Kimi Raikkonen unsure if he will stay in Formula One after being ousted from Ferrari

Ferrari ouster leaves Kimi unsure of staying in F1

SUZUKA, Japan — Kimi Raikkonen is unsure if he will continue in Formula One after being ousted as a Ferrari driver, saying Thursday that it would require an offer from a top team to keep him in the sport.

Raikkonen will leave Ferrari at the end of the current season after agreeing to a buyout of the remaining year on his contract, making way for the arrival of Fernando Alonso in 2010 — a move that was confirmed Thursday.

Raikkonen said he would only consider staying in Formula One if he gets an offer from a leading team capable of challenging for a world title.

“Maybe I will race, maybe not,” Raikkonen said Thursday of his 2010 options.

“My only aim, if I am going to race next year, is to have a car that can win the championship. Otherwise there is no point.”

The 2007 world champion said he would listen to an offer from former team McLaren if it was forthcoming. Current McLaren driver Heikki Kovalainen is out of contract at season’s end.

“I don’t have any bad things to say about them. We always had a good relationship,” Raikkonen said. “Its a chance, but so far I have not thought much about these things.”

The Finn had also toyed with the idea of switching to rally racing.

“There is a chance, but there is a chance to do Formula One. I don’t know what will happen. I will decide at some point — before the start of next year.”