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Thursday, October 29, 2009

Kimi and Button to inform their future after Abu-Dhabi

Kimi Raikkonen may have just given McLaren the upper hands in negotiations after revealing that the Woking team is his "only" option to remain in F1.

Raikkonen is without a race-seat for next year's Championship having agreed to part ways with Ferrari a year earlier than expected.

And although Toyota have made it clear they want the former World Champ, Raikkonen says he's only interested in racing for McLaren.

"Toyota has not even been discussed," Raikkonen told Finland's MTV3. "If I want to drive (F1) cars, then McLaren in the only option. I should know the situation in the next few days."

The Finn was also asked about his future in Thursday's Abu Dhabi press conference, where he confirmed that leaving F1 for rallying is a possibility.

"Basically I have a few different options and we will see what is the best one overall and then make my decision," he said.

However, Raikkonen could also opt for a year on the sidelines, revealing that too is available to him.

"I can if I want. I can do whatever I want, but like I said before, I haven't made my decision what I want to do yet."

Meanwhile, on another note, Jenson Button is to wait until after this weekend's season-ending Abu Dhabi GP before finally laying to rest the speculation surrounding his future.

Since becoming Formula One World Champion 12 days ago the headlines have been as much about Button's contract saga as about his moment of glory in Brazil.

Button has made it clear he wants to stay at Brawn GP, while team boss Ross Brawn said earlier this week he is "99% certain" the 29-year-old will remain with the team.

Despite that, there have been stories linking Button to McLaren and forming an all-British 'dream team' pairing with Lewis Hamilton.

It is unsurprising given Button and Brawn are reputed to be haggling over his wages, as he is rumoured to be seeking a return to the £8million figure he enjoyed before Honda pulled out of the sport.

After Brawn emerged from the ashes, and in order to remain in F1, Button accepted a £5million pay cut, while he was even forced to pay for the flights and hotel bills for himself and his entourage.

Now, though, he is seeking a World Champion's salary, and if he does not get that from Brawn, there are other teams waiting in the wings.

But after enjoying a relaxing week in Dubai with his girlfriend in lingerie model Jessica Michibata, all talk can remain on hold as he wants to savour his first stress-free race of the season on Sunday.

"I've started discussions with Brawn, but we are not going to talk seriously until after this weekend," insisted Button.

"We can sit down and discuss it then, when we can focus on looking at the future.

"This weekend I am going to enjoy myself, which is going to be a nice feeling for sure.

"It has been a while since I've jumped into an F1 car and not felt stressed, or a little bit under pressure.

"It is the first time I can relax and go and do my thing because leading the World Championship every race was very exciting, but there were pressures involved with that.

"The last time I wasn't thinking of the World title would have been the final race of last year."

For now, Button is simply relishing the fact his name stands alongside some of the sport's greats in Juan Manuel Fangio, Ayrton Senna, Alain Prost and Michael Schumacher.

"It is crazy, isn't it?" reflected Button.

"It is something I've dreamed about for many years, and it is a great feeling.

"But before you achieve it you never know what to expect, you never know how that is going to feel.

"As a kid I would have been 'wow' to have the possibility of having my name alongside all those great drivers.

"But because I have had to work so hard for it - and every driver has to work hard for it in their career - it is a case of 'I've done it,' but I don't get too excited.

"It is a difficult one to explain. It is very, very difficult.

"Having worked for something for so long, then to achieve it, it is difficult to know how it feels to have my name against those big drivers."


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