Asked at the recent Indian Grand Prix whether Raikkonen might return to race
for Williams next year, team chairman Adam Parr refused to be drawn.
“Our race drivers are Pastor Maldonado and Rubens Barrichello and if, and
when, that changes we will make an appropriate announcement,” he said.
The enigmatic Raikkonen, still hugely popular with fans, told the latest
edition of F1 Racing magazine that anything was possible.
“There are many different options and of course a lot of speculation,”
he said. “Until something is certain, there is no point in speculating
because it could go any way. To be honest, I don’t know myself yet.”
Either way, veteran driver Rubens Barrichello looks to have a big fight on his
hands to retain his Williams drive. The 39 year-old’s rookie team mate
Pastor Maldonado brings substantial sponsorship to the team from Venezuelan
state oil company PDVSA and his seat looks secure.
“The fans need to know,” Barrichello said recently. “Williams told me
they would like to make a decision before Brazil, so I hope at least that is
a positive. I would like that to happen.”
Force India’s Adrian Sutil is another name which has been mooted in connection
with Williams. Force India principal Vijay Mallya said in India that he
hoped to announce his 2012 line-up before this weekend’s race in Abu Dhabi
but that looked less likely on Monday.
“All the drivers have asked me to make an early decision, and I respect
that. I have a big decision to make,” he said in a team preview. “But
it’s not made yet.”
Britain’s Paul Di Resta is expected to stay at the team, with Germany’s Nico
Hulkenberg, who raced for Williams in 2010 and took pole position in Brazil,
widely tipped to join him at Sutil’s expense.
The other big question mark in the driver market hangs over Renault, with
Robert Kubica’s return still up in the air.
The Pole has yet to step into a Formula One car since his near-fatal
pre-season rally crash and Renault will be trying out Frenchman Romain
Grosjean in Friday practice this week to assess his potential. Brazilian
Bruno Senna, who has a contract to stand in until the end of the season, is
also hoping to stay on if Kubica cannot return.