Raikkonen Tipped for Sauber Drive

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen could sign for the Sauber Formula One team this week, according to the British weekly magazine Autosport.

However team owner Peter Sauber said from his Swiss headquarters that no announcement was likely on the team's second driver until at least the second week in November.

German Nick Heidfeld has moved from Prost to replace Finland's Mika Salo, who is joining Toyota to help the Japanese carmaker prepare for a Formula One debut in 2002.

Brazilian Pedro Diniz is Sauber's other driver and team owner Sauber said much depended on whether Diniz wanted to stay or leave the team.

Diniz, whose father Abilio owns Brazil's second biggest supermarket chain and helps pay for Pedro to compete in Formula One, has been talking to Prost about partnering Frenchman Jean Alesi next season.

Raikkonen, 21, the British Formula Renault champion, has had just 23 car races to date. He has twice tested with Sauber at the Mugello track in Italy and the team owner said last week that he was very impressed by him.

The Finn had previously been linked with Sauber as a possible test driver.

Autosport quoted Sauber as saying "there are several aspects why we very strongly believe that Raikkonen is the right man for us.

"First of all his very professional approach towards his work and his astonishing maturity considering his age. Even more impressive is his natural speed."

Sauber, powered by Ferrari engines, finished the season in eighth place with six points. Salo scored all of them.