Hamilton: Formula 1 will miss Raikkonen when he leaves

Lewis Hamilton thinks Formula 1 will miss Kimi Raikkonen when he leaves the sport, amid speculation he is set to be replaced at Ferrari by Charles Leclerc for 2019.

Hamilton and polesitter Raikkonen engaged in a classic, race-long scrap for victory at last weekend’s Italian Grand Prix, with Hamilton ultimately pulling off a pass in the closing stages to emerge on top after the pair had exchanged positions early on.

Growing speculation over the Monza weekend has linked Sauber rookie Leclerc with being promoted to Ferrari to replace Raikkonen. Such a move would end his second spell at Ferrari and likely see his F1 career draw to a close after 16 seasons, with a lack of spare seats available for next year.

That scenario would leave Hamilton as the sole-remaining driver on the grid from his debut season in 2007, with former McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso also quitting the sport at the end of the current campaign.

When asked after the race if he would miss the 2007 world champion, Hamilton replied: "It's always a difficult question to say if you miss someone. I think the sport would naturally miss him, yeah.

"I made it no secret that before I even got to Formula 1, when I was playing the PlayStation I was always Kimi in the McLaren, imagining that was me.

"Then I remember the first car I drove at McLaren which was Kimi's set-up and the suspension that he would use.

"It was an amazing experience and it was cool because I think our driving style was kind of similar, which meant that I ended up being quite comfortable with the set-up that he used back then.

"He's had an incredible career and it's been a real honour to race against a great Finn such as him. He looks like he's just ice-cold. He's just got plenty of years left in him. He's not seeming to age."

Raikkonen has failed to add to his tally of 20 grand prix victories since returning to Ferrari at the start of the V6 hybrid era in 2014, and currently sits over 60 points behind teammate Sebastian Vettel.

F1 sporting chief Ross Brawn believes the sport witnessed a more emotional Raikkonen on the Monza podium, with his second-place finish in Italy marking the 100th rostrum appearance of his career.

"I don't know what Kimi's short-term plans are, whether he'll stay at Ferrari, join another team or leave Formula 1 altogether,” Brawn said.

"But I do think that during his interview by his former team-mate Felipe Massa, he became quite emotional watching the huge sea of fans flocking across the track to stand under the podium and chant his name.

"Since I returned to Formula 1 last year, I've noticed how Kimi has lightened up. It can be spotted in a host of little things, such as spending a bit more time signing autographs or smiling for cameras that in the past would usually have only elicited a scowl.

"This year, he is certainly driving better than at any time since he returned to Ferrari and maybe another chance [to win] will come along soon."