Sky Sports F1's Mark Hughes says Ferrari want to rehire Kimi Raikkonen for 2014

Ferrari are giving serious consideration to rehiring Kimi Raikkonen for the 2014 season, Sky Sports F1 commentary expert Mark Hughes has learnt.

Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg, Paul di Resta of Force India and Marussia youngster Jules Bianchi have all also been touted as potential replacements for Massa, but according to Hughes "the idea of a di Resta or Bianchi seems to now be off the menu. "But Ferrari is definitely interested in following Bianchi's progress and we may well see him in a Ferrari-assisted drive a little further up the grid, which would obviously mean Sauber." On Thursday, team boss Stefano Domenicali refused to deny that Ferrari were thinking of reappointing Raikkonen. "Why not?" he told Sky Sports News' Rachel Brookes. Raikkonen was reputedly given a £20m pay-off to leave Ferrari four years ago with a year still to run on his contract but has repeatedly insisted the terms of his departure shouldn't be a barrier against him making a return to the team. "I never had anything against anybody and always certain things can be different to how they were in the past," the Finn said of his current relationship status with Ferrari ahead of this weekend's Italian GP. Raikkonen's popularity with the Tifosi certainly seems undimmed. 'Kimi on pole' proclaimed one banner, which was unfurled right next to a Ferrari flag along the start-finish straight at the start of Friday's practice sessions.