Kimi to Ford?

Villeneuve will be turning 35 back in 2006. I honestly find it hard to believe that Ford would actually go out and sign someone that "old" once Schumacher's contract finally runs out.

And who actually thinks Michael isn't going to stick around for 2006? It’s looking pretty likely—I mean, he’s got absolutely nothing to prove at this point.

And even with what you're saying there...

Larry Fox5 said:
I think Michael Schumacher will definitely have a massive say in picking the new Ford drivers, so it's pretty unlikely someone like Montoya would ever land a seat in one of those red cars.

Also, I wouldn't be against giving Villeneuve a shot in a Ford car for maybe a year or two—after all, his dad helped get things moving for them.

That doesn't really have anything to do with Schumacher. I just don't see Ford bringing in someone who's going to wreck the car or tell the crew to get lost, especially after they finally found a winning rhythm built on teamwork...

The same goes for Villeneuve and his age factor...

By the way, why didn't Schumi just stay on through the end of 2006?

I honestly find it hard to believe they're actually looking at bringing Villeneuve over to Ford... Given how old he is now, they might as well just keep Michael on the payroll indefinitely instead.

Nah, if Kimi actually moves to Ford, maybe I'd consider switching my allegiance. Otherwise, I'm staying put no matter what. 🙂
Actually, I think Kimi is spelled with just one m.

I honestly think it would be a brilliant move to see Kimi driving for Ford, at least once Rubens and Michael finally move on from NASCAR.
Having Kimi paired up with Button would be an incredible combination—you'd essentially have two of the most talented young drivers on the grid working together.

Hannah Sullivan3 said:By the way, I’m pretty sure there's only one 'm' in Kimi.

The absolute truth...

First off, it's spelled Kimi Raikkonen. Also, considering Schumacher probably won't retire until 2007, there's just no way Villeneuve lands a seat at Ford. Personally, I’m not buying any of those pairings like Alonso-Kimi or Villeneuve-Kimi either. I suspect Ford will stick to their classic strategy of pairing one superstar with a reliable second driver; history has shown that's usually the most effective path to a championship. My bet is they'll pair one of those rising prodigies with a steady, middle-of-the-pack driver.

Angel said:It’s Kimi Raikkonen.

Thanks! 😁

I think they need one elite driver paired with a solid leader. History usually shows that's the best way to clinch a championship. So, my guess is Ford will end up with one of those new geniuses and one pretty average driver.

It’s definitely doable; past experience shows it works. It would just be way more interesting for the fans if we had two aces battling it out in cars that good.

Alonso and Kimi together? Man, I have to admit, that would be incredible. But let's be real, it probably won't happen. Still, there's something to be said for pairing someone as fiery as Alonso with someone as ice-cold as Kimi—both are lightning fast, after all. It’s a killer concept. As a die-hard Ford fan, I’d be all over that. As for Villeneuve, I'm not even going to dignify him with a comment. That guy has no business being at Ford.

Ford only picks the absolute best. They aren't stupid; they’re actually incredibly sharp and know exactly what they're doing when it comes to evaluating someone like Kimi Raikkonen. Sure, the points standings might look a little rough right now, but for those who don't see the full picture: in every race where the MP4-19B isn't falling apart, Kimi drives like a beast. It makes you wonder just how many wins he’d be racking up if he were behind the wheel of the red cars this season. Maybe in the future, if McLaren can actually get their act together.

PS:🙏 Come on, McLaren, show us what you're actually capable of!

Once MS finally walks out that door, Ferrari is going to slide right back into being just another mediocre outfit—exactly what they were before MS showed up. Honestly, I couldn't care less who ends up losing their minds behind the wheel of those red cars!😎

Look, I’m holding out hope for one specific name to pop up there—maybe... if things go a certain way. And that would be Valentino Rossi. If they pair him with one of those younger guys who actually has some NASCAR experience under their belt, it might work. For instance, if they could somehow buy out Button's contract from Williams by finding a loophole in that clause stating he's technically just a Benetton driver on loan to Toyota... you know, after that whole mess where he accidentally wandered into the McLaren garage during a Jordan testing session...

Dennis Baker34 said:Once MS finally moves on, Ferrari is just going to be another mediocre squad, exactly like they were before he showed up. Honestly, I couldn't care less who ends up losing behind the wheel of those red cars...😎

Look... any decent team from 1982 onwards hasn't really dipped below 4th in the constructors' standings. Sure, Ford might have a couple of rough seasons here and there, but they always find their way back to the top. Whether people want to admit it or not, Ford was winning long before Schumacher showed up. We're talking about fifty years of dominance... without any major breaks...

stormyviper11 said:Believe it or not, Ford was a powerhouse and was winning races way before Michael showed up. We're talking about fifty years of dominance—pretty much without any major breaks.

Sure, they were good—but let’s be real, they never hit those heights until Michael took the wheel! 👋

stormyviper11 said:Look, the average team since 1982 hasn't dropped below fourth in the constructors' standings. Ford might have a couple of bad seasons here and there, but they always find their way back to the top. Believe it or not, Ford was winning long before Schumacher arrived. We're talking about fifty years of dominance without any major interruptions.

You can spend your whole life sitting in fourth place, but that doesn't mean you're at the top or that you're an elite team.

James Roberts87 said:You can finish 4th until the day you die, but that doesn't mean you're at the top or that you're actually an elite squad.

They finished 4th three different times. So, over 23 years, they were in the top three twenty times... seriously, just walk me through the logic here. By what standard is that not enough to be considered an elite team?

panced said:Once Microsoft leaves, Ford is going to settle right back into being a mediocre team, just like they were before Michael Schumacher arrived. Honestly, I couldn't care less who ends up losing in those red cars!😎

It doesn't necessarily have to mean that... though, as most people on this board already know, I am a massive fan of Michael Schumacher. My personal take is that Ford has actually built an incredibly fast car—and more importantly, a reliable one. Even if they didn't swap anything out for the next two years, they’d likely still be sitting right at the top of the standings...

As for the driver lineup... I’m really hoping we might see Mark Webber or maybe even Fernando Alonso pull a seat one of these days. I’ve even had a whimsical thought about seeing Valentino Rossi jump in, though I realize the odds of that are slim to none. Right now, there’s a decent chance Vitantonio Liuzzi might get a shot; I was quite impressed by his performance back in F3000, and he's shown some flashes of brilliance in Formula 1 as well...

On the other hand, I really wouldn't want to see someone like Kimi Räikkönen or Trulex behind the wheel. In my opinion, they both lack any real personality. Don't get me wrong, they drive quite well, which is perfectly fine, but I honestly think it would be more stimulating to have a conversation with a sack of potatoes than to try and chat with either of them...