Raikkonen visits Williams and rumours start
16 September, 2011
Kimi Raikkonen
Sep.16 (GMM) The rumour mill is rumbling on Friday with the news Kimi Raikkonen made a visit to F1 team Williams’ Oxfordshire factory.
The sport10.at (Austria) and plaza.fi (Finland) websites said the multiple world championship winning British team had confirmed the 2007 world champion was given a tour.
Reports said it was Adam Parr who showed world rally driver and former Sauber, McLaren and Ferrari driver Raikkonen, 31, around the Grove facility.
The Finnish broadcaster MTV3 also reported the news and said Williams had confirmed Raikkonen’s visit indeed took place last week.
The reports said Raikkonen’s visit was for “personal reasons”, but speculation that he might one day return to formula one has been circulating ever since he left the sport at the end of 2009.
Williams’ Pastor Maldonado is regarded as having a solid seat but the Venezuelan rookie’s teammate Rubens Barrichello is still seeking a deal for 2012.
“We are talking day by day so we just need to see,” Brazilian veteran Barrichello told The Sun newspaper at Monza.
“I wish we had done a deal already but it’s taking a little longer. The team is taking everything into account and they know what I can offer,” he said.
Earlier this month the official WRC website reported, “Raikkonen’s ICE 1 Racing will play no further part in the battle for the World Rally Championship manufacturers’ title following its exclusion from the series due to its no show on Rally Australia.”
Related posts:
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- Bahrain GP Preview: Start of a golden era
- Rally car gift from Raikkonen to Rami
- Raikkonen: “Too much politics in Formula 1″
- Barrichello visits Williams headquarters
Why not, by joining Williams Raikkonen will not be in the spotlight, he doesn’t enjoy media attention. He has not been competitive enough to win rallies and has lost interest in the WRC. He recently addmitted he misses circuit racing. And you never know he won a race in 2009 in a dog shit car. As far as Williams are concerned I don’t think Raikkonen is a risk. He is a naturally gifted driver, he’s still not that old and I think he would jump back in an F1 car and be more or less on the pace.
Yes he did say he wanted a winning team in f1 but things change, his reputation isn’t what it once was and he doesn’t have many options now. Sportscars maybe but I dont think that will give Raikkonen the thrill and speed F1 can deliver. Lets wait and see?…
williams renault will be front runners next year
Kimi said he would only join a winning team but now his circumstances have changed and he will be happy with quater of the wages he was getting. He will join williams!
Williams,what about Montoya?.
Have I just become too cynical? Am I the only one thinking “stock market players”?
Maybe tahts the only way Williams will be able to attract Sponsorship.
Raikonen would be good for Williams and that renault engine for next year will certainly cattapult them up the Grod.
Yes, we want Kimi in F1. But Williams team? Better up!
Can’t see him in a Williams…. he had already mentioned that he would only be interested to drive for a, ‘winning team’.
Go, Kimi go!! We would love to see you in Williams. You would really make the sport worthy again.