Raikkonen was once rumoured to be the best paid driver in the world, earning a
reputed £33 million per year at Ferrari.
But Horner said salaries were largely irrelevant when it came to choosing
the right driver.
“Of course, finances are always a factor,” he said, “but you can also contrast
that with the difference between first and second or second and third, which
is a significant amount in the constructors’ world championship. So the
financial element of it, if you don’t make the right decision, is going to
impact you anyway if you are not scoring points.”
Horner added that three-time world champion Sebastian
Vettel had not tried to influence the decision either way.
“Sebastian has no concerns about going up against any driver,” he said. “He
knows them both, he knows they are quick and both would represent a
challenge but he is not looking to influence the team.”
Red Bull’s past record when it comes to driver negotiations suggests a
decision may already have been made. Last summer they said that they would
take the summer to decide on Webber’s future when in fact he had signed a
contract weeks before.
“We will take the summer break to reflect and then after the summer break [the
announcement] will be [made] at Spa or Monza but it’s certainly not going to
be later than that,” Horner said.
Meanwhile, decisions are expected this morning on proposals to introduce a
minimum pit-stop time in Formula One in an attempt to further improve safety
in the pit-lane as well as which media personnel would be allowed into the
pits during practice sessions. A cameraman was hit by a loose wheel from
Webber’s car at the last race in Germany.
The idea behind a minimum pit-stop time would be to eradicate the need for
teams to rush pit stops, although it will not guarantee that wheels do not
come off in the future nor is it likely to prove popular with teams or fans,
for whom fast pit stops have become part of the spectacle and competition of
grand prix races.