Ferrari stick with Kimi Raikkonen for 2016

Kimi Raikkonen will continue to drive with Ferrari in the 2016 Formula One season.

The 35-year-old, who picked up his sole drivers’ championship crown in his first spell with the Scuderia in 2007, appeared to be facing the axe at the end of the current campaign.

However despite Raikkonen, who joined on a two-year deal from Lotus in 2014, only picking up 76 points in comparison to team-mate Sebastian Vettel’s 160 after 10 races of this season, he has been given a huge lift ahead of this weekend’s Belgain Grand Prix.

Ferrari team principal Maurizio Arrivabene revealed that the reason behind keeping the Finn on board “will provide further stability” to the Italian team.

He added: “This has been our guideline, also considering the very good relationship between Kimi and Seb. On our side, this shows our great confidence in him, and I expect this confidence to be well rewarded.”

Meanwhile Raikkonen, who has a good record at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium with four race wins so far, told Ferrari’s official website: “What can I say… For me, to be able to stay another year at Ferrari means that the dream goes on.

“The Scuderia is my family, as I always said, it’s here I want to end my career.

“I am more committed than ever and I want to say thank you to the people who gave me this chance. Also, a big thank you goes to all my Ferrari fans for their continuous support.”