Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen will stay at Ferrari next season, the Italian Formula One team announced yesterday.
“The driver line-up for the 2017 racing season will still consist of the Finnish driver and Sebastian Vettel,” Ferrari said.
Raikkonen, who won his title with Ferrari in 2007, is currently level on points with team-mate Vettel ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix, behind Lewis Hamilton and leader Nico Rosberg.
The Finn, 36, is the oldest driver on the starting grid but also one of the most popular among fans who admire his no-nonsense attitude and focus on racing.
Vettel gets on well with Raikkonen and had made clear he wanted the partnership to continue.
“It’s easy to work with him because you don’t need to worry about any tricks or games or whatever that are potentially a distraction to getting the job done,” he said.
The Ferrari seat is one of the most sought after, even if not currently the most competitive, with the team the most glamorous and successful in Formula One history.