Formula 1's Latest Rumours and Talk: Kimi Raikkonen, Renault Return and More
On the eve of the Belgian Grand Prix, Ferrari announced that Kimi Raikkonen would remain with the team for the 2016 Formula One season.
The team's decision to retain the 2007 world champion, despite his generally substandard performances alongside Sebastian Vettel over the first 10 races of 2015, came as a shock when Ferrari seemed to have an array of options for next year.
But despite some suggesting there is more to Raikkonen's renewal than meets the eye, Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene has refuted the idea that the Finn was re-signed for anything other than performance-based reasons.
Raikkonen's former employers Lotus are also set to be given a new lease of life for 2016, with the news that Renault is just days away from completing its takeover of the black-and-gold outfit.
Spearheaded by Fernando Alonso, the French car manufacturer won the world championship a decade ago, and Renault's plans have been revealed ahead of its return to the grid as a full works team.
Meanwhile, Force India have revealed their eagerness to keep their two drivers for next season, despite both Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez being set to play a significant role in the driver market.
Valtteri Bottas arguably held the key to "silly season" at one stage and, had events turned in his favour, could have found himself at Mercedes or Ferrari in 2016.
The latter's decision to keep Kimi, however, has left the Finn stuck at Williams, and while Bottas is happy to remain at Grove for a fourth year, he has admitted to being left frustrated by the team's failure to build upon their 2014 successes.
Closing this week's roundup is NASCAR racer Danica Patrick, who has ended any lingering speculation about a potential move to the new Haas team by claiming she is no longer tempted to compete in F1.
Ferrari Reveal Why Kimi Raikkonen Secured 2016 Stay
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Ferrari are adamant that Kimi Raikkonen has been retained for performance-related reasons alone, despite his inconsistent 2015 campaign.
Raikkonen has recovered reasonably well from his worst-ever season in Formula One in 2014, securing his first podium finish since October 2013 in April's Bahrain Grand Prix, but has been unable to match his new team-mate, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel, on a regular basis.
While Vettel secured two wins in his first 10 appearances for the Prancing Horse, Raikkonen's season has been a tale of needless incidents and missed opportunities, with the Finn making several on-track errors in a three-race period between the Monaco and Austrian grands prix.
That lacklustre run of form appeared to leave the 2007 world champion extremely vulnerable within the team, with the news of his contract extension ahead of the Belgian GP coming as a surprise to many.
With the likes of Valtteri Bottas, Daniel Ricciardo and Nico Hulkenberg all potentially available, retaining Raikkonen seemed like a safe, uninspiring move by Ferrari.
Raikkonen was voted the most popular competitor on the grid in a recent survey by the Grand Prix Drivers' Association, and his loss would have hurt the sport at a time F1 is taking steps to increase its fanbase.
But Maurizio Arrivabene, the Ferrari team principal, insists the 35-year-old's off-track exploits had no impact on the Maranello-based outfit's decision, telling Motorsport.com's Jonathan Noble:
"The GPDA did some very serious and careful research about who the most popular driver was—and Kimi came out first.
So whoever says that Raikkonen does not like the fans clearly does not understand anything about marketing.
But it is also obvious that we have not confirmed him for this reason—or even that he has blue eyes and blonde hair.
He was renewed because when you are putting together a young team, you need to find a balance. I consider Kimi a champion, who works very well with Sebastian and gives a big contribution to the growth of the team.
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As we noted ahead of the contract renewal, Raikkonen can become a valuable asset to both Ferrari and Vettel if the team can produce a title-winning car next season.
Renault Edges Closer to Return with Lotus Takeover Deal Imminent
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Renault's return to Formula One as a full-blown factory team is imminent, with a deal to purchase Lotus set to be finalised in the coming days.
As reported by Autosport's Dieter Rencken and Lawrence Barretto, the French manufacturer has spent months assessing its long-term future in the sport, debating whether to withdraw from F1 entirely, take over an existing team or—in the middle of those extremes—continue as an engine supplier.
And it seems the company has made a decision to buy Lotus, who ran under the Renault guise between 2002 and 2010—winning two consecutive titles with Fernando Alonso in '05 and '06—with Autosport's Ian Parkes reporting:
"AUTOSPORT sources have indicated the French car manufacturer would take a stake up to 65 per cent, worth a total of £65million, with an initial downpayment of £7.5million to be followed by equal installments over the following 10 years.
Gerard Lopez, currently Lotus F1 team co-owner via his Genii organisation, looks set to remain as a shareholder with a potential stake of around 25 per cent, with four-time champion and Renault ambassador Alain Prost acquiring the remaining 10 per cent.
The arrangement with Lopez and Prost would be very similar to that at Mercedes where motorsport boss Toto Wolff and non-executive chairman Niki Lauda possess shareholdings in the F1 team.
Following a Renault presentation meeting currently scheduled for Monday, an array of documents is then due to be signed involving parties from both sides over the following days.
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Parkes adds that Lotus' Enstone base—one of the most iconic factories in F1—was a huge factor in the agreement, claiming Renault already have a "full sponsorship package" arranged to ensure they can match some of the biggest teams on the grid.
Per the same source, Romain Grosjean—who made his grand prix debut with Renault in 2009, having joined the team as a test driver the previous year—is almost certain to be retained, while team-mate Pastor Maldonado is "believed to be negotiating" a deal to ensure he stays on.
Renault's return will be considered a victory for F1's V6 turbo regulations, which have now lured two major car manufacturers back to the grid following Honda's comeback with McLaren at the beginning of 2015.
Force India Intend to Retain Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez for 2016
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Force India are keen to keep Nico Hulkenberg and Sergio Perez for the 2016 season, despite rumours linking both drivers with moves away.
After a difficult start to the season, the team have emerged as regular point-scorers, with Hulkenberg—buoyed by his success in June's Le Mans 24 Hours—claiming sixth place in the Austrian Grand Prix and Perez finishing fifth in Belgium.
In recent weeks, Hulkenberg has emerged as a genuine contender for a seat with the new Haas outfit, whose boss told Motorsport.com's Charles Bradley of his interest in signing the German. Hulkenberg, for his part, has expressed his potential interest in such a move, per Sky Sports' Pete Gill.
Haas' status as a Ferrari customer team means Perez, a former Ferrari junior driver, could also be tempted by a switch to the American outfit.
But F1 journalist Ted Kravitz, per Sky Sports' The F1 Show, has claimed the latest paddock rumours suggest the Mexican could be in line to join Lotus, who are set to be purchased by Renault.
Despite neither Hulkenberg nor Perez remaining with a single team for longer than two seasons, Force India team principal Vijay Mallya is confident of retaining both men for next year.
He told Autosport's Lawrence Barretto:
"The aim is to keep both of them next year. I'm confident we will keep them both.
Of course until contracts are signed, I won't confirm anything, but I do not believe they will leave the team.
Nico has been fantastic this year, he is one of the best drivers out there and we're very pleased with him.
It's the same for Checo (Perez). I couldn't be happier with them both.
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Force India were overtaken by Lotus in the race for fifth in the constructors' standings at the Belgian GP, but the Silverstone-based outfit remain on course to secure their best-ever finish in the championship this season.
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Valtteri Bottas Expected More from Williams in 2015
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Valtteri Bottas has revealed he expected more from Williams after their strong performances throughout last season.
After scoring just five points in 2013, the team—having made technical and structural alterations—enjoyed something of a resurgence in 2014, with Bottas and team-mate Felipe Massa securing nine podium finishes between them.
The team's third-place finish in the constructors' standings was their best result since 2003, and it was expected that Williams would take another step toward the front of the grid this season.
But despite scoring 161 points in the first 11 races—the team had 135 at the same stage last year—Williams have failed to hit the highs of 2014 in terms of performances and results.
Bottas and Massa have one podium apiece, having finished third in Canada and Austria respectively, but Williams have been unable to secure their first win since 2012 despite leading the opening phase of July's British Grand Prix.
The team's indecisiveness cost them dearly at Silverstone, and Williams scored yet another own-goal in the Belgian Grand Prix, where Bottas' car was fitted with the wrong tyres during his first pit stop.
Bottas was strongly linked with a move to Ferrari over the summer break by Sky Sports, but the Prancing Horse's decision to retain Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, means it is almost certain he will remain with Williams for a fourth season in 2016.
And while the Finnish driver is content to remain with Williams, believing they can fight with the likes of Ferrari and Red Bull Racing—but, tellingly, not world champions Mercedes—Bottas admits he has been left disappointed in 2015, telling Williams' official website:
"I think Williams is a great team to be with, and I'm confident they can be up there again in 2016. There's no reason why Williams shouldn't be able to be fight with Ferrari and Red Bull. I do admit we expected more from this year's car, particularly in the first part of the season and if you compare it with 2014, then we had a few more podiums at this time of the year than we have now. Having said that we are still capable of improving and getting closer to Ferrari so I will be looking to secure more podiums in the second half of the season.
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Bottas also revealed his frustration with the speculation regarding his proposed move to Ferrari, telling the same source: "It's not fair to put those kind of rumours out there, for either Williams and myself or Kimi and Ferrari, so life became easier once we knew the speculation was over with Kimi staying where he is."
Danica Patrick No Longer Interested in F1 Switch
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In June, the new Haas team appeared to rule out the prospect of signing Danica Patrick, with team principal Gunther Steiner telling BBC Sport's Andrew Benson how she "would be a gamble."
Despite Patrick being unable to qualify for a super licence, her presence on the grid would have been a major boost for the sport, addressing two of its biggest concerns by providing F1 with an American driver—at a time F1 is determined to conquer the States—and becoming the first woman to race in the pinnacle of motorsport since 1976.
But while admitting she once had serious aspirations of competing in Formula One, Patrick, who has raced for Gene Haas' NASCAR operation since 2012, believes it is now too late for her to experiment with other categories.
Patrick hasn't won a race of any kind since the Motegi round of the 2008 IndyCar season and will be 34 when the 2016 F1 campaign begins in April's Australian Grand Prix.
Although she is reluctant to close the door completely, Patrick says she feels at home in NASCAR, telling CNN's Laura McGeary and Sarah Holt:
"I'm getting too old to change careers again and again, and I don't really have a desire to do anything different than what I'm doing right now.
I'm around my friends and family, and I'm racing internationally—and F1 I don't think would really provide that.
I lived in England for a few years and F1 was all I thought about doing, but to be honest when I came back home to the States I thought this is where I want to be.
You can never say never about anything—but at this point in time, I'm happy where I'm at.
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Female participation in F1 has increased in recent years, with the likes of Maria de Villota, Simona de Silvestro and Carmen Jorda holding roles at Marussia, Sauber and Lotus respectively, while Claire Williams and Monisha Kaltenborn hold senior positions at established teams.
Susie Wolff became the first woman to participate in a grand prix weekend for over two decades when she drove for Williams in practice at last season's British GP, but she recently told Holt and Amanda Davies in a separate CNN article that she could walk away from F1 at the end of 2015.
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