Kimi Raikkonen has signed a pre-contract at Ferrari and is to replace record world champion Michael Schumacher at the famed Italian formula-one team from 2007 onwards, Germany’s Bild daily reported on Thursday.
Bild said Schumacher could swap cockpits with Raikkonen as he is reportedly in talks with the Finn’s outfit, McLaren-Mercedes.
”Kimi Raikkonen has signed a pre-contract at Ferrari,” Bild said, citing ”absolutely reliable sources”.
”The first talks about a move of Raikkonen to Ferrari were held last year. Negotiations on the pre-contract were in February and March. The final agreement on this contract came in May,” the report said.
Raikkonen (25) was runner-up to Schumacher in the 2003 season and is currently fighting with Spanish leader Fernando Alonso from the Renault team for the 2005 title. He is rated one of the best drivers in the sport.
Schumacher is the most successful formula-one driver in history with seven world titles, among them five for Ferrari between 2000 and 2004. However, this season he is lagging behind in third place and out of title contention, as Ferrari have lost their dominance.
The German’s contract at Ferrari runs until the end of the 2006 season. He has been at Ferrari since 1996.
Bild said earlier this week that Schumacher had met with Mercedes motorsport chief Norbert Haug twice recently about what many in Germany see as a dream partnership between Schumacher and Mercedes.
The daily also said that Ferrari were likely not willing to raise Schumacher’s salary of â,¬35-million (R277-million) per year, as reportedly demanded by his manager, Willi Weber.
”I must ask for more money when I start contract negotiations. That’s normal,” Germany’s Sport-Bild quoted Weber as saying.
The manager allegedly asked for â,¬40-million. — Sapa-DPA