Kimi Raikkonen rejected a proposal by the Toyota F1 staff as a result of he to wished to drive a race-winning automotive and the staff couldn’t match Finn’s wage expectations.
In 2007, Kimi Raikkonen joined Scuderia Ferrari on a three-year contract. The Finn made a change from McLaren and changed the retiring 7-time World Champion, Michael Schumacher.
Kimi was quick and had proven nice tempo whereas racing with McLaren. And Ferrari wished to accumulate the providers that they provided him a $45 Million annual wage. This made him the second-highest paid athlete on the earth at the moment.
In his first race for Ferrari within the 2007 Australian GP, Kimi took pole place, set the quickest lap and received the race. He would win the title by a single level forward of the McLaren duo of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso.
#OnThisDay in 2007, Kimi Räikkönen received the world championship after popping out on prime in a 3 method battle with Hamilton and Alonso by which he was solely third going into the finale and was 17 factors behind Hamilton going into the final 2 races, and continues to be Ferrari’s final champion 🔥💯 pic.twitter.com/uQLIYXFDPS
— Ethan 🇺🇸🦅 (@SargeantSZN) October 21, 2021
Nonetheless, in 2008 and 2009 he didn’t take pleasure in a fruitful season. He completed third and sixth within the standings respectively and fell out of favours with the Italian staff.
Forward of the 2009 season, Ferrari introduced that the Finn could be leaving the staff. Kimi was beneath contract to race for the staff until 2010. He would get replaced by Fernando Alonso.
Kimi obtained affords from McLaren to accomplice with Lewis Hamilton. However the deal was scrapped and the staff went forward with fellow Briton and 2009 World Champion Jenson Button.
Whereas new entrants Mercedes too confirmed curiosity. However they ultimately signed Michael Schumacher and Nico Rosberg. And this left Toyota, as the one doable choice for the Finn to proceed racing in F1.
Additionally Learn: Renault made $21 million supply to Kimi Raikkonen that he refused
Why Kimi Raikkonen rejected Toyota
On the finish of the 2009 season, Kimi Raikkonen was left with no seat in F1. The 2007 World champion obtained a number of affords however all of them fell by means of.
Toyota provided Kimi Raikkonen a seat for subsequent season. The staff wished to switch Timo Glock however was unable to make a passable supply for Kimi.
However the staff have been going through extreme Monetary points. Kimi rejected the supply because it was too low in comparison with what he was incomes at Ferrari. Toyota’s President John Howett later confirmed that the Japanese staff was not prepared to extend its supply.
Howett had earlier mentioned, “We don’t play too many video games. We placed on the desk what we are able to afford and what we predict is a critical supply within the present market.”
A random F1 truth:
McLaren have been so impressed by Kimi’s performances throughout the 2009 F1 season (particularly since Hungary) that they wished to signal him for 2010. Martin Whitmarsh, who’s an enormous Kimi fan, had made up his thoughts, however the deal fell aside on the final second sadly 😔 pic.twitter.com/n0ZN7A0zoU
— Blitz (@Blitz211846103) August 11, 2022
Kimi would take a sabbatical from F1. The Finn would stop F1 for two years and change to rallying and NASCAR. He would return to the grid with Lotus in 2012.
Kimi later revealed he was provided $10 million by Ferrari if he secured a seat at one other staff for 2010. And $17 million if he needed to miss out on the season. Ultimately, Kimi determined to go for Rallying and take residence the additional money.
He additionally claimed that he rejected Toyota as a result of he wished to drive race-winning automobiles. Toyota nonetheless withdrew from F1 on the finish of the 2009 season following extreme Monetary losses. Looks like Kimi made a sensible choice certainly!
Additionally Learn: When Michael Schumacher dropped $45 million a 12 months wage simply to not staff up with Kimi Raikkonen