Kimi Raikkonen has been sacked by Ferrari and will be leaving the team post the 2018 season. Fans had feared a Kimi Raikkonen retirement, but the Finn has saved the F1 fraternity from that shock, as he has confirmed that he would be driving for Sauber in 2019.
The Finn revealed his Sauber return with an emotional Instagram post, stating that he would drive for the team for the next two years.
Raikkonen’s F1 journey had started with Sauber and he is back with his ‘boyhood’ team once again.
“Guess who’s back?! Next two years with Sauber ahead! Feels extremely good to go back where it all began!” Raikkonen revealed in his Instagram post.
The Sauber move now means that Charles Leclerc should be in line for his dream Ferrari move, one that was agreed upon by Sergio Marchionne before his sad demise.
All the rumours leading up to this announcement thus had some weight, and by the looks of it, it seems like Raikkonen could actually end up getting a driver/developer role at Sauber initially, and then might take up a part owner role in the team.
Raikkonen’s love for motorsport has kept him around for a long time and he doesn’t want to leave anytime soon.
“Signing Kimi Räikkönen as our driver represents an important pillar of our project, and brings us closer to our target of making significant progress as a team in the near future. Kimi’s undoubted talent and immense experience in Formula One will not only contribute to the development of our car, but will also accelerate the growth and development of our team as a whole. Together, we will start the 2019 season with a strong foundation, driven by the determination to fight for results that count.” the statement from Sauber read
