Scuderia Ferrari Kimi Raikkonen says he is happy with the one-year extension of his contract with the Maranello team, as he considers his Formula One future “one season at a time”. The Finn’s resigning, which was announced yesterday, was widely expected and it was predicted earlier this month that the Italian outfit would likely extend its collaboration with the Finn for a fifth consecutive season. The deal had actually been agreed to by both parties for some time, as the 2007 Formula One world champions recently admitted, adding that negotiations were quick and simple, given the fact that his enjoyment with the Maranello team made it an easy decision for him to continue for at least one more year:
“We started discussing it at a late stage and quickly agreed. It did not take long to think about it. I have known about it for some time but only now read it in the newspaper.” – Kimi Raikkonen said at a sponsor event in Helsinki on Tuesday.
It is believed that Kimi Raikkonen’s current deal is a precursor to Scuderia Ferrari also retaining its de-facto ‘number 1’ driver Sebastian Vettel for the 2018 Formula One championship, as news regarding the German driver’s future with the Italian team are set to be revealed next week at Monza: “I would not have signed it if I was not enjoying it and I did not have a good cooperation with the team and all the people.” – the Finnish driver added, as reported on Wednesday by Italian national sports newspaper based in Rome Corriere dello Sport.
The 2007 Formula One world champion insisted the fact that the new contract with Scuderia Ferrari will be available for only one season is of no importance and would have no bearing on his focus for the remainder of the current F1 championship: “At this point it is good to take one season at a time.” – the 37-year-old Finn said – “It does not matter one way or another if there is another contract or not. I always try my best. Probably in a month’s time they will begin speculating about the next one.” – Scuderia Ferrari’s Finnish driver concluded.
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