Raikkonen free to return to Formula One
Kimi Raikkonen: nothing tying him to rally © Sutton Images
Kimi Raikkonen can pull out of the 2011 World Rally Championship to return to Formula One if he wants to, according to Citroen's rally chief Olivier Quesnel.
His comments come amid reports Raikkonen is now contractually committed to rallying for this season, ruling him out of a possible F1 comeback with Renault as a replacement for the sidelined Robert Kubica.
After making his full-time world rally debut with Citroen last year, Raikkonen has announced he will drive a Citroen DS3 under the Ice 1 entry in 2011.
"If he wants to leave, I couldn't say anything because he is a client," Quesnel told RMC Sport. "He has rented a car from us and drives with his own sponsors. I suppose there may be considerable pressure from Bernie Ecclestone, the FIA and the whole world of F1 who want to see him come back because he is still an emblematic driver for the sport."
However, Quesnel indicated that he doesn't think Raikkonen is too keen to go back to F1. "If he is taking phone calls, they would have to be very convincing to get him back there."
Credit: ESPN F1 (espn.com)
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