Raikkonen wants Ferrari deal in 2019

Kimi Raikkonen has hinted that he wants to remain at Ferrari for the 2019 season, potentially clogging up what had been predicted to be a crazy driver market. The Finn has been largely expected to depart the House of Maranello at the end of the year, but he says retirement is not on his mind.

Daniel Ricciardo had been linked with replacing Raikkonen at Ferrari, with the pair's contracts soon to expire, while Valtteri Bottas is in a similar situation at Mercedes.

Although Ricciardo, Ferrari junior Charles Leclerc and even world champion Lewis Hamilton have been linked to Raikkonen's seat, high-profile team-mate Sebastian Vettel has talked up their partnership routinely.

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Although Raikkonen says he will not ultimately decide his own fate, he made it clear he has not lost his passion for F1.

"It's not my decision. It depends on the team and they know exactly what I want," said Raikkonen.

"I do not drive in Formula 1 if I do not have fun.

"The pleasure of driving is the only thing that keeps me here. I can do without everything else, even though it's the way it is.

"The decision is influenced by many things, but at least my passion for racing will not disappear from this moment to the end of the season."

Raikkonen was labelled a "laggard" by Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne last year as his comparatively poor results to Bottas especially saw Mercedes comfortably beat the Scuderia in the constructors' race.

However, he has been much improved in 2018, securing three podium finishes and suffering unfortunate DNFs in the other two. The Spanish Grand Prix was Raikkonen's 100th race since last winning an F1 race.