Kimi Raikkonen to sign with three teams?

NUERBURGRING, Germany, May 4: McLaren's Formula One title contender Kimi Raikkonen says there are only three teams that can hope to sign him for 2007.

''In the end there are not many positions where I want to go and everybody knows them,'' said the Finn, championship runner-up to Renault's Fernando Alonso last year and to Ferrari's Michael Schumacher in 2003.

''There are only really three top teams so I don't think it's going to be a big surprise whatever I decide. But I don't know, we'll see.'' Spaniard Alonso, the youngest champion at 24, has already signed to join Mercedes-powered McLaren next year while Raikkonen has been linked strongly to Ferrari, either as Schumacher's team mate or successor.

Renault are looking for a replacement for Alonso while Ferrari, waiting on a decision from Schumacher about whether he wants to continue or retire, insist they have not done any deal with Raikkonen despite making their admiration clear.

Of the other leading teams, Honda have a fixed line-up for 2007 while big-spending Toyota have struggled to match last year's form that took them to fourth place overall in the championship.

McLaren are also hoping to persuade the Finn to stay in a dream line-up reviving memories of the stormy pairing of Brazilian Ayrton Senna and French champion Alain Prost in the late 1980s.

Raikkonen said the decision would be his.

''I talk to my wife but she's not going to decide where I go,'' he said. ''I'll speak to my managers about what we want to do and what's the best for us.

''There's only really been three teams over the last two years that have been capable (of winning the championship)...so I don't think it's going to be too difficult to decide between them.

''The money is not going to be much different wherever I go, so it's not going to decide,'' he added.

''It's all going to come down to small things, small things will decide it.

''First of all you want to have the best car but you are never going to know what you are going to get next year. You just hope you make the right decision.''

REUTERS