F1: Return To F1 Possible For Raikkonen But Rally More Fun, Red Bull Confirms New One-Year Deal For Webber

Kimi Raikkonen has admitted a return to Formula One is "possible".

But in an interview with Austria's Kleine Zeitung, the 2007 World Champion also sounded more than happy with his new foray in world rallying, and not keen to immediately switch back to the Grand Prix grid.

During an event for his sponsor Red Bull, the 31-year-old Finn answered "Sure, anything is possible" when asked if he is open to launching a second F1 career.

But when asked if he still feels like 'Raikkonen, the F1 driver', he said: "The past is what it is: over. I don't miss it."

And Raikkonen raved about his new job with Citroen.

"I love this job and the whole environment. But I have much to learn and I want to be good at what I do. With a relaxed setting you do not go far."

Asked whether he would like to add a rally title to his F1 championship, Raikkonen admitted: "No one can see into the future, but yes, it is a dream.

"Now it is the time to learn; my Formula One past does me no harm."

He said rally is a more difficult discipline than F1.

"Because it's constantly changing; the weather, the surface, the track. You have to be flexible, adjusting and responding quickly."

When asked which is more fun, he did not hesitate: "Rally! Because there are always new challenges."

(GMM)

Red Bull Confirms New One-Year Deal For Webber

Red Bull Racing on Monday announced a new one-year contract for Mark Webber.

It means the 33-year-old Australian, who crashed with his teammate Sebastian Vettel while leading the recent Turkish Grand Prix, will stay alongside the young German in 2011.

Amid reports the Milton Keynes-based team wants to keep Vettel for a much longer term, Webber insists he is happy to have signed for only one more year.

"It's widely know that I'm not interested in hanging around in formula one just for the sake of it and at this stage of my career, I'm happy to take one year at a time," the championship leader said.

Red Bull confirmed that Vettel is already under contract for 2011.

(GMM)

Red Bull Drivers Must Let Each Other Pass: Marko

In future, Red Bull drivers Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel will not prevent the fastest RB6 from overtaking.

That was the revelation on Monday of the energy drink's motor racing consultant Helmut Marko, who had earlier pointedly blamed Webber for the now famous Istanbul Park crash.

But he told Italian website 422race.com that the issue was "resolved" at last Thursday's clear-the-air summit in Milton-Keynes.

"The two drivers can still freely battle, but they always have to let through each other. That was the conclusion," said the Austrian.

Sebastian Vettel on Monday refused to accept the blame for his crash with Red Bull teammate Mark Webber during the recent Turkish Grand Prix.

Despite team bosses no longer pointing their fingers at Australian Webber in the wake of a clear-the-air meeting last Thursday, 22-year-old Vettel said he thinks he was in the right on lap 40.

"You do at the time what you think is right, and in that case you would do it again because you thought it was right," he said in an interview with the BBC.

"I had already passed Mark and then tried to come slowly back to the right. At that time I was the leading car and then usually the leader dictates where to go.

"We made contact and that was the end of the race for me," said Vettel, now fifth in the championship and 15 points behind title leader Webber.

After emerging from his stricken RB6 at Istanbul Park, Vettel wiggled his right index finger around his ear, suggesting he thought Webber had acted crazily.

But on Monday, he refused to confirm the intent.

"I think it was pretty clear at the time. I don't think it was a crazy sign. I think it's very common. I think everyone understood," he said.