Kimi Raikkonen could replace Mark Webber as the team-mate of the world champion Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull next year. The Australian's one-year contract expires at the end of the season and it is widely believed it will not be renewed. The 37-year-old has endured a strained relationship with Vettel, made worse at the Malaysian Grand Prix in March when the German ignored team orders to deprive leader Webber of victory. Raikkonen, meanwhile, has transformed Lotus's fortunes this season.
"Kimi would have to be an option, if he were to be available," Red Bull's team principal Christian Horner said. "We're in the fortunate position that there are an awful lot of people who would like to drive a Red Bull racing car.
"The pairing we have has been tremendously successful. How much longer Mark wants to go on is a question only he can answer. From our perspective we will only change for something better than we currently have."
Horner indicated that the relationship between his drivers was icily cordial. "There is a professional relationship but there's nothing beyond that between them," he said. "They both know what they're employed by the team to do and there are no pretences."
Raikkonen, the 2007 world champion, has been an outstanding success since his return to Formula One with Lotus last year. He was third in his comeback season and stands third again after a remarkably consistent sequence of results. Red Bull's owner Dietrich Mateschitz has already described Raikkonen as "cool and fast and always a candidate".
Raikkonen said last month: "There's a long season to go and there's a long time until next year. I have no contract for next year. There is talk about this and that. In the end I will make the decision at the right time. Things change quickly in Formula One. There might be a few options. I want to get the things right for me."
The relationship between the Red Bull team-mates soured in 2010 when Webber felt Vettel was favoured as they battled for the drivers' championship. In 2012 and the German felt his team-mate let him down when he was going for the title in Brazil by trying to win the race himself rather than put the team first.
When Vettel was asked about Raikkonen, he said: "I think nobody could have a problem with Kimi as team-mate, except Sergio Pérez," referring to the recent spat between the two drivers. McLaren's Jenson Button is not an option, according to Horner. "Jenson's a class act, as a team player, a human being, a driver … he's done a great job in his career. He's not on our radar because he's not available. He's married to the team that he's driving for."