Raikkonen rumours rock F1 circuit

The fallout from the rumour factory that is Formula One, even before the first wheel had spun at the Bahrain Grand Prix opener, is that gloomy deadpan Kimi Raikkonen plans a return to the scene next year.

After being offloaded by Ferrari and overlooked by McLaren, who signed champion Jenson Button instead for fifth of the unsmiling Finn's £25 million (Dh140.18 million) asking price, Raikkonen I hear has been earmarked for a seat at Red Bull F1.

My info goes that he will be signed to link with 22-year-old German wonderboy Sebastien Vettel after the departure from the scene of Aussie Mark Webber at this season's shutdown. Meanwhile, Raikkonen, 30, will carry on sticking his neck on the line in the hair-raising pursuit of world championship rally glory in a second-string Citroen. He distinguished himself in a spectacular, high-speed upsidedowner last time out, only his second start in the championship chase, in Mexico — but remarkably survived five car-wrecking somersaults unscathed to say: "We were a bit unlucky, the car just slid wide, clipped the side and rolled."

It was a spectacular follow-up to the series of "offs" he had suffered on his rallying debut in Sweden in February — but it hasn't deterred or deflated him and he said: "I really am enjoying this."

When Red Bull F1 team boss Christian Horner heard of Raikkonen's intentions he admitted: "I think it is an interesting idea — but next season is a long way off. And there have been no discussions."

Team owner Dietrich Mateschitz was a little more forthright with a dismissive: "There's no truth in it."

But Formula One, as all followers of the sport fully appreciate, is laden with double talk and cover-ups and I most certainly would not rule out as rubbish the talk of a Raikkonen return with them.

An ex-F1 racer laments cranky Raikkonen's exit from F1 but warns: "To go out and then try to get back in is a very hard thing to do because there is always fresh talent coming up and about the place.

"It is a shame because Kimi is a wonderful talent, very fast,and a great character in his own right."

Laconic? Gloomy? A miseryguts? "No, not all," he argues, "away from racing he's chat-chat-chat, good fun, and a non-stop talker". Raikkonen, on a one-year deal with Citroen Juniors, says: "If I could win the WRC title it would mean more than my F1 championship three years ago. "This is definitely the biggest challenge I have ever faced. But I want it. And I am learning from it." He added: "But the doors to Formula One are still open to me. And I will make a decision midway through the year."

Should we put that down to wishful thinking — or does he know something he won't tell us?

Source: Gulfnews.com
Courtesy: Nicole Planet-F1