Raikkonen "more than motivated" for Alfa Romeo - Vasseur

Alfa Romeo team principal Fred Vasseur has insisted Kimi Raikkonen remains "more than motivated" ahead of the new season.

Raikkonen, who turns 42 later this year, will drive for the team for a third consecutive season despite the emergence of Ferrari Academy drivers Callum Ilott and Robert Shwartzman in Formula 2 last season.

Vasseur revealed the team was always keen to keep the Finn in a race seat and that the only criteria for his extended stay would be that he remained committed.

"It is clear we wanted to get Kimi on board," he told GPFans Global. "It was more a method of motivation for him that he knew at some stage it would become difficult, that's for sure.

"He is motivated and doing a good job. For sure, with 23 races it will be tough but it will be tough for everybody. It will be tough for me also but I think the motivation is there, that is the most important for me.

"It is just a matter of commitment and motivation, and the commitment is still there and Kimi is more than motivated. I am optimistic for the future." The new season marks the end of the current era of F1 car, with new regulations introduced next year that will radically change the aerodynamic makeup of the sport and with the intention to promote closer racing.

When asked if Raikkonen would expect to stay on for the new regulations, Vasseur replied: "Yeah, but we treat it one by one.

"We have to be realistic and stay focused on this year and see what happens next year.

"I don't want to think about '23 or '24. Let's do '21 and then have the discussion during the course of the season."

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