Todt hints at Kimi coup (5 year deal)
08/03/06 According to Finnish tabloid Ilta-Sanomat Ferrari has taken his option on Kimi Raikkonen to race for the Italian team next season. The Finn would have signed a five-year-contract.
The story is based on the Finnish tabloid's reliable sources close to Kimi Raikkonen. According to the source Raikkonen's contract is worth around 160 million euro and thus see the 26-year-old earn 32 million euro a year.
Michael Schumacher said in Hockenheim he will announce his future plans in Monza and it is very likely that Raikkonen's plans will be announced shortly after Schumacher's decision was announced.
07/30/06 Ferrari boss Jean Todt dropped a hint on Sunday that he expects Kimi Raikkonen to be heading for his Formula One team next season. "The moment from this day I will keep in my mind is the podium ceremony, that featured my three favorite drivers," said the Frenchman at the German Grand Prix.
But Todt has clarified his comments, and claimed that there was nothing new in expressing his feelings about Raikkonen.
When asked to explain why he had spoken so warmly about Raikkonen, Todt said: "No I didn't. I made a general comment. I said that on the podium there were my three favorite drivers, which is true, but it's nothing new.
"You feel it's new because you are speculating who is going to drive and who will be announced. But, if you take my comments two years ago, when I was told, by the same guys: who do you prefer among the new drivers? I always said Raikkonen.
"So you have Schumacher, he's my hero. You have Massa, I'm very close to him, he does a good job. We've had him for five or six years with us and Kimi. There is no other message."
07/23/06 (GMM) Jean Todt has given the strongest indication yet that current McLaren pilot Kimi Raikkonen's future is red.
Although the Finn has been recently linked with Renault, despite persistent rumors of a multi-million dollar Ferrari 'pre agreement', the Ferrari boss was quoted as saying by 'Bild am Sonntag' in Germany: ''Raikkonen is our investment into the future.''