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Kimi
Raikkonen is to to quit Formula one to launch a full time rallying
campaign next season the Finnish sports magazine Veikkaaja
claims.
The
2007 world champion has recently contested three minor events in
Finland and Italy, and will make his WRC debut in Finland at the
end of this month.
It
is suggested that while top teams can contractually forbid their
drivers from participating in dangerous pursuits, Ferrari is keen
to let Raikkonen develop his rallying hobby in order to make room
for Fernando Alonso at the team next year.
A
friend of Raikkonen is quoted by Veikkaaja as saying: "Kimi
doesn't talk about Formula One anymore. He just talks about rally."
Raikkonen
of course remains under contract to Ferrari until the end of next
year and has stated on numerous occasions that his rally exploits
are a hobby and that his focus remains Formula One.
“Just
because I am doing this rally, it doesn’t mean I don’t want to
continue in F1 next year,” he said ahead of the German Grand
Prix weekend. “I would have done some rallies a long time ago
but I could not. It’s just because Ferrari is kind enough to let
me do the rallies that I am doing them now.”
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