Ferrari set to drop Kimi Raikkonen with Valtteri Bottas lined-up as his replacement
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Updated 17/07/2015 at 10:20 GMT
Ferrari have reportedly agreed a fee with Williams to sign Valtteri Bottas in 2016, according to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport.
Williams' Valtteri Bottas during ta press conference
Image credit: Reuters
Bottas has been linked with a move to Maranello to replace Kimi Raikkonen, who has an option for 2016 which Ferrari would need to take up.
Ferrari are believed to have approached Williams about signing Bottas in recent weeks, with reports in Italy now claiming a release fee of €12million has been agreed.
Speaking to F1i at the British Grand Prix, Bottas said Ferrari and Mercedes were the only two attractive options on the grid other than remaining at Williams.
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Ferrari Formula One driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland walks to the pit during the first practice session of the Austrian F1 Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring circuit in Spielberg, Austria, June 19, 2015
Image credit: Reuters
If the report is correct, the move would spell the end of Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari career and is likely to mean the end of his time in F1.
Raikkonen has previously insisted he is not looking at other options, saying earlier this year: "If I am not with Ferrari, I am not with any team".
It has been easier for Ferrari to judge the potential of Bottas than many other drivers on the grid as he has been paired with former Ferrari driver Felipe Massa over the past two years, finishing 52 points clear of his Williams team-mate last year.
If Bottas is set to leave at the end of the season, Nico Hulkenberg is understood to be top of Williams' list to replace the Finn, with the 2015 Le Mans winner having previously raced for the team in 2010.
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Raikkonen out, Bottas in?
Image credit: AFP
OUR VIEW
Corriere dello Sport is a reliable source so this story is likely to be accurate. Sacking Raikkonen seems to be the right move right now after his bad season in 2014 and his difficulties adapting to the new Ferrari car.
Is Bottas the perfect fit? Not exactly, but there are no big drivers available on the market. Bottas is quite young, quite good and with a lot of upside, but he’s not a high-profile driver and is still to win a single race in F1.
Ferrari fans are unlikely to be enthusiastic. They’d prefer another name, like Hulkenberg or Ricciardo. Bottas will just be a second-fiddle to Sebastian Vettel but maybe that's for the best in the long-term.
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