Kimi Räikkönen's Formula 1 future looks uncertain, with strong rumours that Sauber's Charles Leclerc is being lined up to replace the Finn at Ferrari next season, but he would be welcome to a WRC test with Toyota according to team boss Tommi Mäkinen.
Räikkönen has been linked with a return to McLaren if Fernando Alonso departs for IndyCar, but the 2009 world champion has previously mentioned making a return to rallying when he eventually retires from F1 and that could become a possibility with Toyota.
Mäkinen says Räikkönen is welcome to test a Yaris WRC, but confirmed that nothing had been discussed as of yet.
"He hasn't tested anything now, but why not,” Mäkinen told our sister publication Motorsport Monday. "If he wants to drive the car I can let him, no question."
Mäkinen ran Räikkönen in a selection of Finnish and Italian events ahead of his Rally Finland outing in 2009. And the four-times world champion added: "I know how he is driving. He drives very well, he's not crazy."
Räikkönen focused on the WRC during his two-year F1 sabbatical, with a best finish of fifth in Turkey in 2011. He has previously talked about a future return to rallying and is understood to be keen to test a new-generation World Rally Car. Current Toyota sporting director Kaj Lindstrom was Räikkönen’s co-driver in all his rally outings.
"You know Kimi… when we drove before he said we would do a few rallies in the Fiat," said Lindstrom. "He hasn't said anything yet. He might say he wants to do one rally or something and it would be interesting to see him in the car, but nothing has been talked about [yet].
"Tommi knows him well and Kimi knows me well. But this kind of story has to be really careful. If we say anything then it goes on and suddenly it is written that we have Kimi in the car and in the team for the whole season. This kind of thing can get a little bit silly."
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