Ferrari and Williams have agreed a deal which will see Valtteri Bottas replace Kimi Raikkonen in 2016, Italian media reports.
Williams have an option on the Finn for next season, meaning it’s the teams decision as to whether he can move to a rival, and it’s believed Ferrari have offered to pay £8.5 million ($13m, €12m) to release him from that clause.
It’s known Bottas, who sits just a point ahead of Raikkonen in the championship standings, is favourite to replace his fellow countryman after disappointing results from the Ferrari driver of late.
It’s understood that whilst Williams have agreed to Ferrari’s offer, Bottas has yet to sign a deal with the Italian team, though that’s likely just a matter of timing.
Raikkonen meanwhile will likely call time on his career, with several notable figures believing his departure from Ferrari to be the right decision.
Former driver turned pundit David Coulthard said there comes a point in your F1 career where you can no longer get any better, and he believes Raikkonen has reached that point of stagnation.
“I think it’s time for change [at Ferrari],” said Coulthard. “I’m not anti-Kimi at all, but having lived through that experience myself, there’s a point in your career where you just stop getting better.”
