Its a bit of a Schuey situation, expect Kimi must know he is coming into a team that will not fight at the front for some time. Schuey at least thought he would have a chance at Mercedes.
I'm still trying to understand Frank on this one. A motivated Kimi is good... One that's been away for a while ping ponging from one thing to the next seems like something that just isn't going to work out for either party when you think about it. I'm sure we'll get some more classic Kimi moments but wouldn't Williams be better served by a driver that's going to be cheaper and stick in the development hours... Say an Ant Davidson or similar?
Kimi on his day is faster than anyone. Even Alonso, Hamilton etc. 2007 proved that. It's just his motivation that is the problem. If Frank get's him motivated, he will obliterate Maldonado or whoever his team-mate is.
And that's just it. How can Kimi get motivated about running around in the midfield when he found it hard enough in a front running Ferrari? Seems a strange team choice if he does come back.
Raikkonen should be somewhere like Renault really (thanks for ruining that one Boullier) but who knows, maybe this forthcoming announcement coupled with the Renault engines may bring forth a better era for Williams. However great for the sport it is that he's returning, I agree that it is difficult to envisage Kimi being motivated at Williams considering their current form. Just imagine if he was in a top car - Hammy, JB, Seb, Alonso & Kimi all battling it out!
It would be great... but can you see Kimi coming back firing on all cylinders? It would be great if he did... I just don't see it.
Who can say at this stage? Maybe he's realised that other forms of motorsport don't offer as much to him as he thought they would and that the grass isn't greener. Perhaps he knows that he can't get a decent seat at this stage so he's getting a foot in the door so that he can be match fit for the future. Plus, if he does put in some super performances in that Williams, it'll make someone like Red Bull or McLaren take notice.
You may be right... He may come back hungry and I hope he does come back fighting if he comes back. I'm just not convinced right now. You may prove me wrong though.
WRC is a sport I know next to nothing about, has Raikkonen done well there, averagely or underperformed?
Maybe it's the challenge. he's won in the best car, won a WDC in a bitof a so-so Ferrari, maybe he fancies duking it out in midfield, maybe he likes the look of the new rules. Williams with a decent engine could be a good midfield car, it has the aero as shown on the tighter tracks, just lacks the punch (IMO).
The latter... Unfortunately he's half arsed everything since leaving F1. Kimi is an odd one. I couldn't help feeling that after he became WDC, he just gave up. It was like he'd achieved his goal so why bother... Miggins may be right though... Maybe a midfield team will reinvigorate him. I guess we're about to find out.
I heard a rumour that they were going to announce Kimi (and some sponsor) at Abu Dhabi. http://www.themotorreport.com.au/52...ing-for-toro-rosso-raikkonen-set-for-williams
I really hope he's coming back, straight talking, do the job quietly kind of bloke. If his head is in it then I can see a Williams making a few appearences in the top 10 next season.
Sneaky. Shall we take bets on who goes, Pastor or Rubens? What was Kimi like for set up and feedback? One imagines that Rubens will go because Pastor is bringing in the sponsorship money. The return of the Williams-Renault partnership will hopefully also help. It was all looking good this year in testing until they realised they'd been running the ride height too low and so were getting way too optimistic suggestions of the car's performance! Still, clean slate and all that for 2012.
I really hope this happens, it would be great to have him back and in an ideal world Williams on the up! Just need a shock termination of contract in a top team to start the musical chairs and add some more spice to the driver market!
