Will Raikkonen retire at the end of 2009 ?
Posted: Fri Jun 06, 2008 12:39 pm
Following on from Julian's comments in the Rumours Thread (great to see you back Julian 
), we've setup a separate thread to discuss this issue as it seems that there is a real chance that he may retire at the end of next year.
Here is what he said at the Thursday press conference for the Canadian Grand Prix:
Q: (Paolo Ianieri – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Kimi, there have been some rumours about you saying that you will stop racing at the end of 2009?
KR: There’s been rumours like that for many years. I always say that I still have a contract until the end of next year. I haven’t made any decision as to whether I will keep going or not. So far, that’s the last contract that I have and we will see during this year and next year what happens.
Q: (Bob McKenzie – The Daily Express) Kimi, David Coulthard is 37, Michael Schumacher went on to 36; do you not see yourself driving in that sort of middle thirties time, and would you miss it if you stopped?
KR: I wouldn’t stop if I thought I would miss it. For sure, I would have found something else to do, something maybe at that time I’d enjoy even more. I don’t know what’s going to happen after next year. I haven’t made up my mind and we will see. Maybe we make the decision this year or maybe not and then we will look next year, but until then, I haven’t really made any decisions so far. It’s hard to say. I think I’m going to race as long as I enjoy it, I think it’s the right thing for me, and then when the day comes when it’s no longer fun, then for sure I stop. It can be the end of next year, it can be in four years’ time. It’s too early to say.
Q: (Bob McKenzie – The Daily Express) What will you do?
KR: I don’t know what I will do, something else.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) Kimi, I was wondering what you would base your decision on and why you’ve got in mind that maybe you’re not enjoying it anymore? What’s the reasoning about your decision?
KR: Like I said, it’s purely if I like it or not. That’s the reason if I keep going or not. There are many reasons why you like Formula One or not. For sure, many people only like the driving and the rest can be something that you don’t enjoy. When there are more things that you don’t like, then it’s time to stop.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) What is it you don’t like?
KR: Everybody probably knows. I like the racing and all the other stuff is not always the best thing. I think everybody in Formula One is here because of their love of racing and driving. When there are too many things that you don’t enjoy or you think that the whole thing is not what you want anymore, then it’s time to go away.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) What sort of things: the media commitment or…?
KR: It can be anything. When you’ve found something which is not good for you, what you don’t want to do or what you don’t enjoy, when there’s too many things like that or things that don’t work out anymore for some reason, it can be many things apart from racing. Then that’s probably the best time to go away.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) Kimi, I was wondering if you have got some aims? What would you like to do before you retire in terms of success? Do you want to win back-to-back world championships, three?
KR: For sure I try to win them but if I don’t win I have won one and it is not the end of my life. But for sure I am here only for winning and we are still there, very close to the championship, so that’s the aim. But, you know, it is not always easy.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) Would you go to any other team other than Ferrari?
KR: Probably not.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) Definitely not?
KR: I said probably not.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) Are you in talks with Ferrari about a new extended deal?
KR: Kind of yes, but like I said there is no decision made yet.
Reading this, it appears that he is certainly considering quitting. It would be a shame to see him retire this early but when a driver starts talking about it and possibly considering it then it would probably be best they do retire. Your thoughts ?
), we've setup a separate thread to discuss this issue as it seems that there is a real chance that he may retire at the end of next year.Here is what he said at the Thursday press conference for the Canadian Grand Prix:
Q: (Paolo Ianieri – La Gazzetta dello Sport) Kimi, there have been some rumours about you saying that you will stop racing at the end of 2009?
KR: There’s been rumours like that for many years. I always say that I still have a contract until the end of next year. I haven’t made any decision as to whether I will keep going or not. So far, that’s the last contract that I have and we will see during this year and next year what happens.
Q: (Bob McKenzie – The Daily Express) Kimi, David Coulthard is 37, Michael Schumacher went on to 36; do you not see yourself driving in that sort of middle thirties time, and would you miss it if you stopped?
KR: I wouldn’t stop if I thought I would miss it. For sure, I would have found something else to do, something maybe at that time I’d enjoy even more. I don’t know what’s going to happen after next year. I haven’t made up my mind and we will see. Maybe we make the decision this year or maybe not and then we will look next year, but until then, I haven’t really made any decisions so far. It’s hard to say. I think I’m going to race as long as I enjoy it, I think it’s the right thing for me, and then when the day comes when it’s no longer fun, then for sure I stop. It can be the end of next year, it can be in four years’ time. It’s too early to say.
Q: (Bob McKenzie – The Daily Express) What will you do?
KR: I don’t know what I will do, something else.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) Kimi, I was wondering what you would base your decision on and why you’ve got in mind that maybe you’re not enjoying it anymore? What’s the reasoning about your decision?
KR: Like I said, it’s purely if I like it or not. That’s the reason if I keep going or not. There are many reasons why you like Formula One or not. For sure, many people only like the driving and the rest can be something that you don’t enjoy. When there are more things that you don’t like, then it’s time to stop.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) What is it you don’t like?
KR: Everybody probably knows. I like the racing and all the other stuff is not always the best thing. I think everybody in Formula One is here because of their love of racing and driving. When there are too many things that you don’t enjoy or you think that the whole thing is not what you want anymore, then it’s time to go away.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) What sort of things: the media commitment or…?
KR: It can be anything. When you’ve found something which is not good for you, what you don’t want to do or what you don’t enjoy, when there’s too many things like that or things that don’t work out anymore for some reason, it can be many things apart from racing. Then that’s probably the best time to go away.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) Kimi, I was wondering if you have got some aims? What would you like to do before you retire in terms of success? Do you want to win back-to-back world championships, three?
KR: For sure I try to win them but if I don’t win I have won one and it is not the end of my life. But for sure I am here only for winning and we are still there, very close to the championship, so that’s the aim. But, you know, it is not always easy.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) Would you go to any other team other than Ferrari?
KR: Probably not.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) Definitely not?
KR: I said probably not.
Q: (Jon McEvoy – The Daily Mail) Are you in talks with Ferrari about a new extended deal?
KR: Kind of yes, but like I said there is no decision made yet.
Reading this, it appears that he is certainly considering quitting. It would be a shame to see him retire this early but when a driver starts talking about it and possibly considering it then it would probably be best they do retire. Your thoughts ?
Big lose if he does go but I do hope he makes a decision that he will be happy with.
