Raikkonen: Not my call to leave Ferrari but I'm not sad

Although the writing was on the wall, when the time came to pull the plug on Raikkonen's career at Maranello, Ferrari bosses did so in September at Monza where he was informed that his services were no longer required by the legendary Italian team.

Thus comes to an end the career of a Ferrari driver who delivered for them their last F1 titles, the 2007 the drivers' championship and a year later, with Felipe Massa in the sister car, they claimed the 2008 constructors' title.

Ahead of the United States Grand Prix weekend, Raikkonen told La Repubblica, "I've been in the F1 world for a long time and I am not surprised by much. It was not my decision to leave Ferrari but I'm not sad about it."

Raikkonen, 21 at the time, made his debut for Sauber at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix and has since competed in 288 F1 races, finishing on the podium 100 times of which on 20 occasions he was the winner.

As for Charles Leclerc who replaces him and Antonio Giovinazzi who he will share a garage with next year at Sauber, Raikkonen said, "I don't know them very but they are young good guys. I hope that Charles will do well."

As for the future, the Iceman said, "I just want to race. I've been here for 20 years and it's all boring: the usual travelling, usual faces, usual questions, usual press conferences."

"I am afraid to think that when I retire if my son is karting, I will find myself accompanying him to the race circuits again," lamented Raikkonen.

His obvious disdain and dislike for 'paddock duties' did not stop him inking a deal with Sauber that will keep him in the sport until he is 41-years old.