Kimi Raikkonen has admitted he'll only miss the thrill of driving in Formula 1 when he does eventually decide to retire from the sport.

Following Fernando Alonso's decision to leave the grid at the end of this season, it will leave the Finn as the last driver to have competed in the V10, V8 and V6 eras should, as the latest speculation suggests, he stay on at Ferrari for at least one more year.

Incredibly, after the 39-year-old, the next most experienced driver will be Lewis Hamilton, a man who entered F1 six years after Raikkonen, and this week, at the launch of his new book in Helsinki, he was asked if he'd miss the sport after calling it a day.

"No it will not be hard to stop this job," Kimi replied. "I will be relieved when all of the things not involving driving will end. The driving is great but nothing else."

Considering what he would do once he hung up his helmet, Kimi admits there'll be little chance of him following most drivers into punditry and actually called out Nico Rosberg over his decision to turn to TV.

"When he explained why (he is stopping) I thought it was cool and I understood," he said. "Now he's standing there with a microphone. I cannot understand why given the reasons he gave for wanting to leave.

"I'm interested in doing something like developing a car, but in the background not in public. It will not be standing with a microphone," he added.

Former Red Bull driver David Coulthard believes the team's decision to switch from Renault to Honda engines for 2019 was a no-brainer and sees no negative impact.

Given where the Japanese manufacturer was during their three years with McLaren, most would have considered the thought of a top three outfit taking the risk as preposterous a year ago.

However, as relations with long-time partner Renault decline, the progress Honda has made with junior team Toro Rosso this year was cited as the reason for taking the gamble and Coulthard agrees it is one worth taking.

"I think given where they are in terms of the relationship with Renault, the uncertainty over what happens beyond 2020, I don’t see any downside for them," the Scot told Crash.net.

"Renault has a great history in Formula 1 but whilst they try to build up their team to be a Renault-Renault world championship, are they really going to be happy to be winning in the back of a Red Bull?"

The ex-McLaren man also believes the French manufacturer has become stuck in their effort to close the performance and reliability gap to their rivals at Mercedes and Ferrari.

"Nobody knows what the future holds but if you use all the same ingredients all the time you get the same cake," he claimed. "If you want a different outcome you’ve got to change something in the process."

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Coulthard also believes Red Bull was in the absolute best position to determine the likely success of a Honda partnership given their association through their sister squad.

"With Toro Rosso, they will know the top data, so they will know what power is travelling out to the wheels of the car and they’ll know what they’ve got from the Renault," the current Channel 4 pundit continued.

“No-one will know how the Renault will develop, no-one will know how the Honda will develop but you look at the development plans, you look at the budgets that have been spent and you assume that if continue along the profile that they have in the past, it will get you to a certain point."

McLaren has confirmed Carlos Sainz will replace the departing Fernando Alonso in 2019 on a two-year deal.

Earlier this week, the double world champion announced he would be leaving Formula 1 after 17 seasons with the expectation being he'll compete in IndyCar as he attempts to win the Indianapolis 500 and complete the 'Triple Crown'.

Instantly, his fellow Spaniard was named as his likely successor and so that has proven with the 23-year-old opting not to join Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen, but instead replace his hero and mentor at the Woking-based team.

“I’m delighted to finally confirm that I’ll be a McLaren driver from the 2019 season," Sainz said. "It’s something I’ve been looking at for a while and I’m very excited about this next chapter in my career.

“I’ve been a McLaren fan for as long as I can remember. It’s a great name in the sport with an incredible heritage, and the list of drivers that have raced for McLaren over the years are among the heroes of F1.

“Fernando is of course one of them, so it’s particularly special that I’ll be taking his seat as part of the next generation of Spanish racing drivers behind the wheel of a McLaren."

Though there has been some criticism aimed at Sainz for his results this season at Renault, there is no doubting he remains a driver that can become a major player on the grid in the future and it is that potential which CEO Zak Brown is keen to tap into.

“We’re incredibly excited to have Carlos join us as a McLaren driver," he commented.

"We’ve been assessing him for some time now and rate him very highly among the next generation of young talent emerging through the ranks in F1.

“Carlos brings with him the perfect blend of youth and experience. Although he’s just 23, he’ll be starting his fifth season in the sport with us and will bring with him a huge amount of racing experience, both in F1 and with our partner Renault.

“It’s no secret that Carlos is a huge admirer of Fernando’s, and it’s fitting that he will be stepping into his seat as a Spaniard with a legendary name in motorsport.

"We think he’ll be a great fit for McLaren and we’re really excited to have him join us from next season and beyond.”

As of yet, there is no word on who'll be partnering Sainz, with current McLaren driver Stoffel Vandoorne under pressure to perform after a difficult first season-and-a-half.

F2 driver and member of the junior program Lando Norris is one name mentioned as are the current Force India drivers, with Lance Stroll set to take one of the seats there in 2019 at the latest.

Pirelli motorsport chief Mario Isola has said the company would be willing to compete in a Formula 1 tyre war but has warned it could detrimentally impact the sport.

The Italian supplier took over from Bridgestone in 2011 and has had a rocky seven years as they struggle to find the balance between maintaining a level of degradation that allows for variable strategies in races while also allowing drivers to push.

Even so, the company is likely to stay on beyond their current deal which expires at the end of next season and is set to part of an overhaul in tyre philosophy in 2021 with 18-inch rims and the banning of tyre blankets.

If F1 considered returning to the multi-supplier era of the mid-2000's when Michelin and Bridgestone battled it out, however, the Pirelli chief insists his team would be ready.

"If they decide to come back to this situation as we said in the past, we are ready to face also this new challenge,'' Isola was quoted by F1i.com.

In explaining what the impact would be though, he admitted it may not be to the advantage of the F1 show.

"It is a new challenge because if you're a sole supplier you have some targets, you supply the same tyres to everybody so you can have a tyre with high degradation, with different targets," he said.

"If we are in competition with our tyre supplier the target is just performance. It is clear. It's like for teams.

"Their target is safety for sure but safety is a target, it's always there, it's always a priority but after that, it's just performance.''

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Given that would likely also see a development war, as the suppliers would continue to work on their compounds in-season just as the teams do, Isola also warned that would result in higher costs.

"The direction of F1 is still to have one supplier,'' Isola declared. "[But] if you introduce, again, what they call the ''tyre war'' or multiple suppliers you have to consider that in the past it was necessary to have additional test sessions or in the past the teams had a proper tyre test team and obviously this means additional costs.

"If they want to reduce the cost, this is probably not the right direction.''

Renault Sport managing director Cyril Abiteboul has admitted Daniel Ricciardo may have to wait at least one full season before thinking of wins with the French manufacturer.

In the first week of the current summer break, the Australian stunned the Formula 1 paddock by announcing his decision to leave Red Bull after five seasons and join the Enstone-based squad in 2019.

Some have praised the 29-year-old for seeking a new challenge out of the looming shadow of Max Verstappen, while others don't see how a move to the current top midfield team will meet his desire to become a world champion.

Abiteboul too, concedes the 'Honey Badger' will have to be patient but admits his arrival is a big boost.

"His commitment to us proves our will to accelerate the catching-up process to the top teams," the Frenchman told Auto Motor und Sport.

"It's also a recognition of the work we have done over the past two and a half years. Daniel's talent and charisma are a big bonus for us. We have to repay that trust by providing him with the best possible car.

Confirming Renault's targets, he continued to France's Auto Hebdo: "With Ricciardo, the big objective is to fight for the title in 2021, but we hope that he can start winning races in 2020."

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The main reason most are sceptical of the move is the ongoing problems with the engine, which is underpowered and unreliable compared to their rivals at Mercedes and Ferrari.

Abiteboul disagrees, however, and instead sees the chassis as the main weakness.

"The engine is good enough to put a car in pole position, win races and fight for the title. Red Bull proves it," he suggested.

"Without their problems, they would now be fully in the title fight and only two of their problems had to do with the engine.

"Here we are on schedule with our catching up. I am convinced that we will catch up with Mercedes and Ferrari in 2019, maybe even overtake," Cyril proclaimed.

"I am satisfied with the performance increase. Not yet with reliability. On the chassis side we are still lagging aerodynamically."

Formula 1's managing director of motorsport, Ross Brawn has declared the arrival of new teams competing at a high level as the benchmark of Liberty Media's success in Formula 1 after 2021.

Negotiations are believed to be entering their final stages to determine what the regulations will be in three years time with an overhaul of car design and the revamp of the sport's financial structure, including a cost cap set to be included.

Changes to the current power unit were also expected, but with an apparent lack of interest from new manufacturers, it is now anticipated the engines will remain more or less the same but with a few tweaks.

With the possibility of adding three more teams to the F1 grid though, it is how well the current owners can attract interest that Brawn sees as a stronger barometer of Liberty's impact on the sport.

"Quite frankly, I can't see a new team coming in today because the revenue distribution and commercial distribution of funds and the technical regulations are too daunting," the Briton was quoted by F1i.com.

"We want to create an environment where there is a queue of professional organisations wanting to own and be a Formula 1 team."

In recent years only Haas has joined as a completely new outfit but their approach of buying as many parts in from Ferrari as permitted and have Dallara design their chassis has been quite controversial.

Even so, many see their model as perhaps the most viable way to be competitive in the sport, particularly after the failures of Manor, Caterham and HRT.

Regardless, Brawn simply hopes the regulations that are agreed on can create more Haas-type scenarios than those who joined the grid in 2010.

"We have always had this margin of teams at the bottom of F1 that are hanging on with their fingernails, and often falling, and we want quality competitors, not just people making up the numbers and saying they are in F1 if they can't step up," he explained.

"So we want the professional, well-financed, well-structured teams to be entering F1 in the future and that will be a measure of our success. But they won't come in today. I hope we can create the environment by then that makes it more appealing."

Felipe Massa considers his former Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso to be "on the same level" as Michael Schumacher but saw his Formula 1 career impacted by one negative trait.

This week, the double world champion confirmed he will be leaving the grid at the end of 2018 and is likely to race in IndyCar as part of his bid to win the Indianapolis 500 and complete the 'Triple Crown'.

A return to F1 in 2020 hasn't been ruled out, however, just prior to his big announcement, the Brazilian, who many considered his No.2 during their stint together at Maranello, was full of praise for the Spaniard.

"As for pure talent, I would put Michael and Fernando on the same level," Massa said, having also driven alongside the great German at Ferrari in 2006.

"Alonso has the gift, the ease, of understanding a race and driving incredibly fast. A highly intelligent driver with extensive skills and I would say all that also about Michael."

If the 37-year-old doesn't come back, however, his legacy will be one of a possible all-time great who's achievements in F1 fall well short of what they could have been and for Massa, who himself retired at the end of 2017, that is down to one reason.

"Outside of the race car, I had zero problems with Alonso, we have always maintained a healthy working relationship," he explained.

"With Fernando, that’s one thing. If he pulls down his visor, he becomes another person. He can split a team. We saw that in many racing teams he drove for.

"I see that as his problem. Maybe he could have made more of his talent without this trait."

Certainly, his explosive season with McLaren in 2007 alongside Lewis Hamilton defined much of Alonso's career, with the infamous 'Fernando is faster than you' incident with Massa at Hockenheim in 2010 another, in what was their first season together at Ferrari.

The superiority of Red Bull and then Mercedes ultimately put pay to his hopes of a third world title and in today's F1 driver market, despite his undoubted speed, no top team would risk having him in one of their seats as the stigma of 2007 continues to haunt him.

That's why, as much as the sport will miss him, calling time on his 17-year stint was ultimately the only decision for a man still driving at his highest level.

Carlos Sainz is set to be announced as Fernando Alonso's replacement at McLaren before the end of this week, according to ESPN.

On Tuesday, the double world champion surprised the Formula 1 world by revealing he will leave the grid at the end of 2018, likely heading to America to compete in IndyCar as well as the WEC.

His fellow countryman has been linked to the Woking squad in recent months and saw his current Renault seat taken by Daniel Ricciardo for next season.

But rather than go in the other direction to Red Bull where he was expected to go, Sainz could well be following in the footsteps of his hero and mentor.

It is reported the 23-year-old could be confirmed as early as Thursday and has agreed a two-year deal taking him through to 2020.

The main question now is who will partner him with some believing Alonso's departure could relieve pressure on Stoffel Vandoorne, who has struggled against the 37-year-old.

Fernando has continually defended the Belgian, recently claiming he much closer in terms of performance than many of his ex-teammates, something the stats have actually backed up.

Even so, CEO Zak Brown did have a warning for the 26-year-old.

"I wouldn’t say we’re disappointed by Stoffel. You’d like to see him beating his team-mate more often than he has," he said.

"That’s the same in any situation. You’d love to see your teammates split right down the middle in beating each other every weekend.

"He’s not been able to do that on a regular basis but I wouldn’t say we’re disappointed because last year we know we gave him a very difficult situation and this year we’ve not given him a very good car to work with.

"Given Fernando’s talent and experience he’s able to adapt to situations that aren’t great."

Some believe F2 challenger and McLaren junior Lando Norris could be in line for a promotion and the Briton tweeted "interesting" after Alonso's news, but his American boss has hinted there would be one obstacle in his path.

"Because we're rebuilding, to have two young drivers in our car wouldn't be a great place to be," he admitted.

"If we had a better racecar then you might take a risk with two younger drivers because you've given them good racecars."

Ferrari is still the team to beat after Formula 1's summer break despite Lewis Hamilton's championship lead, according to both the Briton and his rival Sebastian Vettel.

It is generally accepted that the Scuderia just has the edge over Mercedes this season, thanks mostly to their considerable engine gains which has seen them overtake the Brackley-based team in the performance stakes.

However, rain during the German Grand Prix and in qualifying in Budapest saw Hamilton come out on top as Vettel crashed at Hockenheim and fell behind the Briton at the Hungaroring, ultimately finishing second in the race.

As a result, the reigning champion has a 24-point lead heading into the final nine races of the season but he insists nothing is settled.

"We are racing a team that is faster than us this year," he told Formula1.com.

"Last year we were quite balanced, as there were some weekends they were faster than us and some weekends we were faster than them but this year it is swinging more in their direction.

"We are having to over-deliver on race weekends and pull out more on weekends where we are not quick enough. The pressure to extract every millimetre of every ounce is greater than ever if I want to be number one at the end."

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It was this point last year that Mercedes asserted themselves over Ferrari with Hamilton taking wins in Spa and Monza before Vettel's run of retirements in Singapore and Suzuka.

Insisting that the negative moments that have happened are now behind him, Sebastian is sure history will not repeat itself in 2018.

"Last year, we lost the championship I think because our car wasn’t quick enough to be a match in the final part of the season, despite what happened with the DNFs," he also told the official F1 website.

"So I hope that this year, and I think this year has shown so far that our car is more efficient, our car is stronger and still has a lot of potential to unleash.

"I’m quite confident with what’s sitting in the pipeline that we can improve. So we’ll see. It should be an exciting second part of the year."

Max Verstappen insists he is not concerned about the number of Honda engine penalties that Toro Rosso has incurred so far this season.

The Japanese manufacturer is enjoying a less eventful year than those with McLaren as the performance and reliability prove much better than at any point during their tenuous partnership.

It is that upward path which led to Red Bull agreeing to take on the Honda engine from 2019, however, despite the gains, Pierre Gasly has used five of the three main components, internal combustion engine, turbocharger and ERS with Brendon Hartley on a sixth ICE, twice his permitted allocation.

"I don't think they have had a lot of issues," the Dutchman was quoted by F1i.com. "Most of the time, maybe they had a bad qualifying so then it doesn't really make a lot of difference for them to take a new component, so that's what they are doing.

"I'm not too worried and they still have quite a few races coming up to understand the package, and for next year it's going to be a new engine, it's different.

"They learn from their mistakes, which is good. It's happening on other brands, not only Honda. So, I'm not too worried."

Also Read:

• Toro Rosso sure Honda will power Red Bull to victories in 2019
• Verstappen: Non-works team status leaves Red Bull "two races behind" rivals
• Red Bull: Honda partnership has more potential than with Renault

For Verstappen, the situation can't get much worse after he was furious with Red Bull's current engine supplier Renault following the Hungarian Grand Prix as another failure led to his retirement just five laps into the race in Budapest.