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The idea of Kimi Raikkonen returning to formula one in 2011 with Red Bull is “interesting”.
That is the admission of Dr Helmut Marko, the energy drink company’s motor sport advisor to team owner Dietrich Mateschitz.
Having agreed to make room at Ferrari for Fernando Alonso this year, Finn Raikkonen, the 30-year-old world champion of 2007, elected to switch to WRC in 2010 rather than accept an offer from McLaren.
He is driving a works Citroen C4, but his salary is being paid for by major sponsor Red Bull.
It is therefore rumoured that, with Mark Webber’s contract expiring at the end of 2010, Raikkonen could become Sebastian Vettel’s teammate next season.
“He (Raikkonen) has a contract with Red Bull, let’s wait and see how this develops,” Austrian Marko is quoted as saying by the Dutch website formule1.nl.
“We have a large Red Bull family so there are many options,” he added. “We will have to see how he goes in rallying and what he wants to do.
“But the idea is at least interesting,” added Marko.
Since deciding to switch to the WRC, Raikkonen has said he has no regrets, and is enjoying the discipline’s challenge, variety, lack of murky politics and the camaraderie of his rivals.
When asked this week by the Independent newspaper if he is missing F1, the Finn shrugged: “For me it does not matter.
“I do not follow it closely — I just read it in the papers like you.”
© RIF|GMM
