Raikkonen's Demands Could See Heidfeld at McLaren

I was perusing Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport (actually translating through a suspect translation service) and discovered that there is a sentiment that could be pervasive around the offices of Germany’s leading automobile magazine. They were thinking, out loud, that if the rumored Kimi Raikkonen-to-McLaren deal isn’t sorted quickly, Nick Heidfeld could find himself “coming home” in a manner of speaking.

You’ll recall that Heidfeld was a McLaren-Mercedes test driver in 1998 and won the F3000 title for the McLaren Junior team. You may also recall that McLaren chose Sauber teammate Kimi Raikkonen over Heidfeld for the retired Mika hakkinen’s seat in 2001.

I was incandescent at the time and couldn’t understand the decision (in hindsight I have been vindicated for my unnatural defense of Heidfeld) yet the Raikkonen/Heidfeld saga may just occur once again.

Apparently, Raikkonen is being bullish on his salary demands.

McLaren, it is rumored, is offering a low-ball figure as they know Ferrari have just handed the sacked driver a wad of cash and they figure this, coupled with their offer, would make a tidy sum and salary on par with what he is used to. That theory is apparently not going over well with Raikkonen’s management.

To add to the rumor mill, Toyota has just announced its immediate departure form the sport and conventional wisdom would say that the former BMW, now Qadbak, team will inherit the grid position vacated by the Japanese manufacturer.

Should that happen, it is likely they will want to retain the services of Heidfeld as they have already lost Robert Kubica to Renault for 2010. Having a veteran in the team when making such a large transition (in ownership) seems favorable by anyone’s measure and one might assume that Heidfeld knows where all the bodies are buried.

Knowing this is the case, will McLaren continue to haggle with the Raikkonen handlers or take an option for Heidfeld as a good veteran to have with Lewis Hamilton?

The McLaren offer is a crafty play on “total salary.” It has been rumored that Ferrari have offered $10 million to Raikkonen if he joins a team for 2010. But it could be $17 million if he would choose to sit our for the 2010 season. McLaren have taken the $10 million sum and added $5 million in additional monies to come to a grand salary of $15 million.

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