Raikkonen: I am the same driver I was 10 years ago

Speaking to reporters during the drivers' press conference on the eve of the Italian Grand Prix, 38-year-old Raikkonen said, "I enjoy the racing; I don’t think that’s a secret. The rest not, but that’s part of the job."

"Do I want to race? Yes, otherwise I wouldn’t be here today. I don’t see that’s suddenly going to disappear. Who knows, it might be, but I doubt it. Like I said, I don’t know, so we’ll see what happens."

"I don’t feel that I drive any differently than 10 years ago. I think I drive pretty well, in my books at least, and that’s enough for me. I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t feel I can drive as well as I feel that I should."

"That's my tool to measure and decide when it’s enough. Who knows. I don’t know. Maybe I wake up one morning and I just don’t know how to go fast any more. I don’t think there is a time. It’s more feelings and how do you feel yourself doing it – good or bad."

"People always say that the speed will disappear but until this day I feel that it hasn’t disappeared for me. But maybe there is a morning you wake up and it’s just not there anymore."

"It could be like that but I don’t think you just put a date, you just turn this old or that and it’s just not there. If you have it, you have it and if not... that’s it."

Asked about his future with the Italian team, Raikkonen replied, "You need to talk to the team. It’s not up to me. That’s about it. Not my decision in the end."

Earlier in the year, impressive Sauber rookie Charles Leclerc was being tipped for a promotion to the Ferrari who have mentored the youngster through their driver development programme.

But in wake of Sergio Marchionne's untimely passing and a new senior management at the helm, the consensus is the Reds will keep the stability and continuity they have with the Raikkonen-Vettel partnership which is in the throes of being confirmed.