Rubens out - Raikkonen in at Ferrari for 2002?

The latest rumour in the Italian press is that Rubens Barrichello is to be replaced by Finn Kimi Raikkonen in 2002.

According to reports in the Italian newspaper La Repubblica they are insisting that the Maranello based team will not renew Rubens contract when it expires at the end of this year and that Raikkonen is the hot favourite to replace the Brazilian.

Raikkonen's manager Steve Robertson said: "I have heard that Ross Brawn has asked to see Kimi's data and asked about his contract. (However) I would like Kimi to fulfil his contract with Sauber and go to a big team when he knows a lot more about Formula 1."

Raikkonen who is in his first year in F1 currently has a three-year deal with the Sauber team. The Finn prior to this season's Australian GP had only a handful of single-seater races to his name and last year won the British Formula Renault championship.