Highlights

Motor racing-Ferrari boss drops Raikkonen hint

(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-31 08:55

HOCKENHEIM, Germany, July 30 - Ferrari boss Jean Todt dropped a hint on Sunday that he expects Kimi Raikkonen to be heading for his Formula One team next season.

"The moment from this day I will keep in my mind is the podium ceremony, that featured my three favourite drivers," said the Frenchman at the German Grand Prix.

Ferrari's seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher won the race, ahead of Brazilian team mate Felipe Massa and McLaren's Raikkonen.

Raikkonen is being chased by champions Renault and Ferrari while Mercedes-powered McLaren also want to keep the 26-year-old.

While the Finn says he has not yet made up his mind about where he will drive next season, Sunday's race at Hockenheim is likely to have nudged him closer to the Italian team if a deal has not already been done.

Schumacher has now won the last three races and is just 11 points behind Renault's Fernando Alonso in the standings with six races remaining.

McLaren have yet to win this season.

Todt said it was a dream result for a team coming back strongly at the key point in the season: "The race was trouble free, the car was perfect, the drivers impeccable with Bridgestone tyres clearly superior to their competitors.

"Tomorrow we will come down to earth and think about the next race in Budapest. I have always maintained that as long as it was mathematically possible, we would continue to pursue our objectives," he added.