Raikkonen's management visit McLaren

Kimi Raikkonen’s management team visited McLaren’s Technology Centre on Wednesday as guests of Martin Whitmarsh, itv.com/f1 has learned.

Steve and David Robertson were seen in conversation with the McLaren team principal while walking around parts of the squad’s Woking base.


Former world champion Raikkonen has been heavily linked with a return to McLaren since reaching an agreement with Ferrari to end his contract with the team a year early so that it could make room for Fernando Alonso.

But although the Robertsons’ McLaren visit suggests McLaren is indeed making a serious bid to re-sign the Finn after his three-year stint at Ferrari, itv.com/f1 understands that other candidates remain in the running for the seat alongside Lewis Hamilton in 2010.



Raikkonen has made it clear since his Ferrari departure was confirmed that he is only interested in remaining in Formula 1 next year with a team that will give him the chance to challenge for a second world championship.

Amid speculation that disagreements over money had slowed the progress of his initial talks with McLaren, Raikkonen told reporters at the season finale in Abu Dhabi said he wouldn’t be compromising on any deal just to stay on the grid.


"I have options and I still want to be here [in F1], but everything needs to be perfect," Raikkonen said in Abu Dhabi.


"I have no reason to make any contract that I don't feel 100 per cent happy with.”


The 30-year-old has previously hinted that he could take a sabbatical from F1 or switch to the World Rally Championship if he does not secure a drive he is happy with before next season.


Raikkonen has appeared the most likely driver to become Hamilton’s 2010 team-mate for weeks, although Whitmarsh has previously not ruled out the prospect of Heikki Kovalainen retaining his drive despite his disappointing results this year.


The possibility of new world champion Jenson Button joining Hamilton in an all-British line-up has also been mooted with the star yet to agree a new contract at Brawn.