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Raikkonen remains uncommitted over F1 future

ESPNF1 Staff
April 28, 2010 « Mercedes and Ferrari aim to refine F-ducts for Spain | »
Kimi Raikkonen inspects the damage to his car after crashing in Mexico in March © Sutton Images
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Kimi Raikkonen insists he still has not made a decision about whether he will return to Formula One in 2011.

After agreeing to end his Ferrari contract a year early late in 2009, he signed with Red Bull and Citroen but endured a difficult and crash-laden start to his new career in the World Rally Championship.

However, early this month in Jordan he became the first driver since Carlos Reutemann to score points in both F1 and world rallying. And then shortly after declaring he is not missing F1, he finished less than seven minutes behind winner Sebastien Loeb in Turkey for fifth place.

But when asked if his recent results make it more likely he will stick with rallying in 2011, Raikkonen told Turun Sanomat newspaper: "It has not turned in any direction. There is no rush for me to make decisions. We'll have to see what are the possibilities and what for me is the most interesting, what I enjoy the most and what it is I most want to do.

"We will see at a point some time later this year."

Raikkonen switched to rally after making clear he was not fond of F1's off-track activities and pressures, and ruing the lost days of characters like James Hunt. Those close to him agree that he seems happier in the rallying world.

"If the F1 world could go back 20 years, it would be the same as rallying now," he said. "It [rallying] is still professional but in just a bit more of a relaxed style."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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