BERLIN (AFP) - Kimi Raikkonen would be "a fool" not to move from Lotus to Mark Webber's vacant seat at Red Bull next season, Austrian Formula One legend Niki Lauda told Monday's edition of Bild.

The Finn is one of the names in the frame to replace the Australian alongside world champion Sebastian Vettel in 2013, but he has stated publicly that it would be a tough decision leaving Lotus.

His contract with the British marque expires at the end of the season, having joined them last year after a two-year time-out from F1 in rallying.

Discussing the 2007 world champion's future, Lauda said: "If Kimi doesn't join Red Bull then he's a fool.

"The question is to know what he wants: lots of freedom, little money and to do nothing."

Lauda suggested a move to the world champion-winning constructor headed by Christian Horner would mean "a couple more days' work and so less time to go and have a drink".

Raikkonen, lying third in the drivers' title race behind triple world champion Sebastian Vettel and former double world champion Fernando Alonso, is facing competition for Webber's seat from the two Torro Rosso drivers, Australian Daniel Riccardo and France's Jean-Eric Vergne.

Webber, second to Nico Rosberg in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Sunday, is leaving F1 at the end of the season to switch to sports-car racing with Porsche.