5 Ways Kimi Raikkonen's 2017 Ferrari Contract May Affect Formula 1 Driver Market

Despite Kimi Raikkonen's status as the most popular driver on the grid, Formula One let out a collective groan when his latest contract extension was confirmed by Ferrari ahead of the British Grand Prix.

While many remain smitten with his monosyllabic tone of voice and one-word answers to half-baked media questions, there was an overwhelming suspicion that the 2007 world champion had reached the natural end of his time in the pinnacle of motorsport.

The 36-year-old's frustratingly inconsistent performances over the last two-and-a-half seasons had led to calls for Raikkonen to be replaced by a younger, fresher face, but crucial to the Finn's stay of execution was the opinion of Sebastian Vettel, whose status as Ferrari's lead driver has been further cemented.

"I think it's the right thing to do," the four-time world champion explained at Silverstone, per Motorsport.com's Adam Cooper, placing a larger emphasis on Raikkonen's uncomplicated, apolitical behaviour behind the scenes than on his team-mate's exploits behind the wheel.

Raikkonen's retention is likely to have several repercussions throughout the pit lane, affecting a number of drivers who would have fancied their chances of taking his place.

Here, we list five ways Ferrari's decision could impact this year's driver market.

Were Ferrari anything more than a bargaining tool in Nico Rosberg's pursuit of a new contract with Mercedes?

The notion of the championship leader joining forces with Vettel to take down the team he helped to establish as F1's dominant force seemed compelling when, in May, Italian publication Corriere della Sera (h/t GrandPrix247.com) reported Rosberg had opened discussions with Ferrari.

The German himself poured plenty of fuel on the flames over the Monaco GP weekend, when he refused to deny he was negotiating with the Prancing Horse during Sky Sports' television coverage of the event.

Yet it has been clear for some time that Rosberg, a Mercedes man to the core, will be representing the Silver Arrows for an eighth consecutive season in 2017.

As non-executive chairman Niki Lauda told German publication Bild (h/t Jonathan Noble at Motorsport.com) following June's European GP, Rosberg and Mercedes "have pretty much agreed on a new two-year contract but still have to work on the details."

With Raikkonen's contract extension removing Rosberg's prime fallback option, however, there is an emphasis on him to play nicely with team-mate and title rival Lewis Hamilton until those details are completely ironed out.

Stunts like his assault on Hamilton on the final lap of the Austrian GP would not be welcome until his new deal is signed, sealed and delivered.

His future championship prospects may depend on it.

In recent weeks, Red Bull have often been at pains to point out that Daniel Ricciardo, the standout performer of the season so far, will remain with the team for many years to come.

Over the European GP weekend, team principal Christian Horner told Sky Sports' Pete Gill and Craig Slater how Ricciardo is "under contract" until at least the end of 2018 having signed a "five-year agreement" upon his promotion from Toro Rosso at the end of 2013.

But the Australian's contractual situation has felt rather "subject to change" given the driver's habit of flirting with Ferrari over the course of 2016, to the point where he has been almost disrespectful toward his current employers.

In the buildup to the Austrian GP at Red Bull's own track, for instance, Ricciardo told Autosport's Lawrence Barretto he was well aware of Ferrari's interest in him, even admitting he "wouldn't turn it down" if he was offered the opportunity to partner Vettel once more.

Perhaps his willingness to join Ferrari stemmed from an erosion of trust between team and driver following the frustration of Red Bull's uncharacteristic errors during this season, which cost Ricciardo potential victories in Spain and Monaco.

But with Raikkonen remaining at Ferrari, Ricciardo will have to wait at least one more year before his chance in a scarlet-red car comes along.

Is this 2015 all over again?

When Raikkonen's most recent contract extension was announced last August, the paddock's attention quickly turned to Jenson Button, who—as reported by the Telegraph's Daniel Johnson—was expected to announce his retirement at the Japanese GP but found himself celebrating a new deal of his own just four days later.

With the future of the 2007 title winner secure for another year, the '09 world champion is again bound to face a number of questions regarding his plans over the coming months.

Yet unlike in 2014 and '15, Button is unlikely to survive the latest saga surrounding his place at McLaren-Honda.

Per F1 journalist Andrew Benson, Button's signing of a "one-plus-one" deal for 2015—which gave McLaren an option for '16—meant his contract extension toward the end of last season was somewhat inevitable given the team's struggles with their new Honda engine.

If Button is to remain with McLaren for 2017, though, he would seemingly be required to agree to a completely fresh deal with the team.

And with McLaren excited about the potential of reserve driver Stoffel Vandoorne, who enjoyed a highly impressive F1 debut while deputising for the injured Fernando Alonso in April's Bahrain GP, a reluctance to commit to Button would be understandable.

Should Button be pushed into retirement by Vandoorne, this year's edition of silly season—full of so much potential at one stage—will be at risk of becoming a non-event.

But if he does manage to find another seat—most likely at Williams, who have admitted their interest in signing the British driver, per Sky Sports' Pete Gill and Craig Slater—Button would have the power to alter the plans of several teams in the midfield.

Although he has never openly admitted it, Romain Grosjean's move to the brand-new Haas team at the beginning of this season was almost certainly made with a 2017 Ferrari seat in mind.

With the American outfit receiving vast technical support from the Prancing Horse, his hope was that he would spend 2016 building a relationship with Ferrari, who could scout Grosjean from close quarters and assess his suitability as a potential team-mate to Vettel.

But on the evidence of Raikkonen's contract extension, we can only conclude Ferrari—despite Grosjean's award-winning performances in Australia and Bahrain at the beginning of 2016—didn't like what they saw.

And after starting this season as the driver most likely to partner Vettel in 2017, the 30-year-old—with time running out to realise his potential—now finds himself in a rather uncomfortable situation, with a potentially career-defining decision to make.

With next season surely set to be Raikkonen's last in F1, will Grosjean persevere at Haas in the hope that the second Ferrari seat will finally come his way in 2018?

Or will he admit the gamble has failed and abandon Haas, potentially returning to the Renault outfit he walked away from at the end of last year, a team who are expected to make substantial progress under the new-for-2017 regulations?

When asked how he reflected on his move to Haas ahead of the British GP, Grosjean told an FIA press conference he has no regrets and is enjoying a "very nice experience in a very good team."

He may not be quite as enthusiastic after learning Raikkonen is going nowhere.

In many ways, Sergio Perez was the ideal candidate to replace Raikkonen for 2017.

Deemed not quite as fast as Ricciardo and Grosjean, and therefore more accepting of No. 2 status alongside Vettel, his signing would have brought obvious commercial benefits to a team whose cars have been plastered with Mexican sponsorship logos for the last 18 months.

With two podiums in the three races between the Monaco and European grands prix, Perez had frequently spoken of his desire to earn a second chance with a leading team following his damaging experience at McLaren in 2013.

After finishing third in Monte Carlo, the Force India driver told Sky Sports' Matt Morlidge how he has "improved a lot" over the last three years, is now a "more complete driver in all aspects" and would be "ready" for a return to the front of the grid "if the opportunity comes."

It felt very much like a come-and-get-me plea to Ferrari, who once employed Perez as a member of their young-driver scheme, but those calls have been ignored.

As Perez tried to put himself in the shop window, it was revealing that deputy team principal Bob Fernley was unflinchingly positive about Force India's prospects of keeping the 26-year-old, telling Motorsport.com's Noble he was "very, very confident" of retaining Perez and Nico Hulkenberg for 2017.

Renault—who he regarded as "a serious option" before signing a contract extension with Force India in September 2015, per ESPN F1—may yet offer Perez an alternative opportunity to return to the big time.

But with Force India owner Vijay Mallya telling Autosport's Ian Parkes the driver signed a new deal "several weeks" ahead of the British GP, it is almost certain Perez will remain at Force India for 2017.

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