Kimi Raikkonen, Formula One's most coveted young driver, has snubbed Ferrari for a second time.

The 23-year-old Finn, who leads the world drivers' championship going into today's Brazilian Grand Prix, has emerged as the Italian team's obvious target to eventually replace Michael Schumacher.

Ferrari tried to get Raikkonen on board as test driver last year, with the chance to partner Schumacher this season. But he turned them down when McLaren Mercedes offered him a race seat.

Now, after his maiden Formula One victory in Malaysia a fortnight ago, Ferrari are on Raikkonen's trail again - only to be given another knock-back.

He insists he has no intention of leaving McLaren and that Ferrari's attempts to lure him away will be a waste of time.

Raikkonen's English manager Steve Robertson said: "Kimi is very happy where he is and he believes he made the right decision when he signed for McLaren.

"Ferrari were interested in Kimi when he was at Sauber, but he didn't want to be No.2 to Michael.

"McLaren are always going to be a top team and Kimi has no wish to go anywhere else."

McLaren boss Ron Dennis, who had to buy out Raikkonen's contract with Sauber, is just as determined to keep the natural successor to compatriot and double world champion Mika Hakkinen.

It is understood that Raikkonen's deal with McLaren has another four years to run and that his salary could rise from £2million to more than £6m a year.

You can understand Ferrari looking to replace either Rubens or Michael as both contracts are coming to an end but really they are likely to pick someone in a lower team which is going to be cheaper and easier to do. Trying to get Kimi away from Mclaren is a very difficult thing to do and its very unlikely. If its between Montoya and Raikkonen then Montoya is going to be easier to get.