Raikkonen out of F1 next season

HELSINKI: Kimi Raikkonen will sit out of F1 next season after failing to secure a move back to McLaren, Finnish media said yesterday.

"The options in F1 were with McLaren next season or nothing," the Turun Sanomat daily quoted Raikkonen's manager, Steve Robertson, as saying. "Kimi and McLaren were unable to reach an agreement, so he will not drive at the F1 level- at least not next year."

The Finn has left that team to make way for the arrival of Fernando Alonso. He received interest from several other teams but was intent on a return to his former team, McLaren.