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Kimi
Raikkonen on Friday admitted for the first time the possibility he
will leave the Scuderia Ferrari at the end of the 2009 season.
And
interestingly, although his potential departure has been linked
with a full-time switch to rallying, the 29-year-old Finn said no
matter what happens, he is staying in Formula One.
"If
for some reason I am not at Ferrari next season I know I'll have a
seat at another team in the paddock," he is quoted as saying
by Britain's Daily Telegraph. "It's not a problem. Other
teams want me."
His
comments coincide with increasing speculation that Ferrari has now
signed a binding contract with Fernando Alonso and needs to part
with either of its existing contracted drivers for 2010: Raikkonen,
or the recovering Felipe Massa.
It
is believed an amicable split between Ferrari and Raikkonen is
likely, but it will cost the Italian team millions as his
engagement next year would have earned him in excess of $45m.
"I'm
too young to retire. I have a contract with Ferrari for next
season. If I didn't want to race next season I would not have
signed a contract," he added.
Alonso's
move would obviously create a gap at Renault, but arguably the
better vacant seat is at McLaren, who are openly considering
parting with Heikki Kovalainen.
It
may have been a Freudian slip, but the BBC quoted team boss Martin
Whitmarsh as saying at Valencia last weekend: "Kimi's really
raised his game and all weekend has done a great job and Heikki
has always been a fantastic team player and a good asset in our
team but his race pace hasn't been good enough."
Lewis
Hamilton was asked on Friday about the prospect of having a new
teammate for 2010, but deflected the question in the direction of
his bosses before remarking that he's "happy with Heikki".
Kimi
Raikkonen drove for McLaren between 2002 and 2006.
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