Kimi Raikkonen has ruled out joining a smaller team in the wake of his leaving Ferrari – and has even said the World Rally Championship is a possible destination for him.
The 2007 world champion will leave Ferrari at the end of this season, to be replaced by Fernando Alonso. But when quizzed today on his aspirations, he said that many options were still open to him.
“Yes, there’s a chance to do that [the WRC], but there’s as much of a chance that I continue in Formula 1. I will decide before the start of next year for sure!”
In the latest suggestion that he will go to McLaren or seek pastures completely new, Raikkonen ruled out helping a small team become competitive.
“If I do decide to stay in Formula 1, I wouldn’t go to any of the small teams, where I would not have the chance to fight for the championship.
“If I race next year, that would be my goal, otherwise there is no reason to be in Formula 1. I achieved what I wanted, but if I race, then of course, I want to win more races and championship titles.”
He went on to pay tribute to the Italian team with whom he won his hitherto only drivers’ world championship, in 2007, but whom he helped to two constructors’ titles.
“I have nothing bad to say about them as we always had a good relationship. I don’t think anyone expected Ferrari to have this sort of season, which turned out to be so difficult. But this can happen in F1 sometimes, when you don’t deliver a car capable of always being at the front, but this is just one year and we will wait and see what happens next.
“I would not have done anything different: of course I would like to win more races, but in terms of decisions about my life, I would not do anything differently to the way I have done it. I am happy with what I have achieved, even if whenever you look back, you think you might have done things differently, but that’s easy to say when you look back.
“But in terms of contracts and so on, I would not do anything different. With Ferrari, I have achieved what I set out to do in winning the title. We had good times and sometimes more difficult times, but that’s part of this business and you just have to get through those moments. We won many championships, one for me, two for the team and I have happy memories.”
