Highlights

Raikkonen committed to Ferrari-Briatore

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-09-09 15:38

Formula One champions Renault would have signed Kimi Raikkonen for next season had he not been committed already to Ferrari, team boss Flavio Briatore said on Friday.

McLaren Mercedes Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland prepares for the second practise session in Monza race track in northern Italy, September 8, 2006.[Reuters]

Ferrari say they will confirm their 2007 line-up on Sunday, with widespread expectation that Raikkonen will join from McLaren and seven times world champion Michael Schumacher announce his retirement.

Renault's champion Fernando Alonso is switching to Mercedes-powered McLaren in a deal announced last December.

"We tried to have Raikkonen," Briatore told reporters after free practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza.

"We did not really expect to lose Fernando and we moved a little bit late. Kimi chose to sign this pre-contract with Ferrari and good luck," he added.

"We will try to beat him next year.

"Sure, for me the dream was to have Fernando and Kimi," said Briatore. "But what is not possible is not possible.

"We try to do whatever we think is the best and Raikkonen's commitment was made very early with Ferrari. We believe, we presume, that he will be driving for Ferrari next year with (Brazilian Felipe) Massa."

Renault announced on Wednesday that their Finnish test driver Heikki Kovalainen would be partnering Italian Giancarlo Fisichella next year, with Briatore also signing up for another two years at the helm.

The team boss said he did not see anyone better than Kovalainen on the market and dismissed suggestions that he was too inexperienced and not a big enough name.

"Kovalainen is quite a big name. It's very long," he joked.

"Everybody was very happy because the name was very long and big. Montoya was short but unfortunately he was in another series.

"Everyone is talking about how he has no experience. This is utter rubbish. Montoya has experience and he's not in F1 any more," added Briatore.

Colombian Juan Pablo Montoya, a seven times race winner, left McLaren for the U.S.-based NASCAR series in July.

Briatore, who oversaw Schumacher's first two titles with Benetton, paid tribute to the German but suggested also that it was time the 37-year-old called it a day.

"There's no doubt that Massa was quicker in the last two or three grands prix," he said.

"Formula One is strong enough to lose an important driver. We lost (Brazilian Ayrton) Senna and Senna was a star. Nobody believed that one day we would have a Formula One without Senna.

"If Michael decides to stop, I believe it is the right way for him," he said.