Formula 1: 5 Possible Kimi Raikkonen Replacements for 2019

Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen looks to be an out of favour driver at the Italian team and has been the team's second driver since he joined for a second spell in 2014.

It has now been nearly 11 years since the Finnish driver won his first and only Formula 1 World Championship, in 2007, which is also Ferrari's most recent Driver's Championship success.

Felipe Massa came extremely close in the final race of the 2008 season when Lewis Hamilton snatched his dream title in the final lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Raikkonen departed the Ferrari team midway through the 2009 F1 season and left the motorsport series for a few years.

The 38-year-old returned to the F1 scene in 2012 by joining Lotus and teaming up with Romain Grosjean.

During his two year spell at Lotus, Raikkonen sealed two race wins for Lotus by claiming first place at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in 2012 and the Australian Grand Prix in 2013.

Overall Raikkonen picked up 15 podiums in just his two seasons at Lotus.

His amazing form attracted the Ferrari bosses to resign the Fin for the 2014 campaign to work alongside Fernando Alonso.

The two world champion's partnership would only last a year as Alonso rejoined McLaren and then saw Sebastian Vettel leave Red Bull behind to pursue a career at Ferrari.

Sadly for Raikkonen, there has been no race victories during his second term at Ferrari. 17 podium finishes but no victories since rejoining Ferrari.

During that period, his teammate Vettel has won 10 Grand Prixs since becoming a Ferrari driver at the start of 2015.

It's fair to say we all know which driver is the team's favourite.

2018 could be Raikkonen's last season at Ferrari and perhaps his last year in F1 altogether.

So who could replace the Finn for next year's championship?

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#5 Pierre Gasly

Gasly has already made quite the impact at Toro Rosso

Toro Rosso and the Red Bull race programme is not a project to be messed with.

Red Bull's academy team replaced Minardi in 2007 and would go on to bring in successful drivers such as Sebastian Vettel and Daniel Ricciardo.

Pierre Gasly is the latest exception and could well and truly have a successful F1 career if he makes the right calls.

Gasly impressed everyone at the Bahrain Grand Prix earlier this season when he finished fourth ahead of the Haas', the Renaults and the McLaren's.

The French driver only joined Toro Rosso in the last few races of the 2017 season and has since worked alongside Brendon Hartley.

But we are already seeing the comparison between the two drivers and Gasly is looking to have a promising future in the sport.

If Gasly was to join Ferrari then his chances of joining Red Bull alongside Max Verstappen would be completely dashed.

#4 Valtteri Bottas

One Fin to replace another?

It may come as a shock to see Valtteri Bottas included in this shortlist of drivers to possibly replace Raikkonen.

But over the last few months, we have heard ongoing rumours of Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo moving to either Mercedes or Ferrari for the 2019 championship.

It is looking more and more likely the Australian might be Hamilton's new teammate but it is still all up in the air.

Bottas has proven to be quite the strong number two driver at the silver arrows since his arrival in 2017.

In his first season at Mercedes, Bottas claimed three victories to help the team achieve a fourth successive Constructors' Championship.

Himself and Hamilton have so far been good teammates especially when you compare their friendship to Hamilton and Nico Rosberg's.

Could we see one Finn departing Ferrari and another Fin taking his seat?

#3 Daniil Kvyat

Kvyat is already wearing the Ferrari colours

Daniil Kvyat is at the moment Ferrari's third driver in their line-up.

The last few years may tell us that being a third driver at Ferrari isn't exactly as great as it sounds.

Last year former Sauber driver Esteban Gutierrez was the team's reserve driver but with Vettel and Raikkonen ahead of him - the Mexican was never going to get a race drive.

There was even a time when Pedro De La Rosa was part of the Scuderia Ferrari programme but had the same experience Gutierrez was going to face.

It has been seen in the past that Vettel and Kvyat have had their problems on the track in the season the Russian took Vettel's seat at Red Bull.

Kvyat's spell at Red Bull did not last long and after an impressive drive by a very young Max Verstappen at Toro Rosso, both drivers swapped teams - a real stinger for Kvyat.

It is very unlikely Kvyat will be given a Ferrari seat for next season but he is already wearing the Ferrari colours, so who knows?

#2 Daniel Ricciardo

Ferrari team mates in 2019

Red Bull's Daniel Ricciardo is currently in his final year of his Red Bull contract and the Australian must have a big smile with the knowledge of both Ferrari and Mercedes interested in signing the Australian driver.

It is no doubt going to be Ricciardo's biggest decision of his career.

Does he join a team that is currently the one to beat in both the driver's and the constructors' championship? Or does Ricciardo join a team that has been in F1 since the day the race series started?

Ricciardo may have some thinking to do but for now, the Aussie will be focusing on sealing more race wins for Red Bull.

Ferrari? Or Mercedes for Ricciardo in 2019?

#1 Charles Leclerc

Leclerc is a strong possibility

At the start of the season, not many knew the name of Charles Leclerc when he was revealed as the new Sauber driver for 2018.

Five races into the new season and the man from Monaco has been very impressive in his debut F1 season.

In just his fourth race into his F1 career, the 20-year-old finished in sixth place at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

Sauber have had their problems in the last few seasons by finishing rock bottom in the Constructors' Championship but 2018 has been uplifting and that is mainly thanks to the brave drives from Leclerc.

Sauber and Leclerc are part of the Ferrari programme so if the Scuderia team were to sign the young driver, there shouldn't be many hurdles in the way.

It could be a move too soon for Leclerc but Ferrari will not want to miss out on a promising racer.

Who do you think could replace Raikkonen for the 2019 season?

Comment your thoughts below...