Who will drive for Ferrari next season?

F1’s silly season swung into life far earlier than it has ever done before this year, as the future of Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari was thrown in doubt after four or five races.

The Finn has not delivered since he returned to the team last year, and the weight of pressure on his shoulders has started to show.

He sits over 80 points behind his team-mate Sebastian Vettel in the standings, and has finished just once on the podium in comparison to Vettel’s seven.

Behind Raikkonen on the grid are a series of drivers hoping take his place next year, but what are their chances?

Here we take a look…

The Favourite: Valterri Bottas

Valtteri Bottas is the man in pole position to take Raikkonen's place, should Ferrari decide that a change is needed.

He has caught the eye with his impressive performances at Williams, and has no doubt been helped by the team’s elevated status as the third quickest car on the grid.

Valtteri Bottas

He has a slight edge over the much-improved Felipe Massa, and has shown that the big stage does not faze him.

He outscored Massa last season, and secured several podium finishes. Racing with the big boys brings out the best in him, as he showed at the British Grand Prix this year, when he battled with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg.

Qualifying is arguably his weakness, but it’s rare to see him underperform there too.

In the current drivers standings, Bottas leads Raikkonen by a point and if he can sustain that to the end of the season then Ferrari will surely be tempted.

The 25-year-old certainly has Ferrari admirers, and he knows it. He’s refused to rule out a future move to the Italian team and with his Williams contract due to run out at the end of 2016, the day when he moves on to bigger things is fast approaching.

The neatly man: Nico Hulkenberg

No one can blame Nico Hulkenberg for going off the boil in the first half of this season and appearing unmotivated.

Nico Hulkenberg (GER) Sahara Force India F1 VJM08.

The German has seemingly been on the brink of a big move to a big team for the past three years, but he just hasn’t happened yet, giving him another year in a mid-table car at Force India.

A storming win in the Le Mans 24 hour race reminded us all of his talents, and since then his form in F1 has improved considerably. He is now knocking on the door harder than ever.

Hulkenberg is a steady driver, and will add the consistency that Raikkonen lacks. Like Bottas, his speciality is race day and he can struggle during qualifying.

However, he is an exceptional driver in the wet, gentle on his tyres, capable of adapting to any strategy asked, an expert at overtaking and, most importantly, very fast.

Surely there must be a reason why the likes of Ferrari, McLaren and Mercedes have looked the other way in recent years?

Nico Hulkenberg, Force India VJM08 at Monaco

The truth is Hulkenberg has been in the right place at the wrong time.

No team is going to pass up the chance of signing Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel or Fernando Alonso, while Red Bull and McLaren also like to promote from their driver academies.

Nico Rosberg and Jenson Button have continued to do good jobs for their respective teams, leaving opportunities for the likes of Hulkenberg severely limited.

However, one hole is about to open up but it’s still unlikely he’ll be filling it. At this stage, it seems that Hulkenberg could be destined for an unfulfilled career.

The crowd pleaser: Jenson Button

How about this as a very left-wing option?

Jenson Button in the pitlane.

Button’s future at McLaren is looking less certain by the month, and Ron Dennis gave a very clear hint when he revealed that the two-year deal the Englishman signed last year was actually a one-year deal with the team having an option to extend it if they wish.

With McLaren keen to promote either Kevin Magnussen or the likely GP2 champion Stoffel Vandoorne into the car alongside Alonso next year, Button’s future looks bleak.

However, gaps for a former world champion, and multiple grand prix winner with something still to offer, do still open up.

Button is liked by Ferrari. They considered signing him when Massa was still at the team, and little has changed since. Ideally, they want a perfect number two driver. A man who will push Vettel hard but ultimately play second fiddle.

Can Bottas or Hulkenberg be guaranteed to do that? Button can. He has gone toe-to-toe with Lewis Hamilton, and beaten him. On his day, he is almost untouchable.

In a season where Ferrari expect to finally pose a real danger to Mercedes every race, they may want battle-hardened winners than inexperienced rookies.

Button is as battle-hardened as they come. He could be just perfect.

The dream signing: Daniel Ricciardo

Daniel Ricciardo - Red Bull RB11

After the year they spent together in 2014, it is unlikely Vettel would be too keen for Daniel Ricciardo to line up next to him again.

However, the Australian could be on the market, and if he is, he will be considered by every team regardless of who is already there.

Ricciardo emerged onto the scene last season when he won three races at Red Bull, and subsequently embarrassing four-time world champion Vettel with his utter dominance over the German.

Ricciardo has shown that he excels when he’s racing at the front. In wheel-to-wheel combat he is as exciting as Hamilton, and he grabs races by the scruff of the neck instead of waiting for them to fall into place. Signing the talented 26-year-old would be a complete no-brainer.

Red Bull are in the midst of a crisis. Their relationship with engine suppliers Renault has all-but broken down, and the team’s future participation in the sport has been questioned.

If Ricciardo sees his future elsewhere and decides to jump ship, then Ferrari would be his most likely destination. Vettel vs. Ricciardo mark II…It sounds utterly compelling.

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