Grapevine: Raikkonen keeps his options open

Although Raikkonen has been strongly linked with a move from McLaren to Ferrari next season, sources have revealed that his management team are considering all their possibilities and have certainly not yet discounted other teams from the equation.

Sources have revealed to autosport.com that Raikkonen's managers Steve and David Robertson recently visited Toyota's Cologne factory to look at the facilities and hold talks with the team about a deal for next year.

And although Toyota's poor start to the season will have done little to entice Raikkonen to take a gamble on them, the fact that the Finn is not going to rush into a decision means that the Japanese manufacturer still remain a possibility if they can turn their season around.

Sources claim that Raikkonen is likely to finalise his plans around May, when Ferrari are expected to be informed at the latest by Michael Schumacher about whether he intends to remain with them.

Even though Raikkonen has made it clear that he would happily race as Schumacher's teammate, the seven-time world champion may be reluctant for the team to take on board a driver of Raikkonen's stature.

It is widely believed that Schumacher's contracts with Ferrari guarantee him the number one status at the team, and there would be little reason for him to concede on that point with any new deal.

Reports in the German press today are claiming that Schumacher has already indicated that he wants to remain at Ferrari next year following the successful start to their season.

Should Schumacher commit to Ferrari with no change to his number one status, then that would force Raikkonen to either accept continuing with McLaren or decide to take a gamble on Toyota - which would likely offer him the most money. An outside possibility, however, is a switch to Renault.

McLaren boss Ron Dennis made it clear at the weekend that he would respect Raikkonen's decision if the Finn, or teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, decided to leave his team at the end of the year

"I believe in freedom of choice, but it's a two way street," said Dennis. "The driver is an important part of the team but, at the end of the day, if we chose we could contract a second driver for 2007 tomorrow, just as Kimi or Juan could sign for another team tomorrow.

"If Kimi or Juan thinks their future is best served by driving for another team that's what they should do. If we think our future is best served by contracting another driver for next year - that's what we'll do."