisync]

Seeing that Sutil pays to drive then not too sure how a wage rise here works?

[mx_tifoso]

Seeing that Sutil pays to drive then not too sure how a wage rise here works?

Lower fee?

[WhiteBlue]

I think that we can take the Toyota pull out pretty much as fact. Joe Saward confirmed it in his blog that he got independant confirmation from his Japanese sources.

It means Sauber are in and we have to consider who will drive for them.

If McLaren are rational they will hire Nick to avoid clashes and get a successfull points scoring strategy going.

Kimi wants to ralley after his F1 carreer and McLaren are not going to let him and pay his salary. Actually with his severance money from Ferrari he needs no full salary. He can drive for Peter Sauber on a small salary and go rallying at the same time. Itis a win/win for both sides and they know each other. That allways helps to explain tough deals to the press. Kimi can be a Rally hero and Sauber can fill a seat with a superb driver for a year or tweo.

[sticky667]

Kimi needs to buyout webbo's contract and catch a seat next to vettel. that will give him the in on the Red Bull rally team too.

vettel and kimi and loeb and kimi.

How much is that worth to Mateschitz in promo dollars?

[WhiteBlue]

Kimi needs to buyout webbo's contract...

Sorry for the harsh words but that is bull ---. RBR have made their announcements for 2010. So how would there be a way back?

[djos]

Kimi needs to buyout webbo's contract...

Sorry for the harsh words but that is bull ---. RBR have made their announcements for 2010. So how would there be a way back?

I agree, kimi may be a wdc but mark is a team player and has very similar setup preferences to vettel, rbr would be stupid to throw that away!

[Giblet]

For the first time ever Kimi's stock might have lowered slightly.

Not that he still isn't blazing quick, but anyone who gets dumped by Ferrari, for another driver, when they are a WDC, before their contract is up, for a huge buyout, will have a small dark cloud over their head.

Even though everything was very publicly friendly, at some point Ferrari brass had to say "Sorry Kimi, we don't want you anymore, you are being replaced", and this fact won't be lost on other teams.

[ISLAMATRON]

But, isnt that the same thing they said to MS when they signed Kimi?

[mx_tifoso]

Schumacher's contract expired at the end of '06, whereas Raikkonen's was bought out one year early.

[ISLAMATRON]

I honestly thought MS could write his own lifetime contract at SF... guess not.

[mx_tifoso]

Who knows what happened, but the fact that Alonso is latin doesn't suffice to kick Raikkonen out. But since Alonso wanted out of Renault and he had mega-bucks they made room for him.