Raikkonen sets sights on Ferrari drive

Raikkonen burst onto the F1 stage this year with the Sauber team and had competed in only 22 car races when he took to the grid for his Grand Prix debut in Australia.

Due to his lack of experience, the young Finn raced under probation at the start of the season, but Raikkonen has scotched any doubts over his ability by more than matching his team mate Nick Heidfeld for pace and finishing in the points three times.

Now, just 10 races into his F1 career, the 21-year-old believes that in the future he will race for the Prancing Horse.

"I'm convinced that one day I'll drive for Ferrari," Raikkonen told Motorsport News. "A bit more experience and I'll get there. Everyone in Formula 1 wants to drive for them, but for me it's an ambition. Like winning the world championship."

Triple world champ Michael Schumacher has re-signed with the Maranello-based team until 2004, but the German's team mate Rubens Barrichello only has a contract until the end of 2002 and Raikkonen has already been touted as a possible replacement.

Raikkonen, who won last year's British Formula Renault Championship, has been given a further boost by widespread praise from his peers, including Schumacher.

"Of this year's young guys, he's certainly the best," said Schumacher. "He's quick, he makes very few mistakes and he often gets points."

Despite Raikkonen's clear desire to drive for Formula 1's most successful team, however, he is currently only halfway through year one of a three-year deal with Sauber and says he intends to honour his contract. The Swiss team has close links with Ferrari and has recently renewed a deal to use customer engines from the Italian team again next year.