Ferrari sign Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen joins Ferrari

Ferrari have agreed a deal to sign former world champion Kimi Raikkonen for the upcoming Formula One season.

The 33-year-old, who won the World Championship in the 2007 season, will be reuniting with the Reds after a premature exit in 2009. The Finn, who was paid off with a year remaining in his contract by the end of 2009, will join hands with Fernando Alonso to complete the Ferrari driver line-up.

Raikkonen, despite the interest from Lotus to retain him for the next season, with whom he signed a contract in 2012 on his comeback to F1 after a two year break, chose to ignore them as they could not guarantee him of the technical and financial resources to challenge the best in the business.

Raikkonen will be taking the place of Brazilian Felipe Massa, who has been relieved of his duties after eight years with the Italian team, citing a disappointing run in the 2013 season as the reason.

Lotus are expected to announce Sauber driver Nico Hulkenberg, who was also in the radar of Ferrari, as the replacement for Raikkonen.