Heikki Kovalainen

Reemz27

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Record-breaking multiple MotoGP World Champion Valentino Rossi has suggested that the reason Kimi Raikkonen has been dropped by Ferrari to make way for Fernando Alonso in F1 in 2010 is that the 2007 title-winner 'is not very fast'.

It was finally officially confirmed by the Scuderia earlier this week that Alonso is to jump ship from current employer Renault to Maranello on a three-year contract from next season onwards, alongside Felipe Massa, who is continuing to recover from head and eye injuries sustained in the accident he suffered during qualifying for the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring just over two months ago.

Rossi – who is bidding to add a seventh premier class crown to his extraordinary career CV this year with Yamaha – believes Ferrari have made the right choice.

“I know that in Ferrari they are all very excited about Alonso,” revealed the Italian, himself still linked with an eventual future in scarlet once he hangs up his motorcycling helmet, following a number of tests for the most famous and illustrious team in F1 history in recent years. “I don't know him personally; maybe I will get the chance in the future.

“Ferrari, after [Michael] Schumacher [left], put everything on Raikkonen, but Kimi had some problems after the first year – he is not very fast. In the last two years, especially before his big accident, Massa was stronger than Raikkonen. Maybe for that reason Ferrari decided to keep Massa – and also to give [him] another chance after his bad luck in Hungary.

“They needed another top driver, and Alonso is a two-time world champion. He beat Michael for the last two years of his career, and I think in Italy all the F1 fans are very excited about Alonso and Ferrari.”

Ever the showman, whilst testing for Ferrari several years ago Rossi challenged Alonso to a duel on both two wheels and four, after the Spaniard had claimed that he could similarly compete within a second of the leading pace in MotoGP – and the 30-year-old Urbino native admitted that he hoped one day the 21-time grand prix-winner would indulge his whim.

“Yes it's true,” remarked the 103-time race-winner. “I wanted to make a bet with Alonso and have a heat with MotoGP, F1 and a rally car – but he said he didn't have time! Maybe in the future it will be possible…”

http://www.crash.net/f1/news/153030/1/rossi_former_f1_champ_raikkonen_is_not_very_fast.html

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LogicPro · Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 7:27 am Post subject:

Rossi should think about his championship and about Lorenzo who have been faster on many occasions this season...

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"Ayrton Senna was an extraordinary racing driver. His skills, craft, subtlety and courage were of such magnitude that he dwarfed his generation of drivers."
Ron Dennis

Reemz27

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Kimi Raikkonen's manager has played down reports linking the Finn with a move to Red Bull Racing.

Earlier this week it was rumoured that contact had been made between the 30-year-old's management and the energy drink owned team, despite the fact that Mark Webber was recently put under contract to be Sebastian Vettel's team-mate next year.

"There is only a connection (with Red Bull is) as a beverage partner," Raikkonen's manager Steve Robertson told the Finnish broadcaster MTV3.

The 2007 world champion is linked with teams including Toyota and McLaren.

"We are talking with several teams and Red Bull is not among them," Robertson added.

Source: GMM
© CAPSIS International

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/091009095324.shtml

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Reemz27

Felipe Massa...

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Felipe Massa will wave the chequered flag at the end of his home round, the Brazilian Grand Prix.

The Paulista is now back in training after recovering from his serious head injuries sustained in July's Hungaroring qualifying, but his return behind the wheel of a Ferrari at the Interlagos track has been ruled out.

Instead, he will travel to his local circuit simply to be with his Ferrari team colleagues for the first time since his accident, and to greet the winner with the famous black and white flag.

It is rumoured that, after a medical thumbs-up by the FIA on Friday, and a test in a two-year-old Ferrari early next week, Massa could then make his return at the following race in Abu Dhabi for the 2009 season finale.

Interlagos, otherwise known as the Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, was the scene of high emotional drama a year ago when Massa won the race in front of his ardent countrymen and for a few seconds seemed to have snatched Lewis Hamilton's World Championship from the jaws of defeat - until the Briton accomplished a last-gasp pass before crossing the finish line.

D.B. © CAPSIS International
Source: GMM

http://en.f1-live.com/f1/en/headlines/news/detail/091008143458.shtml

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Wcqxvzj · Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 6:49 am Post subject:

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Q: (Jonathan Legard – BBC Sport) Question for Kimi: you talk about your options. I just wondered how important it would be if you decided to stay in Formula One, if you found another team, that you could do some rallying as well, like you did with Ferrari or whether that’s something of a stumbling block, wanting to do another form of motor sport as well as doing Formula One?

KR: It’s definitely going to be Formula One, it’s going to be in the contract that I’m allowed to do it (rallying). It’s not going to hurt you. Any kind of driving is always going to give you some experience, so I don’t see what’s the issue. It’s been working well this year, so as long as it doesn’t disturb what you’re doing in Formula One or whatever you do, I don’t see that there’s any problem.

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Raikkonen says McLaren the only option

Kimi Raikkonen has revealed that his only real opportunity to remain in Formula 1 next year is to complete a deal with McLaren.

"Toyota has not even been discussed," Raikkonen told Finnish television station MTV3. "If I want to drive [F1] cars, then McLaren in the only option. I should know the situation in the next few days."

Raikkonen said in the official FIA press conference in Abu Dhabi that there were other options for him outside of F1 – including rallying or even a sabbatical.

"Basically I have a few different options and we will see what is the best one overall and then make my decision," he said.

When asked specifically about rallying, Raikkonen said: "It is definitely one of them, but I mean it is not just Formula 1 and rallying. There are other things I could do and we will see what happens."

Speaking about the possibility of taking a sabbatical, Raikkonen said: "I can if I want. I can do whatever I want, but like I said before, I haven't made my decision what I want to do yet."

Raikkonen's decision not to pursue an offer from Toyota leaves the Japanese manufacturer facing increasing difficulties to try and find a top-line driver for 2010 – with Robert Kubica also having rejected its overtures to sign a deal with Renault.

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