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Teams urge Williams to sign Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen won his World Championship with Ferrari in 2007 © Sutton Images

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• Drivers:
• Stefano Domenicali
• |
• Kimi Räikkönen
• |
• Martin Whitmarsh
• |
• Sir Frank Williams

• Teams:
• Ferrari
• |
• McLaren
• |
• Williams

Sir Frank Williams has been urged to sign Kimi Raikkonen for 2012 by the team principals of his former teams McLaren and Ferrari.

Williams shareholder Toto Wolff confirmed before Abu Dhabi that the team was in negotiations with Raikkonen over a potential return to Formula One, but that no deal had been agreed. While Williams declined to comment on the situation, McLaren team principal Martin Whitmarsh was asked what advice he would have for Williams and said that he should bring him back to the sport.

"Try and sign him," Whitmarsh said. "Kimi, we all know he is quick. I think people underestimate how intelligent he can be. I hope that he is hungry. I am sure he hasn't lost the capability to thrill us in Formula One so I think it would be fantastic for Formula One. I wouldn't ordinarily presume to advise Sir Frank who he should sign but I think it would be exciting if he did."

Stefano Domenicali was Raikkonen's team principal when he won the title with Ferrari in 2007 and said that if he has the desire to come back then he would be "one of the strongest" drivers on the grid.

"Of course, I would not give any advice to Frank," Domenicali said. "He has long experience. A lot longer than me. For sure, I know Kimi very well. He is very talented, very strong, and if he wants to come back he has something that wants to show to everyone about him, about the fact that he was the last driver to win the World Championship with us and he will want to show he is still one of the strongest."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.