I know the original article is from the mirror - a rag not renowned for its truthfulness, but there is a huge part of me that hopes' they've got it right this time!

"Kimi Raikkonen has signed an "outline agreement" to kick off a second tenure with the McLaren team beginning next season, the Mirror newspaper reported on Sunday.

The British newspaper said the 29-year-old Finn, who raced with the Woking based outfit between 2002 and 2006, must first reach an agreement with Ferrari, with whom he is under contract for one more season.

The Mirror cited "paddock sources" in claiming that Raikkonen is prepared to vacate his contracted Ferrari seat in 2010, but only if the famous Italian outfit pays his salary. The newspaper estimated Raikkonen's 2010 Ferrari contract at nearly US $49m.


The report also said the news ties in with Nico Rosberg's link with Brawn and the Brackley team's burgeoning relationship with Mercedes-Benz.

The German manufacturer Mercedes was said to be pushing for Rosberg to replace Heikki Kovalainen at McLaren, but may now have resolved to push the German driver to Brawn and increase its involvement with the Ross Brawn-led outfit."

Home from silverstone, tired and dirty. Need to unpack my bags and download photos/videos.

I finally managed to meet Whitmarsh and for a change i didn't say anything overly embarrassing! No arse shot unfortunately but i don't care cos i got to talk to him!

Also managed to meet Kimi and that was a bit hysterical and Mark did not have time to stop and chat which was a shame. Random sentence of the day went to Mr Totty whom i told i liked his hoover. Not as random as it sounds as we'd been talking on twitter about the dyson parked outside the BBC offices.

Caught up with Leggie on Saturday and he was lovely as usual; showed me all the fuel load facts and figures.

Saw Klien; he totally ignored me, despite the fact that i was the only one interested in him as everyone urged round heidfeld.

Chris Dyer stopped for a chat and we pointed out that if the ferrari mechanics were going to do a strip show in the car park, he needed to buy them better undercrackers! For some reason the mechanics all had to change near their vans and there were some very grotty Y fronts on display!

Anyway, pictures later!

Happy birthday deltachild

Getting up early on a Sunday morning is just plain wrong.

Its been raining in Shanghai this morning and the track is damp, with more rain expected later. Not the torrential downpour we had in Sepang though. Interesting times ahead.

Love the fact that the BBC are taking every opportunity to mention the 'Felipe baby' comment. Mike Gascoyne asked DC if his engineer ever called him baby. DC replies, he doesn't have that sort of intimate relationship

Another day another train ride. After last week's epic failure of a visit to Teddington (a 10 hour round trip for what amounted to a 45 minute meeting and they didn't even offer me a cup of tea) today has been marginally better.

Ok, so its only an 8 hour round trip train ride this week. But the meeting i went to lasted 2 hours (still no tea on offer). Unfortunately it was in the very scrotey part of New Cross (apologies to New Cross residents).

Why do train companies insist on running the air con at below freezing levels? I'm sure the guy opposite me is going to get his eyes poked out ;)

On the plus side, we have finally signed the contract on the premises for my first GP Led Health Centre. You know the project I started last June, that was supposed to open in March? Yes, it is all now signed, sealed and delivered! Thank fuck for that. Minorly pissed off that I wasn't around for the official signing but as long as it is signed, who cares??

So that means I know have just over two weeks to get this thing up and running. If I thought my job was hard before, I had no idea! The problem is, because of the premises shenanigans, I haven't been able to do that much work on the project. Now, I have to get everything done all before the PCT walk through on May 1st. This means my customary weekends of doing naff all are now a thing of the past.

I have luckily appointed my GPs - but the HR stuff is such a minefield and our HR team are frankly a joke, its giving me grey hairs.

You know I'm stressed when I don't even know what time quali is on tomorrow morning - I hope i remember to get up.

I'm really pleased (and not in the least bit surprised) that the diffusors were ruled legal. Ross Brawn is the master of bending the rules to within an inch of breaking point. Remember that silverstone race won in the pitlane with a drive through penalty? And although I don't think Ross always did things legally (barge boards? flexi-floors?) even i have to admit, the man is a genius.

In other news, I'm slightly upset at the whole McLaren thing. Uncle Ron has gone and left, falling on his sword to protect the twat from Max's wrath. Personally, I think Ron Dennis is worth a hundred of hamiltoad, but then again, I am biased. I feel for Ron, it must be painful leaving a sport you love and have worked in for over 40 years. And Hamiltoad's dad spouting off to the press 'off the record' does not help matters. God help him if I see him in Monaco - he'll be in the harbour before he can blink.

Anyhoo, that's probably enough moaning for now.

I am really beginning to dislike Mondays.

Having a rather excellent dream about a chap called Craig (dunno who he is, never met him, but he was rather good looking) when i woke up one minute before the alarm went off. Now normally i prefer that, nothing makes me grumpier than blaring music distrubing my slumber. Sadly, it meant Craig disappeared forever.

Anyway, I am now sat on the train heading into London for what is becoming the weekly feature of my life. Today I am heading for a meeting with the Richmond & Twickenham PCT. I know its going to be riveting!

In light of the credit crunch cost cutting measures, my office has decided to book me on the rather longer journey from Exeter to Clapham Junction, rather than the usual Newton Abbot to Paddington. This train stops at almost every station between here and Berkshire, which is going to wind me up no end! However, one station we are going to stop at is Woking. It is going to take all my willpower and effort not to get off the train. And on the way back, the train takes the normal reading/newton route, so I will only have to display such heroics once today, thank god!

Roll on Thursday night! I am so disillusioned and tired of this project that I just can't wait to have four days off to do nothing but lounge in bed/sofa/bath.

Tags: monday; trains; woking; dreams
Current Location: Train somewhere outside Exeter
Current Mood: tired
Current Music: in the Quiet Carriage!

Posted here in stead of spamming the slash list.

( life's too short to sit in the rain )

Tags: kimi icecream and coke

I'm having a bit of a crap day. Which is just another day in a shitty week. There might be a post about the rubbishness later.

so here I am feeling blah. Then i read two emails sitting in my inbox. they've been there over 18 months but they never fail to make me smile and squee.

McLaren might be crap and have the twat driving for them, but I still love them.

*cheers*

Tags: emails
Current Location: Chelston Hall
Current Mood: bouncy

While I do think, as a commentator, James Allen was one of the biggest twats around, as a writer (and pitlane reporter) he was rather good. I've been following his blog with interested and today's entry conjured up some giggles:

I was rather surprised at the check-in to see Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali with both of his drivers, travelling as a team.......while Kimi Raikkonen had one of his Finnish mates with him, the pair with their distressed baseball caps worn at an angle, making cracks in their own private language about people they saw, laughing like teenagers.

That image of Kimi laughing does make me giggle and go 'awwwww'. No mention of Freaky Mark though....or the stick insect.

So, whose awake for FP3 and quali?

LOL! Nico has been complaining about the mirror quality on the williams - he can't do his hair properly!

The curse of Schumacher lives on :(

( Need to vent )

According to this article, the FIA have made a decision that drivers are to be more accessible to the public.


That is, being available to sign autographs in the pitlane, in their designated pit box during the first practice day of a GP weekend.

Oh yeah? And just how are the hoi polloi supposed to gain access to said pitlane to meet and greet the drivers? The people who will get these opportunities are those who have already paid for paddock club tickets and get the pitlane walk anyway. Jow Bloggs with a general admission ticket in the back of beyond hasn't a hope in hell.

So really, no change to the status quo.

Drivers are to be more accessible to TV crews after practice/quali and the race. Again they're only stating as a rule what has previously been an agreement.

And i'm not even going to comment on the madness of how to award a WDC.

Tags: motorsport; fia decisions
Current Location: Torre Marine
Current Mood: calm

kthrn you naughty naughty woman! I have no will power to resist the chocolatey goodness!!!

Thank you so much for the box full of goodies - all my favourite things (including a kimi!). I am going to try and ration myself, but if they are as delicious as they look (orange truffle *wibble*) I will be sending you out to buy more!

I have posted your camera off today, internatinal signed for, so it should be with you by the end of next week and will need a signature. I also insured it, just in case.

*goes off to put chocolate on a high shelf*

EDIT: And flavoured liquorice *yum*

Tags: kthrn; camera; chocolate
Current Location: Torre Marine

( Fernando and Kimi and Heikki oh my! )

Tags: interlagos pics 2008
Current Location: Torre Marine

( Kimi leaves no drop undrunk )

Tags: photo: kimi

( Just had to share this.... )

Tags: photos, shanghai 2008

My first words in the recovery room are alleged to be:

"What happened with Lewis Hamilton?"

I am quite embarrassed that my first conscious thoughts in an hour are about the twat. And, because I was still drowsy/medicated I couldn't form the words to say I wasn't a twat fan and that I meant what happened with the appeal. No one knew anyway.

Thankfully, as i got in the car to come home, the news came on and told me what I needed to know.

I was very smug last night (even if it did take me over an hour to eat a tiny slice of pizza) and how easy it all seemed to be. But I'm paying for it this morning with horrible pains in my jaw, a sore throat and a snotty nose. Just my luck!

Just got to wait for those painkillers to kick in now!

Tags: mclaren appeal, recovery room, wisdom teeth
Current Location: Belmont Road
Current Music: Dog Snoring

Today I go into hospital to have my wisdom teeth out. I am shitting a brick!

To make matters even more exciting i have started a cold. So I have a sore throat, earache and a snotty nose to contend with. I haven't even got there yet!

See you on the other side!

Tags: wisdom teeth

Meme swiped from mythy

Repost this on your own journal and let me see your answers

( Questions... )

Tags: meme

In times of extreme stress and trouble i turn to you f-listers to help a damsel in distress!

As many of you know I am working on a huge tender to provide a GP-led Health Centre. I won't bore you wil the science of it all again.

Anyway, I have mocked up a webpage for my health centre to go in with the bid.

The problem is the page is too big to screenshot in one go and, as I only have stupid paint as a graphics program (don't ask!), I can't copy and paste the two sections together to show the whole page.

The mock up is www.hypnosisweek.co.uk/joom15

The final product needs to be a .jpg to be submitted with the final documents.

Just to add a bit of fun to the proceedings, the submission date for this is Thursday afternoon. So i need it before then.

Can anyone help me please??? *begging puppy dog eyes* if you can, there might be a prize/fic of your choice (within reason)in it for you!

ETA: Big Thank you to deltachild who has come to my aid!

Tags: tender help, webspage mock up
Current Location: Manaton Court
Current Mood: stressed
Current Music: Radio 2