By Jonathan Noble Monday, March 13th 2006, 17:28 GMT McLaren F1 CEO Martin Whitmarsh believes that his team’s chances of convincing Kimi Raikkonen to stay next year have not been dented by the reliability problems they suffered in Bahrain.
Raikkonen had gone into the year hoping that McLaren had got over the reliability issues that wrecked his 2005 title charge, but history appeared to repeat itself when he suffered an electrical problem on Friday and then a spectacular suspension failure in qualifying.
Despite those issues,
however, Whitmarsh believes that Raikkonen has already seen the potential on offer from the MP4-21 – especially with his charge to third place in the race.Whitmarsh has made no secret of the fact that McLaren want to convince Raikkonen to stay on board as Fernando Alonso’s future teammate – and producing a winning-car will be crucial in their hopes of doing that.
"Regardless of Kimi, our primary motivation is to win a world championship," he added. "That is what we’re here to do, and you need a reliable car and a quick car to do that.
"Kimi and his management will do what they feel is right for them. I think we have made no particular secret of the fact that we want Kimi to stay with us. We have got one world champion in the car next year and it would be nice to have a second one with Kimi taking the title and being in the car alongside Fernando.
"We would be very happy with that, but at the same time you cannot do anything about that. You can only go out and win races. It doesn’t add any extra pressure or impetus to the programme. The reality is that we have got a strong technical organisation.
"The whole team are working hard and for our own egos and motivation we are bitterly disappointed when we let ourselves down like with what happened in qualifying here."
Kimi Raikkonen says he is in no hurry to make a decision about his future and claimed calmly in Bahrain that he can take as long as he wants to make up his mind.
The Finn’s contract with McLaren expires at the end of the year and he has remained tight-lipped about his plans, despite reports claiming he is set to drive for Ferrari next season. Raikkonen’s future at McLaren, however, is likely to depend on how competitive his car is in the races before he has to make a definite decision.
"Let’s wait and see. I can wait as long as I want," the Finn said.
"My decision will not depend only on the car, or only on the money, it is the package," Raikkonen added.
"I would never do a contract with anybody that would not give me equal service. You have to always have the same package as your teammate, without that you are not able to get it right."
Finnish press reported this week Raikkonen had said he had not signed a Ferrari contract yet, but the McLaren driver claimed he had been misquoted.
McLaren signs Emirates deal
08 March 2006- F1Racing.net
McLaren announced it has signed a sponsorship deal with Emirates Airlines right before the start of the 2006 season. The announcement was made today by HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Chairman and Chief Executive, Emirates Airline & Group, and Ron Dennis, McLaren Team Principal, alongside the International Tourism Fair (ITB) in Berlin, Germany.
Starting from the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, the distinctive "Fly Emirates" insignia – one of the most recognizable brand signages at top global sporting events – will prominently feature on the McLaren Mercedes MP4-21 Formula One cars at race events across Europe, Asia, Australia, and North and South America. In addition, it will also be on the uniform of drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Juan Pablo Montoya, and in the team’s pit interior.
"Today’s announcement makes the start to the 2006 Formula One World Championship even more thrilling for Team McLaren Mercedes," said Ron Dennis. "Emirates is globally recognized as a world-class airline and a leader in its field. We are proud that they recognize the mutual benefits of an association with Team McLaren Mercedes. The 2006 Formula One World Championship promises to be an exciting season and with support from a company like Emirates we are off to a good start. Everybody at Team McLaren Mercedes is looking forward to the opening race this weekend and a successful relationship with Emirates."
Sheikh Ahmed said: "Formula One and Team McLaren Mercedes are at the pinnacle of a sport where success is determined by having leading-edge technology, quick responses to strategy changes, ambition and teamwork – all of which resonate with Emirates’ own practices to stay at the top of our industry."
He added: "Grand Prix racing attracts millions of followers around the globe, and we believe it will be an excellent vehicle to further Emirates’ brand awareness. We are very pleased to partner with such a prestigious team as Team McLaren Mercedes, and wish them every success for the upcoming season."
Kimi: I haven’t signed for anyone!
08 March 2006- F1Racing.net
The Formula One circus arrives in Bahrain today and speculation is rife about Kimi Räikkönen’s future. Will the Finn remain at McLaren, or will he race at Ferrari where he might have signed a contract already? According to Kimi he hasn’t signed for anyone just yet.
"The truth is that I haven’t sign a contract with anyone yet," Räikkönen said in Bahrain. "There is a bigger chance that I will stay at McLaren than join another Formula 1 team."
Mercedes "engine is reliable"
Mercedes motorsport vice president Norbert Haug has shrugged off concerns that his company’s V8 engine may not be entirely reliable as F1 gears up for a very exciting first round of the new season in hot and sandy Bahrain.
"The start with the new MP4-21 at Barcelona on 23rd January was not trouble free and in the beginning we were not where we wanted," Haug admitted. "However, in the following five and a half weeks or about 40 days until the final test at Valencia on 1 March, our team showed what it’s capable of, be it chassis or engine wise."
"During 28 test days, Kimi, Juan Pablo and Pedro covered a total of 8,692 kilometres which is on average one Grand Prix distance per day and therefore equates to a total of 28 Grand Prix distances in preparation for the first races," he added. "The lap time improved continuously throughout the tests and the long runs were OK compared to the fastest."
"Several times, our new V8 engine stood the strain of two race weekends and up to 50 percent more, on the circuits of Barcelona and Valencia as well as on the dynos at Brixworth and Stuttgart," Haug insisted.
FUCK ISRAEL 