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Raikkonen's rally move may be permanent

Kimi Raikkonen may not return to F1 © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
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Kimi Raikkonen has said that his move to the World Rally Championship (WRC) may well be permanent.

Raikkonen announced earlier this month that he had signed a deal to compete in a Red Bull-backed Citroen in WRC next year. Although it was first thought that this move was just a sabbatical, it now appears that the switch could mean the end of his career in Formula One.

"I don't have any contract with F1 or anything else, so I have no idea what will happen," he told Autosport. "I have both options, to stay in rallying or try to come back to F1. I want to see how it goes, and then decide. I'm not in a hurry to decide. If it goes well, then I could keep doing it. There are many different scenarios. Right now it's just for this year, both with Red Bull and with Citroen."

Raikkonen, who was bought out of his Ferrari contract , was offered US$25 million if he did not drive in F1 in 2010, also revealed his thoughts on his departure from the team to make way for Fernando Alonso.

"I think when there is enough money involved," he said, "you can always change anything! I think it's a lot to do with Santander coming in. Probably they made some deal. I don't know ..."

Raikkonen also admitted that he could have signed with McLaren for the 2010 season, but could not agree terms. "It was not really so much about money;" he said, "it was all the other things. It's not that I couldn't have gone there but, like I said, I have no reason to do something with a contract that I'm not happy with."

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