Kimi Raikkonen admits he doesn’t know what he’ll do when his contract at Alfa Romeo expires after 2020.
The 2007 world champion will be 41 at the end of next season and will be Formula 1’s most experienced driver, surpassing the record for race entries current held by Rubens Barrichello.
But while his decision to step back to Alfa Romeo from Ferrari for this season was seen as Raikkonen’s final F1 move, the Finn isn’t ruling anything out.
“I have no idea. Obviously, I have a two-year contract, so until the end of next year, and then we’ll see what happens,” he said last month in Germany. “I have no plans after that. That’s about it…”
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This season has seen Raikkonen be Mr Consistent with eight points finishes as he optimises the potential of his Alfa Romeo.
Previously, he also admitted to enjoying the change of atmosphere at the Swiss-based outfit, but Kimi also concedes a lot of things remain the same as at Ferrari.
“I think it’s a lot different, obviously, racing a bit more rearwards, but if you take that away, in the big picture there aren’t really any big, big changes,” he claimed.
“It’s a different team, of course, but one I had worked with before and I think Formula 1 hasn’t changed from last year, it’s the same meetings, the same interviews, the same everything.
“Obviously, I have a bit more free time now, that’s a nice point. Other than that, I think there’ isn’t any difference, at least I don’t see one.”
On the Alfa Romeo side, team boss Fred Vasseur would praise Raikkonen’s relentless pursuit of performance, something he admits was his only doubt when talking last year.
“The most important for me was to make sure he was committed,” the Frenchman claimed. “Committed means he will be present at the factory, he will push the guys, he will be demanding.
“He is demanding, and I don’t want him to relax, that’s absolutely not the case. I want to have someone in the team pushing for results.
“It’s a good situation for the engineers also and it’s important, but he already understands that he’s not at Ferrari or Mercedes and everything can’t be fixed in two weeks.”