Raikkonen hints at retirement after Ferrari

Kimi Raikkonen has indicated that he is likely to step away from Formula One racing when his current contract with Ferrari expires at the end of the 2015 season

Raikkonen, 34, signed a two-year deal with the Italian team - with whom he previously won the 2007 title - last September, but has endured a frustrating season to date, with a pair of seventh places his best results.

Asked at Silverstone about how long he will continue in F1 racing, Raikkonen said: “Until my contract expires and then I will probably stop. This is what I think is going to happen.”

The Finn, who made his Formula One debut with Sauber in 2001, has already spent time away from the paddock, competing in the World Rally Championship in 2010-11 before a successful F1 return with Lotus in 2012.

"I tried many things and I think there is no harm in it," said Raikkonen, who also tried his hand at NASCAR in 2011 and who has made no secret of his ongoing desire to sample different disciplines.

"It doesn't take anything from me doing F1," he added. "I think it can only help. You always learn if you try different things.”

Raikkonen lies 12th in the current driver standings, eight places and 60 points adrift of team mate Fernando Alonso, the man for whom he made way when he originally left Ferrari at the end of 2009.