Raikkonen close to staying in rally with Citroen – boss

Kimi Raikkonen is reportedly close to deciding to stay in the world rally championship with Red Bull and Citroen next year.

After F1’s world champion of 2007 quelled speculation he is looking to return to formula one next year with Renault, Citroen’s competition boss has now revealed that talks between Raikkonen and his sponsor Red Bull are well advanced.

"I know the negotiations are progressing well for Kimi to stay in the Citroen junior team," Olivier Quesnel reportedly told Autosprint magazine in Italy.

"I don’t know when something will be officially announced," he acknowledged.

It had been rumoured that energy drink Red Bull’s enthusiasm for the Citroen junior team project had waned.

More rumours had linked Raikkonen, 31, with a move to Ford, with funding from the Monster energy drink.