Mildh: Räikkönen would need a fortuneteller's skills

Mildh: Räikkönen would need a fortuneteller's skills 

27.8.2013 

Sebastian Vettel's superior victory in Spa might have been very decisive in the WDC-battle, but in F1-world the interest towards it seems to be statistic only. The sporting department is - as usual - in the shadow of driver-market speculations. 

The driver rumours spin in F1-circus just like they do in every other big sport, like for example football. There's nothing bad with it, but the reliability of rumours in F1 seem to weaken year by year. The most wildest rumours are flying in the media center and on the paddock boulevard. When someone from a team's personnel states his opinion in a coffee table discussion, it may stir up a huge fuss or a brilliant idea at the least. After that we can start talking about inside information. 

Only a few persons from the management are included in driver discussions within a team. The rest of the employees are out on the yard like snowmen. They get the information just a moment before the official announcement is dealt out. 

When you try to remember even a little, dig and gather views, you can find reasonable reasonings for every switch. You get these from for example the team's history, the drivers' characters, commercial links and changes in regulations. At this stage there are no wrong answers. But we don't have facts at our disposal. 

Rules changing are a vital part of this year's driver-carousel. Switching to V6-turboengines is such a bigh deal that if a driver has even the slightest contractual chance to negotiate, then he has to look into all possibilities. Next season power relations might swing from here to there. Then again we always expect it when rules are changing. 

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One would need a fortuneteller's skills in order to make the right decision. 

One who is in need of that skill is Kimi Räikkönen. Then again I assume that his contract papers are already signed. Yet the best possible assurance of central factors are needed before signing the actual contract. 

The switch to Red Bull wasn't as obvious as one would had expected. It's clear that Räikkönen wants to give Lotus a chance, while negotiating at the same time with for example Ferrari. At least two engine-brands are included in this love triangle. 

Lotus is one of the teams who don't yet have a sealed engine-deal. It would be natural to continue with Renault, but why wouldn't Eric Boullier & Co. also look elsewhere, although the risk would be that it would effect the car's development schedule. 

Although engines are still being tested it looks like Mercedes Benz is the most promising at this moment. They have managed to turn the engine's horsepowers up to such a spectacular level, that the German camp is seriously working to get tire- and rim-sizes bigger so that they can transfer the power on the track. Ferrari again has throughout the history been the most competitive in engine development. The biggest question marks are floating upon Renault. 

Engine-cooperation is not just delivering engines, it's also giving their own engineer- and technician-group at the team's disposal. This group has to be in close relations with the car's designer team and also be involved in racing activity. The significance of this cooperation will be emphasized next season when we are closer to hybrid power sources and when the usage of peripherals gets more complicated due to additional electronics and energy-saving. 

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I think that the engine is more important for Räikkönen than personal money-matters, when thinking of his continuance in Lotus. Räikkönen always gets his pay. One way or another. The team's owners will pay it from their own pockets or through their other companies. For Räikkönen the most important thing is to ensure the car's development budget and the solid relationship with the engine supplier. The challenge is still Red Bull Racing's and Renault's long and successful relationship. 

Lotus needs to quickly announce the partner- and finance-arrangement that they have promised. It actually stalls driver announcements just like Red Bull is doing the same by staying quiet about their own choice. Lotus has to be able to arrange their finances on a very solid ground, on one hand so that a partner like Renault takes the team seriously enough, but on the other hand also so they can make right decisions - whether it is drivers, engines or personnel - so that they can rise as a winning team. 

So it's no wonder that Räikkönen is combined to three teams. Outsiders find logical explanations for all options. At the same time Räikkönen is aware that he is not in a ruling position. He also has to wait for others to decide. Teams make their own decisions based on their own grounds. Like for example choosing the considerably younger Daniel Ricciardo instead of Räikkönen, who will drive for only a couple years more. 

But Räikkönen does have good cards in his hands. But the decisions can be based only upon already existing facts and trust that your plan will succeed. 

And Räikkönen is not any fortuneteller. He is a race driver. 

Jukka Mildh

Fonte: yle.fi / Tradução para o Inglês: Nicole

Excelente este texto do Jukka Mildh sobre o que acontece com o mercado de pilotos atualmente, sobre como as coisas são altamente descontroladas no meio, que apesar de todo mundo dizer conhecer-uma-fonte-importante-de-dentro-do-time-que-disse-algo, na verdade, há poucas pessoas que realmente sabem o que rola.

Mildh explica que a situação de Kimi está pegando na questão do fornecedor do motor para a próxima temporada. E é o que venho falando aqui o tempo todo. Não é dinheiro para ele, é quem vai fazer o carro ser competitivo ano que vem, e especificamente em 2014 o seu fornecedor de motor está diretamente ligado a isto, já que a mudança na área vai ser grande.

A turma do paddock toda já sabe que ao que parece, a Mercedes está na frente no desenvolvimento dos motores para a temporada de 2014. E é este assunto que para mim pesa na decisão de Kimi. 

"Eu acho que o motor é mais importante para Räikkönen do que questões financeiras pessoais, quando ele pensa em sua continuidade na Lotus. Räikkönen sempre consegue seu pagamento. De uma forma ou de outra. Os donos da equipe o pagarão de seus próprios bolsos ou através de suas empresas. Para Räikkönen a coisa mais importante é assegurar o orçamento para o desenvolvimento do carro e o sólido relacionamento com o fornecedor de motores. O desafio ainda é o relacionamento longo e de sucesso da Renault com a Red Bull."

Por isto traduzi esta parte do texto de Mildh, pois é exatamente o que penso e o que venho dizendo aqui desde o começo. Não é dinheiro para ele, é dinheiro para a equipe desenvolver um carro competitivo em um ano importante na F1 e principalmente, ter suporte financeiro para mudar algo durante a temporada, se preciso.

A Lotus ainda não fechou um acordo sobre os motores, como Mildh afirma em seu texto. E por causa desta incógnita, Kimi está com sua decisão em espera. Pesquisando também o que fará. É um jogo de xadrez.

Já cansei de falar aqui (e óbvio que posso quebrar a minha cara no momento em que o finlandês anunciar seu futuro), mas se fosse só por vencer com o melhor carro, o Iceman já teria colocado o nome dele no contrato da Red Bull.

Se ele ainda procura dar chances para a Lotus é porque ele quer ficar, quer vencer com eles, mas a questão do orçamento somada à do fornecedor de motores tem deixado tudo mais complicado. #tenso

E se Kimi que está no olho do furação, não sabe o que pode acontecer, imagine a minha pessoa?! rsrsrsrs

Let's wait and see!!!

Beijinhos, Ludy