Raikkonen to join Sauber from Ferrari, Leclerc goes the other way

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen will leave Ferrari at the end of the season and rejoin Sauber while Sauber's Charles Leclerc will take Raikkonen's seat at Ferrari.

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland celebrates on a podium after the Formula One Italy Grand Prix at the Monza racetrack, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, September 2, 2018.
AP

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland celebrates on a podium after the Formula One Italy Grand Prix at the Monza racetrack, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, September 2, 2018.

Finland's 2007 Formula One world champion Kimi Raikkonen will leave Ferrari at the end of the season in a swap with Sauber's Charles Leclerc, both teams announced on Tuesday.

Raikkonen posted a message on Instagram announcing he would be rejoining Sauber on a two-year deal. The Finn first drove for Sauber in 2001.

"Guess who’s back?! Next two years with @sauberf1team ahead! Feels extremely good to go back where it all beg an!" the 38-year-old told his 974,000 Instagram followers.

The move was later confirmed by Sauber in a separate statement.

"Signing Kimi Raikkonen as our driver represents an important pillar of our project, and brings us closer to our target of making significant progress as a team in the near future," said principal Frederic Vasseur.

Both announcements come after the Italian Formula 1 team announced on Tuesday that the former world champion would leave Ferrari at the end of 2018.

"Scuderia Ferrari announces that, at the end of the 2018 season, Kimi Raikkonen will leave his current role," the team said in a statement.

"During these years, Kimi has made a fundamental contribution to the team, both as a driver and for his human qualities," the team said

"His role was decisive for the team's growth."

The 38-year-old Raikkonen has started in 287 Grand Prix, winning 20 since his debut in 2001 with Sauber, the team he will race for again in 2019.

AP

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen of Finland steers his car during the Formula One Italy Grand Prix at the Monza racetrack, in Monza, Italy, Sunday, September 2, 2018.

Monegasque rookie Charles Leclerc, a 20-year-old Ferrari protege who races for Sauber will take the 2007 world champion's place.

Leclerc made his debut with Sauber this season after winning last year's Formula Two title.

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