Kimi was SO GOOD his team couldn't afford to PAY him... this contract was absolutely insane

Описание: This sounds unreal, but it actually happened. Kimi Räikkönen once drove so well that his own team couldn’t afford him.

When Lotus F1 Team signed the former World Champion, they added a risky clause to his contract. Kimi would be paid €50,000 for every single point he scored. The logic was simple. The car wasn’t expected to be competitive, so the bonuses wouldn’t hurt much.

Except… Kimi did what Kimi does.

Over just two seasons, he scored 390 points in that car. That bonus alone added up to a staggering €19.5 million. Lotus, already struggling financially, simply couldn’t pay him. Rumours say parts of that salary were never fully cleared.

Soon after, Kimi left and returned to Ferrari, leaving behind one of the wildest contract stories in F1 history.

What makes this even more interesting is that Audi F1 Team is reportedly offering Nico Hülkenberg a similar points-based deal. €50,000 per point.

History repeating itself or another masterstroke?

Day 24/60

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