Räikkönen could replace Kubica

Eric Boullier made it known already during Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that Kimi Räikkönen's manager had inquired about prospects for a team seat

Those who heard about it drew immediately the conclusions that it wasn't as sure that Räikkönen would be hired to Williams as the F1-media had believed.

As far as I know, no final decisions concerning Räikkönen has been made in Williams or in Renault for that matter. Both teams are believed to announce their drivers in the beginning of December.

In principle there's no rush since the test work for next season starts only on February 7th in Jerez.

Bouillier assured during Brazil GP that he has collected a long list of driver candidates. Among them Räikkönen is one of the options, but undoubtly the most famous one.

– It all depends upon the strategy we will take in the board of directors, but the decisions will be taken in the next couple weeks, Boullier informed.

Kubica's situation rubs relationships

Bouillier has got into an argument with manager Daniele Morelli over the way he has treated Robert Kubica. Renault published an announcement saying that Kubica won't rehabilitate in time for next season's start but Morelli denied it.

Boullier wants to ensure Kubica's plans and avoid the situation where he gives him a chance for testing so that he won't use it as a stepping stone to show his performance to another team - like for example Ferrari.

The only one who has a contract for next year in Lotus is Vitali Petrov.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen a candidate to replace Webber

Europe's biggest magazine Bild Zeitung published in their Tuesday issue news that at this point shocked the F1-world, by telling that Red Bull might be interested in hiring Kimi Räikkönen with a one year contract for next season to drive alongside Sebastian Vettel.

The story doesn't claim that Räikkönen would be coming back. The story doesn't claim either that Räikkönen would be the strongest candidate for Red Bull's second seat.

The team is looking for a short-term driver who can win races, since the WCC is highly prestigious to Red Bull.

According to Bild's editorial F1-staff, the interest to hire Räikkönen came from a very reliable source close to the team. They schedule Räikkönen to be Vettel's team mate only for year 2012, after which the team's own young drivers would have enough experience to switch to the main team.

A week before Silverstone GP Christian Horner said in Swiss Servus-tv that Räikkönen is not one of the options from which they are choosing Vettel's partner.

When viewers got to vote for their favorite driver candidate Räikkönen got almost as much support as Mark Webber, who's contract has been seen as practically certain. Webber got 26,2 and Räikkönen 26,1 % of the votes.

When it was certain in October 2009 that Räikkönen would leave Ferrari at the end of 2009, Helmut Marko who decides about Red Bull's F1-driver matters went immediately on Suzuka's paddock to inquire if the Finnish driver would be interested to switch to their team after Webber's contract would expire.

However that meeting didn't lead to closer negotiations over a F1-seat.

Räikkönen has said more than once that he will make his decisions for next year only after this year's races are over.

All the time his condition for a possible comeback has been that there would be a seat in a winning team and at the same time freedom to race for the victory. At the moment every driver starting from Lewis Hamilton would want especially to Red Bull.

In May Räikkönen assured in a press conference before the Nascar-race that he has never said his F1-career would definitely be over.

– There were many reasons why I quit. But I haven't said that it's final. At the moment I don't miss F1. I have wanted to do different things and have got great opportunities to try rally and now also Nascar. I have never said that I wouldn't go back to F1-level. There are no plans about what I will do next year, Räikkönen said at that time.

Turun Sanomat, Silverstone

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Barcelona to replace Bahrain for final test

In the wake of the postponement of the season opening Bahrain Garnd Prix, Formula 1 teams have agreed to return to Barcelona for the final test sessions on 8 to11 March.

Bahrain was set to host the final F1 test a week before the Grand Prix in the country but political unrest has put an end to these plans.

In a statement released by AT&T Williams the British team supported the Bahrain crown prince’s decision to postpone the race and also mentioned, “the team will now undertake the final winter test at Barcelona’s Circuit de Catalunya between 8 and 11 March 2011.”

Earlier it was reported that Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was adamant that the teams had agreed to return to Circuit de Catalunya for the final test.

The Australian Grand Prix weekend, staring on March 25 in Melbourne, will mark the de facto start to the 2011 F1 season.

Source: YallaF1