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Press release by LRGP Lotus Renault GP is
pleased to announce that Kimi Räikkönen will
race for the team next season. The 2007 World
Champion, who left Formula 1 at the end of 2009
to pursue a career in rallying, has decided to
make a comeback at the pinnacle of single-seater
racing. He has now signed a two-year agreement
with Lotus Renault GP.
Kimi’s F1 roll of honour includes 18 wins, 62
podiums and 16 pole positions. This experience
and success is sure to help the team make a step
forward next year. The 32-year-old Finn’s
commitment indeed makes for a vote of confidence
in Lotus Renault GP, demonstrating the team’s
determination and new philosophy for the seasons
ahead.
Kimi Räikkönen: “I’m delighted to be
coming back to Formula 1 after a two-year break,
and I’m grateful to Lotus Renault GP for
offering me this opportunity. My time in the
World Rally Championship has been a useful stage
in my career as a driver, but I can’t deny the
fact that my hunger for F1 has recently become
overwhelming. It was an easy choice to return
with Lotus Renault GP as I have been impressed
by the scope of the team’s ambition. Now I’m
looking forward to playing an important role in
pushing the team to the very front of the grid.”
Gérard Lopez, Genii Capital, Chairman:
“All year long, we kept saying that our team was
at the start of a brand new cycle. Backstage
we’ve been working hard to build the foundations
of a successful structure and to ensure that we
would soon be able to fight at the highest
level. Kimi’s decision to come back to Formula 1
with us is the first step of several
announcements which should turn us into an even
more serious contender in the future. Of course,
we are all looking forward to working with a
world champion. On behalf of our staff, I’d like
to welcome Kimi to Enstone, a setting that has
always been known for its human approach to
Formula 1.”
Interview with Kimi:
Kimi, good news today, you have decided to
come back to Formula 1. Why are you coming back?
The main reason was that I never really lost the
passion for racing in Formula 1, just maybe for
all the other things around it. But when I did
some NASCAR races this year I noticed that I was
increasingly missing the racing side – to race
against each other – because in rallying you
really race against the clock. And then I got
the call from certain people in Formula 1. All
sorts of things happened and we managed to have
a nice conversation with Lotus Renault GP and
make a deal – I’m really very happy with that!
Why did you choose Lotus Renault GP?
Really there were two options – it was this team
or Williams. And everything worked out with
Lotus Renault GP as we wanted, so that’s really
the reason. Have you been following the team and
the performance this year? I didn’t follow
Formula 1 much at all last year. This year I
followed it a bit more but not really any
specific team. I watched the last 20 laps of the
last race, the Brazilian Grand Prix, and because
I knew this was going to happen I also watched
how the Lotus Renault GP team did. But before
that I didn’t know anything about what was going
to happen or that there would be a deal in
Formula 1 for next year, so I just watched
Formula 1 as a whole. I saw a few races but
nothing special.
Do you think Formula 1 will be very different
for you from what you know from 2009, with the
DRS, Pirelli tyres, etc?
Comparing 2009 to next year the biggest
difference will probably be the tyres. I don’t
think there is a lot of difference with the cars.
DRS is a new thing but this is basically similar
to before. The button that used to be for the
front wing has disappeared, so now it’s for the
rear wing. I would guess the main difference is
really the tyres.
Personally, what’s the main difference from
the Kimi Räikkönen we saw in 2009 – in which way
are you a better driver?
I don’t know – I’ve been away for two years. I
haven’t driven and I haven’t even sat in a
Formula 1 car since the last race in 2009. I’m
interested to get back into the car, I’m two
years older now and I don’t think anything else
has really changed. It has been really nice to
try to learn rallying in the last few years. On
some days it was hard. It’s been easier this
year than last year but still it’s a very
difficult sport. I’m really looking forward to
coming back. At least Formula 1 is something
where I know how everything works as I’ve been
there for many years – compared to rallying when
I didn’t know what would really happen. Then I
went to NASCAR and I had no clue how it would be.
So in that way it should be much, much easier to
come back and it should be pretty normal.
Have you already changed your training
routine?
I kept training the whole time for the rallying
but of course it’s not so physical – in the
rallies it’s more that you have to sit in the
car for the whole week. In Formula 1, it is more
physical but over a shorter time. A month ago I
started to get back into proper training for
Formula 1. The neck is the most difficult thing
to get ready but we still have plenty of time.
When you think about your last race in 2009,
what is the feeling you have of driving in
Formula 1?
I certainly remember all the braking and how
quickly everything happens. But compared to
rallying, say, you have slightly more time. In
rallying, it doesn’t give you a second chance.
When you make a mistake you go off. There are no
run-off areas. In Formula 1 you have a lot of
run-off areas, you can run a bit wide and it is
not such a big deal. You lose a lap in the
practice or in qualifying but in the race you
maybe don’t even lose a place. So this time, the
braking and the G-forces will certainly come
back very quickly. The biggest thing will
definitely be to get the neck used to it again.
All the rest will take a while but it’s not
really a big thing.
Six world champions on the grid next year,
you are coming back to Formula 1 – how big of a
boost is it for your motivation?
I would not have come back if I wasn’t motivated.
There is always a lot of talk about motivation
but nobody really knows what I do or what I
think apart from myself so I don’t really care
about what people say. But I’m happy to be
coming back. I wouldn’t put my name onto a
contract if I didn’t think I’d really
enjoy it – so it will be interesting and
exciting to get back!
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