Raikkonen takes year out

Kimi Raikkonen’s manager claims the Finn was McLaren’s first choice to be paired alongside Lewis Hamilton at McLaren next season – but failure to agree terms on a deal paved the way for reigning champion Jenson Button to get the nod.

McLaren this afternoon confirmed Button would join the team as partner to Hamilton from 2010, officially barring the way to the only seat in F1 still coveted by 2007 world champion Raikkonen.