Former World Drivers' champion Kimi Raikkonen has put himself back in the frame for a Formula 1 return with Renault, according to team boss Eric Boullier.
"He's on the radar because he contacted us," the autosport.com website quoted the Frenchman as saying after Sunday's Italian F1 GP at Monza.
Raikkonen won the 2007 title with Ferrari but the Finn has spent the last year in the World Rally championship after being replaced by Spaniard Fernando Alonso at the Italian team. Recent reports had suggested he would stay in rallying with Citroen.
"You never know, but I will probably never return to F1," the French newspaper L'Equipe quoted the 30-year-old as saying lin August.
'Priority is Vitaly'
Renault has yet to announce its second driver for 2011; only Poland's Robert Kubica is confirmed but the team has said it is willing to give Russian rookie Vitaly Petrov, 13th at Monza after scoring points in his three previous races, time to prove himself.
Boullier said the team was getting more and more approaches from drivers - Raikkonen was, he said, one of them.
"We need to think about it but the priority is Vitaly, to see how he will develop. If we're convinced then we will keep him. This is the first option."
"There are several others and one of them is Kimi."
"He's on the radar because he contacted us," the autosport.com website quoted the Frenchman as saying after Sunday's Italian F1 GP at Monza.
Raikkonen won the 2007 title with Ferrari but the Finn has spent the last year in the World Rally championship after being replaced by Spaniard Fernando Alonso at the Italian team. Recent reports had suggested he would stay in rallying with Citroen.
"You never know, but I will probably never return to F1," the French newspaper L'Equipe quoted the 30-year-old as saying lin August.
'Priority is Vitaly'
Renault has yet to announce its second driver for 2011; only Poland's Robert Kubica is confirmed but the team has said it is willing to give Russian rookie Vitaly Petrov, 13th at Monza after scoring points in his three previous races, time to prove himself.
Boullier said the team was getting more and more approaches from drivers - Raikkonen was, he said, one of them.
"We need to think about it but the priority is Vitaly, to see how he will develop. If we're convinced then we will keep him. This is the first option."
"There are several others and one of them is Kimi."