Kimi Raikkonen had a mixed first season in the WRC in 2010 © Sutton Images Enlarge Related Links News:

'I don't want to talk about F1' - Raikkonen

Drivers:

Kimi Räikkönen

Kimi Raikkonen will continue to compete in the World Rally Championship in 2011 after setting up his own team under the ICE 1 Racing name.

After talks about a possible return to F1 broke down, and then the death of his father Matti two days before Christmas, there was speculation he might quit altogether. But shortly before the deadline, Raikkonen lodged an entry for the season-opening Swedish rally and is expected to compete in the majority of this year's championship in a brand new Citroen DS3 WRC.

L'Equipe said the ICE 1 Racing team is funded by Raikkonen's own sponsors and is committed to 10 of the 13 rallies in 2011.

Raikkonen had a mixed first season in the WRC as he retired from three rallies driving for the Citroen Junior Team, but also won a stage in Germany and finished fifth overall in Turkey. His manager Steve Robertson admitted his driver still has a lot to learn. "With Kimi's limited experience, it may be better to do additional testing while the others are competing," he told Turun Sanomat.

In a recent interview, Raikkonen told the official WRC website that he had not missed F1 in his first year away from the sport since 2001.

"Of course I thought about it, because you think about everything," he said. "But I never really thought seriously about it, because actually I didn't miss Formula One at all this season."