Kimi on verge of Schu-style pay-packet

UPDATE Kimi Raikkonen will be the Finn joining Giancarlo Fisichella at Renault next season, according to reports in the Spanish media.

Upon signing for Renault, Fisichella said that although he couldn't confirm who his new team-mate would be next season, he could revealed that it would be "a Finn."

And according to the Spanish press, that 'Finn' isn't Renault test driver Heikki Kovalainen but rather current McLaren driver Kimi Raikkonen.

07/02/06 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen is on the verge of accepting a Michael Schumacher-like salary to drive for Renault next year, according to press reports.

'AS' in Spain writes that the Finn has staggeringly been offered four times the annual salary of the departing Fernando Alonso for 2007 and beyond. McLaren-bound Alonso is estimated to earn about $9.5m this year.

But the 'AS' journalist wondered: ''Why didn't they offer this money to Alonso and then keep the top driver in formula one (beyond 2006)?''

McLaren-Mercedes' Norbert Haug, meanwhile, warned 26-year-old Raikkonen against chasing the supposed top seat in F1.

The German told Motorsport Aktuell: ''Who says that in 2007 Renault will still have the best package.