F1: Ferrari officially announce Kimi Raikkonen as teammate to Fernando Alonso for 2014 and 2015

After news of Kimi Raikkonen leaving Lotus F1 to join Ferrari started to spread since yesterday, the team officially announced that the 2007 Formula 1 champion would rejoin the team (for whom he won that title) for the 2014 and 2015 seasons as teammate to Fernando Alonso.

Raikkonen's future F1 employer had been a matter of intense speculation this year, especially after Lotus F1's technical director departed the team in May to join Ferrari in July.

The Finn's F1 campaign with Ferrari started in 2007 where he won the season opening Australian Grand Prix and then went on to take five more wins in a season where he came from behind in the points standings to snatch the title from warring McLaren teammates Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

His future at Lotus F1 was believed to have hinged on a major investment that the team was trying to secure in order to ensure being able to provide the Finn with a car competitive enough to challenge for the drivers' title.

The cash-strapped Lotus F1 team's financial difficulties had also lead to a delay in payment of performance related bonuses to Raikkonen who has, till date, won two races for the team.

News of Raikkonen's departure from Lotus F1 now throws the attention on who the team will hire to fill the vacancy.

Sauber F1's Nico Hulkenberg, who qualified third and finished fifth at the Italian Grand Prix this year, is believed to be at the top of the line of candidates for the seat vacated by Raikkonen.

Ferrari's current second driver Felipe Massa had already announced his departure from the team to make room for Raikkonen.