Kimi Raikkonen to stay at Ferrari in 2017

SILVERSTONE, England (AP) Kimi Raikkonen will stay with Ferrari next year, the Italian team confirmed on Friday at the British Grand Prix.

The announcement ends months of speculation that had seen several rival drivers linked with his seat alongside four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel.

''I've always said I would not be here if I didn't enjoy it, or felt that I can't drive, or do it 100 percent,'' Raikkonen said.

''If I wasn't motivated, I wouldn't be here wasting my own time or the team's time. I've always said, nearly 10 years ago, that my last team would be Ferrari and it's still like that.

''What happens in the future I don't know. Time will tell, but I usually don't make plans for a very long future.''

The Finn won the 2007 Formula One championship with Ferrari in his first stint with the team before rejoining from Lotus in 2014.

He will be 37 in October and has yet to win a race since returning to Ferrari, having struggled against Fernando Alonso in 2014 and Vettel last year.

But this year, he has shown improved form, and is level on points in the championship with Vettel after nine races.