F1: Raikkonen Says F1 Return Unlikely, Ferrari Deserve ‘Severe Punishment’: Mosley

Kimi Raikkonen has given the strongest indication yet that he does not intend to return to Formula One.

The Finn switched to world rallying for 2010 but on only a one-year contract, which has nurtured constant speculation that he might return to F1 as soon as next season.

But Raikkonen, 30, told the French sports daily L'Equipe that "times have changed" since he drove to the 2007 world championship.

"You never know but I will probably never return to Formula One," he said.

"It's something I did for many years, I had many great moments. I won a World Championship title, which is what I always wanted, but times have changed," added the former Sauber, McLaren and Ferrari driver.

"Now I'm in rallying and there are many other things apart from Formula One in life."

Raikkonen said contesting Le Mans one day is a possibility.

"I would like to try but you need to find the right team.

"If you want to win, there are only two, Peugeot and Audi. One day, I hope, there will be an opportunity," he added.

(GMM)

Ferrari Deserve 'Severe Punishment': Mosley

Ferrari should receive a significant sporting sanction for breaking the rules at Hockenheim, according to the controversial former President of F1's governing body.

After the Italian team angrily slammed Niki Lauda for predicting a similar outcome at next month's FIA disciplinary hearing, Max Mosley waded into the debate during an interview with Welt am Sonntag newspaper.

Race leader Felipe Massa moved over to let Fernando Alonso win the German Grand Prix in July and "both cars and both drivers should lose the points they achieved", 70-year-old Briton Mosley said.

"I will not make any recommendation, but on the facts at the moment there should have been some sporting sanction and not only a fine," he added.

Mosley said "most teams" would like the team orders ban to be repealed, but he said the rule was designed to "meet the needs of millions of fans".

"In the event that it (team orders) is brought into play, we have to impose a severe punishment," he explained.

(GMM)

Ferrari Bites Back At Lauda's 'Pasting' Comments

Ferrari has hit back at Niki Lauda's prediction that the famous Italian team will "get a pasting" at the FIA's disciplinary council next month.

In an interview with F1's official website, former champion Lauda - who won two of his three titles with Ferrari - slammed the Maranello based team for allegedly using team orders at Hockenheim recently.

"What they've done is wrong and they got an immediate punishment -- and they will get a pasting from the World (Motor Sport) Council, that is for sure," said the Austrian great.

"And that has nothing to do with Alonso. He's no Schumacher," added Lauda, when asked if Fernando Alonso was taking a tight grip on Ferrari.

In response, a disparaging column posted on the official Ferrari website depicted the 61-year-old as someone who "has never missed out on a chance to dispense opinions left and right".

"This time, good old Niki has missed out on a fine opportunity to keep his mouth shut, given that, when he was a Scuderia driver, the supposed Ferrari driver management policy suited him perfectly," read the Ferrari column.

Also upset about Lauda's recent interview might be the struggling new teams, who are all receiving an extra contribution to their budgets this year from Bernie Ecclestone.

"I am strictly against having them on life support. Either they are able to stay alive on their own or 'bye bye'," said Lauda.

(GMM)