.:: F1 2014 Driver Line-Up ::.

MASSA CONFIRMS HE WILL LEAVE FERRARI AT END OF SEASON

Felipe Massa has revealed that he will not be at Ferrari next season, with his departure leaving the way open for Kimi Raikkonen to rejoin the team.

Ferrari has spent the last few days finalising its 2014 driver line-up, and it was widely expected that Massa would not be retained.

Ahead of a scheduled appearance at Maranello on Wednesday, Massa duly confirmed that he was looking for fresh opportunities in Formula 1.

In a message that was posted on his Twitter feed, Massa said: "From 2014 I will no longer be driving for Ferrari.

"I would like to thank the team for all the victories and incredible moments experienced together. Thank you also to my wife and all of my family, to my fans and all my sponsors. From each one of you I have always received a great support!

"Right now I want to push as hard as possible with Ferrari for the remaining seven races. For next year, I want to find a team that can give me a competitive car to win many more races and challenge for the championship, which remains my greatest objective."

SOURCE: Autosport 

I really hope he starts to ignore team orders to move over for Alonso between now and the end of the season. He needs to luck after himself out there now and I feel like a podium would have been achieved if it had not been for Ferrari bungling his pit stop and making him move over for Alonso (again!).

No driver would put up with what he has had to in the past (breaking the seal on his gearbox before the Austin Race, if you are going to do that then change the gearbox at least rather than just making it blatantly obvious that you are playing the game to push Alonso further forwards).

I hope Massa gets a good drive and can push for a championship, the guy deserves it and seems really nice whenever he is being interviewed or whatever (bar one or two Hamilton moments, but lets be honest, everybody makes mistakes) and now I feel a bit bad about how he lost the championship in 2008. Ferrari have not done a good job motivating him or giving him an equal footing with Alonso. Here to hoping he gets a good drive and beats Alonso in the drivers championship next season.

On another note, does anybody else feel like Alonso is also on the way out and Ferrari are potentially searching for a new line up to push on with the new technical regulations?

If Nick Hulkenburg doesn't get that seat I will be immensely disappointed. That said if he goes there and Alonso tramples all over him and whines when he's beaten then it won't do any good for anyone. I used to really be a fan of Alonso, but the way he treats the rest of his team is really starting to grate. I hope if it is indeed Raikkonen at Ferrari (which I think will be a sideways move) then Massa gets the Lotus seat.

EDIT:  Just looked at the BBC website, turns out the seat is now Raikkonen's. Hopefully his cool demeanour means he won't get bothered if Alonso does start trying to surpress him.

RAIKKONEN SIGNS TWO YEAR DEAL TO RETURN TO FERRARI

Kimi Raikkonen will return to Ferrari to join Fernando Alonso from 2014, the team has confirmed.

Ferrari's official announcement of a two-year deal confirms a move that had seemed increasingly inevitable in recent days.

Raikkonen was in the running for the second Red Bull seat alongside Sebastian Vettel, but the champion squad chose its protege Daniel Ricciardo as Mark Webber's replacement instead.

It then seemed most likely that Raikkonen would remain at current squad Lotus for a third season.

But assurances from the team about its future investment and technical packages were crucial to that deal, and Lotus was not yet in a position to provide those.

With Felipe Massa announcing on Tuesday night that he would leave Ferrari at the end of this season after eight years, and Raikkonen's rival candidate Nico Hulkenberg informed on Wednesday morning that he would not be required, the 2007 world champion's return to the Scuderia was sealed.

Raikkonen previously drove for Ferrari from 2007-09.

He came from behind to deny McLaren duo Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso the title in his first season in red, but had to play second fiddle to team-mate Massa's championship push in 2008.

After a disappointing 2009 campaign, Raikkonen left Ferrari and Formula 1 for a career in the World Rally Championship.

This proved unsuccessful, and having dabbled with NASCAR Truck racing and tested Peugeot's Le Mans car, he headed back to F1 with Lotus last year.

An immediate frontrunner back in single-seaters, Raikkonen has been among Vettel's main opposition since his return.

SOURCE: Autosport 

BIANCHI TO STAY WITH MARUSSIA FOR 2014

Jules Bianchi will remain with Marussia for a second season in 2014, the team announced on Thursday morning.

The Frenchman made his debut for the outfit at the start of this year but Ferrari, which has supported his career, was considering moving him to Sauber.

However, Marussia's switch to Ferrari engines and its progress on track has ensured it will retain Bianchi for at least another campaign.

"I couldn't have wished for a more supportive environment in which to make my F1 debut and from the very beginning I have always felt completely at home with the team," said Bianchi, whose best finish is 13th in the Malaysian Grand Prix.

"We started the season very well and, while the challenge has increased as the season has developed, we have learned important lessons together that will place us in a much stronger position next year when there are a lot of changes for the sport and the team to get used to.

"I am very excited to be part of the team as we all enter this new era of F1 and I look forward to achieving some rewarding performances together."

Bianchi's decision to remain at Marussia is a huge sign of confidence in the teamfrom both the driver and Ferrari ahead of the challenges posed by new regulations in 2014.

Marussia team principal John Booth welcomed the fact that his team would have stability on the driver front.

"2014 heralds a new era for the sport and continuity and consistency of line-up will be important in helping us to navigate the transition," he said.

Bianchi's team-mate Max Chilton is in negotiations with the team to stay on board as well for 2014, with an announcement about Marussia's second driver plans expected later this season.

SOURCE: Autosport 

SAUBER RULES OUT BARRICHELLO RETURN

Sauber team boss Monisha Kaltenborn has ruled out any possibility of Rubens Barrichello returning to the Formula 1 grid with her team in 2014.

Barrichello, the most experienced driver in F1 history, had been linked with Sauber during the Korean Grand Prix build-up, both for next season and a possible return for his home grand prix in Brazil in November.

Although AUTOSPORT understands that privately the team did not consider Barrichello as a realistic option, Kaltenborn had left the door open when quizzed about the rumour on Thursday.

But after qualifying she told reporters that her equivocal comments were just motivated by respect for the veteran Brazilian.

"I am ruling out that he would drive for us. Maybe it is better if one is that clear about it," Kaltenborn was quoted as saying by Reuters.

"I have a lot of respect for Rubens, and I didn't think it was right that I just so abruptly say 'No, we are not going to talk.'"

AUTOSPORT understands that Barrichello approached Sauber with a budget in the region of $15 million.

The future of the team's current drivers Nico Hulkenberg and Esteban Gutierrez is uncertain, with the German linked to several other drives.

Sauber has committed to running Russian teenager Sergey Sirotkin, the protege of the team's new investors, next season if he is ready for a race seat.

Barrichello last raced in F1 with Williams in 2011, turning to first IndyCar then Brazil's V8 Stock Car series when he lost his drive.

He made it clear in a Twitter post on Saturday morning that he was still keen to make a comeback.

"Lots of things have being said this week about a possible F1 return," the 41-year-old wrote. "The truth is: if there is an opportunity, I'm in."

Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn employed Barrichello at both Ferrari and Honda/Brawn in the 2000s.

Asked about the possibility of his ex-driver returning to F1, Brawn replied: "Well, it would be very entertaining I'm sure. I love to see him in the paddock, he is always good fun.

"He's a real enthusiast and he was still pretty quick when he stopped."

SOURCE: Autosport 

HULKENBERG GIVES LOTUS UNTIL END OF MONTH TO MAKE DECISION

Nico Hulkenberg has told Lotus he wants his Formula 1 future sorted out by the end of this month.

His recent impressive form has made him hot property on the driver market - and several teams including Lotus and Force India are eager to lure him away from Sauber for next season.

Although it is understood that Lotus is his preferred option, the deal hinges on whether or not the Enstone-based team can pull off an investment deal with potential new partners Infinity Racing.

Hulkenberg says he is happy to wait for now, but after his experience in 2010 when he was dropped by Williams at the end of the season he does not want to risk being left out in the cold if Lotus cannot get its finances in shape.

 Raikkonen: money prompted Lotus exit

"I want to have some certainty about my future and not in November," he said, when asked by AUTOSPORT about the timeframe for him to make a decision on 2014.

"It needs to be at the end of the month, for sure. There is obviously a certain cut off point.

"I have experienced falling over the back in 2010, and I am not going to risk doing that again."

Although a move to Lotus would mean that Hulkenberg has driven for four teams in five years, he insists there are no concerns his changes point to a lack of loyalty.

"It is not a worry," he said. "It is maybe not ideal but there is a positive side as well because you can take all the good things forward.

"Obviously in terms of consistency and settling in somewhere it is not the best, but movements happen for a reason and it is what it is, so there is no point questioning it for me."

SOURCE: Autosport