It's all about the money! It's all about the dum dum dum dum dum....

In a post-race interview following his last outing for Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen answered one simple question about his departure and he did confirm what a lot of people have been thinking all along -- it was Santander's money that bought him out of his contract. Santander, Spain's biggest financial institution, has inked a deal for a major Ferrari sponsorship and with it is a clause for a Spanish driver in the Ferrari cockpit. The Spaniards waved a big wad of cash, which, of course, the Italians couldn't resist.

Today I got a DM from Ferrari in my inbox with the subject, "Thank you for everything Kimi".  Of course, it's a tribute to their only World Champion after Schumacher, right? WRONG.

They're promoting Raikkonen merchandise. Hahaha! At the end of the day, yes it's a sport but it's also a huge business.  Good thing they announced Raikkonen's departure before I saw the Ferrari Store in San Francisco.  I would've been gutted (gutted - haha, I love this British expression) if I bought stuff only to find out they're outdated just days after as I'm sure I would've gotten Raikkonen stuff because even if he were the only Ferrari driver left in the world, I'll never spend money on Felipe Massa. The Ferrari Store was cool but I didn't bother to check it out because I already know what's inside and more importantly, I was told that they prohibit picture-taking inside. I don't buy racing stuff because I don't wear those. Mug? Keychain? Lanyard? I imagine my brother and my cousin would have appreciated caps, shirts or jackets -- but they're both McLaren fans. :)

Then again, even if I went inside the store, I think I wouldn't have gotten anything.  Maybe these would've been useful to me...

But I wouldn't sharpen them because they will shorten. I also wouldn't use the eraser, mauupod. Totoy!

Or this Enzo Ferrari key.

But why would anyone spend 200 grand on a key to a car you don't own??!

Or this Ferrari bike for USD 1,000.00

So ang bike ba, kapag Ferrari, super duper ultra mega bilis din? Like it's capable of 315 km/h (196 mph) and has a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 4.3 seconds? Heheheh


Anyway, this is probably one of my last F1 posts for this year (the super last one, maybe, when we get that final announcement and the missus gets the sign). It's McLaren or nothing. On to 2010!