Raikkonen to take a break from F1

Fifth Gear  Wednesday 18 November 2009

Kimi Raikkonen will not be driving in Formula One next season after failing to secure a contract.

It is understood that the Finn was interested in doing a deal with McLaren, but could not get the salary he wanted from them, according to his manager David Robertson.

Robertson said he believed that Mclaren had already signed Jenson Button.

Kimi is now said to be pursuing a World Rally Championship drive after he took part in Rally Finland last August. He set competitive times in his Fiat Grande Punto, before crashing out.

But it’s unlikely this will be the last we’ll see of Raikkonen in F1. The Finn has said he is still keen to race in in 2011, but will only do so for a team he feels has a chance to win the world championship.

Raikkonen was forced out of his seat at Ferrari to make way for Fernando Alonso, even though he had a year left on his contract with the team. It is believed he was paid around £19million not to race for Ferrari in 2010.