Kimi: We won’t say ‘Oh f*** we’ll give up

Kimi Raikkonen has vowed that Lotus will not get despondent if they don’t make a positive start to the season. The Enstone squad made a big impact at the beginning of the 2011 campaign when they claimed two podium finishes, but they went through a major slump mid-season and eventually finished a distant fifth in

Raikkonen to reunite with former McLaren engineer

Kimi Raikkonen will have a familiar race engineer for his return to Formula 1 this year. Finnish reports in Turun Sanomat and the television broadcaster MTV3 claim that the 2007 world champion will work with Mark Slade. Slade, recently at Mercedes GP working alongside Michael Schumacher, was Raikkonen’s race engineer at McLaren years ago. Slade

Raikkonen expects midfield battle

Kimi Raikkonen has admitted that he doesn’t expect to be challenging the front-runners during the 2012 season. Raikkonen makes his comeback this year having been absent for two seasons since leaving Ferrari. The 2007 world champion has had his motivation questioned, with some observers doubting how long he will remain with Lotus if not given

Relaxed driver, relaxed team

According to Kimi Räikkönen it’s much more nicer in Lotus than it was in Ferrari and McLaren. Kimi Räikkönen doesn’t miss his boss Ron Dennis from his McLaren-times or Ferrari’s boss Luca di Montezemolo. He is already sure that the working peace between the driver and the team will maintain better in Lotus. “This is

Kimi Raikkonen drives F1 car for the first time since joining Lotus

Kimi Raikkonen has returned to the wheel of a Formula 1 car for the first time since the end of 2009, driving a two-year-old Renault R30 at Valencia as he reacclimatises himself to the sport with Lotus. Raikkonen arrived at the track at 0830 CET and took to the wheel of a two-year-old Renault R30

Interview before France 2007

Kimi, you look happier than normal. KR: Why shouldn’t I? I guess it goes to show you have changed in recent times. KR: Have I? Six years of Formula 1 changes everyone. KR: Not me. I continue to like the things that I liked six years ago: I enjoy myself with friends playing ice hockey.

Interview with Kimi 2009

How much fun does a world champion have in the midfield of F1? You always have to fight more in every race when you don’t have such a strong car. And especially this year were we all are closer than before. That makes it exciting. But we all have more fun when we fight for

The Iceman on the hottest seat of F1

Iceman is a nickname given him by Ron Dennis, patron of the McLaren. Well suited to Kimi Räikkönen, a such cold, icy, essential driver that when he ran for the English team he used to answer to the questions of his engineers moving the head, to agree or say not, while he was passing at

“I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel”

Kimi, it has been three weeks since you were confirmed as a Lotus Renault GP driver for the 2012 season. How have you found the reaction to your F1 return? KR: I have been surprised at how big the reaction has been so I guess people must have missed me! What has been the best

Kimi: I feel like I’m coming home

Kimi Raikkonen insists he won’t take long to get back in the F1 groove as it feels like he is “coming home”. The Finn spent the past two years competing in the World Rally Championship, but he will return to Formula One in 2012 after signing a two-year contract with Lotus Renault. Many pundits believe