Kimi Raikkonen re-signs for Ferrari for the 2017 season

Last updated on .From the section Formula 1

Ferrari have re-signed Kimi Raikkonen as team-mate to Sebastian Vettel for the 2017 Formula 1 season.
The 36-year-old's future had been in doubt as the team considered whether he had done enough to earn a fourth consecutive season with the team.
They have decided that he is the best option as support to four-time world champion Vettel, who leads their team.
It will be a seventh year at Ferrari for the Finn, who won their last drivers' title in 2007.
Raikkonen's second run with Ferrari has been up and down - he was comprehensively outperformed by his first team-mate Fernando Alonso in 2014 and by Vettel in 2015.
Raikkonen has again generally been behind Vettel this season but has shown some improved form and this was enough to persuade them to retain him for at least another year.
The decision was also partially based on the lack of availability of top-line replacements.
The team were very interested in Red Bull drivers Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen, but both are under contract to their existing team for at least another two years.
Toro Rosso's Carlos Sainz and Force India's Sergio Perez were also on their list but are also under contract to their existing teams and would have had to be bought out of those deals had Ferrari decided they wanted them.
"I think it was the right call," said Vettel. "We know our primary target is to catch up so we need to be all aligned and pushing in the same direction. With Kimi, there is no politics. We put our own egos aside, which is good for the team."
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Vetel - 96
Raikkonen - 96
Why would they drop a proven point-earner? Plus he's the most entertaining interviewee on the grid!
Ferrari will always score well in constructors with Kimi as a driver and that's important to them.
Also he's the most 'stig-like' driver out there and good for the sport.
As soon as someone is too competitive (Ricciardo), Vettel won't want to be a part of it.
Kimi is to them just a No2 now, good,competent driver who will pick up points but unable to regularly challenge the team leader. Like Button and Massa, his best years are behind him but his personality & experience is worth holding onto in F1.
What's far more pleasurable is knowing that the article on this very topic, from last week, was full of pointless speculation & that the F1 fans are far more wiser than the so-called journalists who know nothing about this or any other topic
The BBC pundits, Andrew Benson, Jenny Gow and Allan McNish all question this decision!
If they look at the facts, Kimi has scored the same as Vettel and when you take into account Kimi had technical issue in Australia and had to survive Vettel punting him in China, Ferrari have clearly made a very good decision.
BBC pundits dont like anything that isnt Hamiltoncentric.
err yeah OK
Raikkonen is a safe but uninspiring choice. Are there no talented young drivers around?
Courtesy of Allan McNish
Benson & co will have to wait another year before they re hash their " why Ferrari should get rid of Kimi" material
Some comments on this board really do defy belief.
After next year quite a few drivers are out of contract like LH and DR for example. I cant see SV wanting either of those two as a team mate though. More likely to be one of the up and coming drivers, whoever impresses the most next year.
Farina, Ascari, Fangio, Hawthorne, Brabham, P.Hill, G.Hill, Clark, Surtees, Stewart, Fittipaldi, Lauda, Andretti, Piquet, Prost, Senna, Mansell, Schumacher, D.Hill, Villeneuve, Hakkinen, Alonso, Vettel (and others!) all won while in the best car (at some point).
All average drivers then...
(yes I have said this before)
Webber does the Aussie GP so he is getting plenty of reporting experience
I'd go for Alonso though just to add some international flavour
bbc to re-sign benson!
"will jump out of vettel's way"
Strange then that his points score is the same as Vettel.