2007 F1 world champion Kimi Raikkonen has been in touch with Renault for a possible drive in the upcoming 2011 season. Raikkonen is currently a Ferrari driver although not driving for the Scuderia for reasons ranging from Fernando Alonso to Banco Santander sponsorship to rallying to other issues not made public. He tried for a possible seat alongside Lewis Hamilton at McLaren for 2010 but that didn’t materialise for reasons pertaining to his marketing commitments. 
There had been widespread speculation after enjoying his rallying stint with Citroen this year, paid for by Red Bull, he would be returning next season in their car alongside Sebastian Vettel. Mark Webber’s contract ran out this season but his stupendous form has seen him sign a year’s extension with Red Bull and at that time team boss Christian Horner did say that Kimi was never really an option. Of course it is only conjecture how much of that claim is true, for it might have been interesting if, as per another speculation, Webber would have chosen to walk over to Ferrari where Massa was yet to sign on.
Raikkonen’s approach to Renault meanwhile has soured the pitch for Vitaly Petrov. The Russian has 19 points compared to his team mate Robert Kubica’s 108. Team boss Eric Boullier says the F1 rookie still has a shot at keeping his seat for next year if he can improve on his race day performances, but it seems a bit improbable for he has only out qualified Kubica just the one time and wiped the floor on Sundays. Russia might be a future market for Formula One but a former world champion in the team is a different proposition altogether.
Put Raikkonen in this equation instead and you can see Renault fighting Mercedes for the fourth spot and maybe pushing further. That may be music for the French manufacturer who are said to be looking to buying back their stake from investor Genii Capital owner by Gerard Lopez. Whether that will happen or not is something that remains to be seen but one thing is for sure, the team has moved on from its problems of two seasons back – poor performances and the 2008 Singapore GP crash scandal.
This past week McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh has hailed the 2010 season as an epic one, with five drivers fighting for the championship going into the last five races. Sample this: Mercedes make a good car for Michael Schumacher while Renault signs Raikkonen to partner Kubica and makes good on their promise to challenge for the title. That means six teams and twelve drivers in the fray for honours when 2011 kicks off in Bahrain come March. Another vintage year in the making?
