Lotus 'will bring best out of Raikkonen'
Lotus will bring the very best out of Kimi Raikkonen, say team bosses Eric Boullier and Gerard Lopez, who believe the 2007 world champion is a much more dedicated team player than his past reputation suggested.
Raikkonen has impressed Lotus since joining the team for his Formula 1 comeback after two years in rallying, and was quickest on the first day of winter testing at Jerez last week.
Lopez said Lotus had found Raikkonen to be a totally different character to how he was presented during his last F1 stint.
"For most people it's probably one of the big mysteries, because you hear the hearsay and so forth, but we feel very good with him and he clearly feels at home," Lopez told AUTOSPORT.
"He smiles a lot when he's with us! But most importantly that says he feels more like part of the family."
Lopez added: "I think Kimi has a public image that honestly from what we've seen does not translate into how he really is. He's a very hard worker, very good at providing feedback, and has a good team spirit.
"Once we talked to him, once we understood why he was coming back, we really felt comfortable. If you look at what happened [at the test], nobody can say that he's not on the pace."
Boullier reckons the way Lotus works is proving ideal for Raikkonen.
"We tried to handle his personality and make sure that we don't bother him too much with too many intrusions, and he's a real racer," said Boullier.
"This team is full of proper racing people and he has fitted very well because we speak the same language.
"We are flexible, but our system is very racing-orientated, and that suits him very well."
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@24. i have got to admit i have seen alonso spit the dummy a few times and unlike yourselve i dont have the opion that hes a great driver thats gonna upset alot of people but its only my opion, yes i am a kimi fan but that does not mean i cannot enjoy good clean exciting racing and have alot of respect for alot of the drivers on the grid, there are the odd one or two that i dont care for to much, and i have based that opion on all diffrent sorts of things on and off track, but it does not take away the fact that i and quite a few other people see this move with kimi back as an exciting prospect for the coming season.. i also dont think that alonso has tryed that hard apart from rb amd mc most other cars had a hit and miss season kimi may not win races but i dont think he will give up that easy we all lose motivation i dont think ferrari knew how to handle someone like kimi they were use to the winning and almost expect everyone that drives there cars to be that. i think those days are over with a decent car it could be anyones.
@ 19
Yvonne
I think Kimi is a great driver....when he can be bothered that is.
You have a blinkered view of Kimi....Ferrari unloaded Kimi due to him not trying, they got a driver that, like him or loathe him, gives 100%....Alonso. A doormat called Massa was beating `King` Kimi regularly, we know Kimi is the better driver....what does that tell you? Ferrari were prepared to pay Kimi to sit it out on a multi-million contract AND also pay Alonso too, they did that to get a driver that would at least TRY to win races.
Kimi won`t win anything in a Renault....that`s not based on whether I like him or not, the car isn`t up to it, so it really doesn`t matter whether Kimi has his `trying` head on or his `sulky` one...he won`t win anything...fact.
While some might question Kimi's ability (I don't), he's an example of how drivers should conduct themselves on the track. He's almost completely immune to drama. In fact, the most dramatic thing I ever saw him do was when Hamilton crashed into the back of his car in Canada while he was parked at the pit exit stop light. He walked up to Hammy and pointed to the light, then kept going.
Iceman is written on his arm. It's written on his helmet, usually. He did not give himself this name.
Who are they trying to convince? Us or themselves?
Lotus couldn't even bring out the best in their 2011 car after such a promising start. I doubt they will do any better with a poorly motivated Raikkonen who has been playing around and driving in the dirt for the past two years.
Lotus and Kimi may be the surprise of the year. I am not a Lotus fan but do think they have the ability to impress and of course we all should realize Kimi can do some very nice things in some very unexpected ways..good luck to them.
@18 in answer to your comment , i have followed kimi for years, i think hes a great driver, but ilike the person alot admire the way he keep true to what he belives, no bulls--t just facts,if the cars not right he does not make excuses and ramble on about drivers in the way just gets on with what the race hands him the ferrari affair was a total joke and i lost respect over the way they handled it., and in answer to your question i think at my age there would not be any suprise in store in that department. mind you haveing said that i really would like to spend a hour with him and have a proper conversation ask something the fans might like to know instead of the same old thing being trotted out time and time again, then we might see those ice blue eyes shine again , thereagain i could spend the time just looking at them. but jokes aside hes a top racer and i realy hope he can get close to winning some races, if only to shut up the knockers for a little while, now that would be playing fair.?
@ 6
Yvonne
Just because you think Kimi lovely and would like to get your sweaty hand down his fire resistant shorts, will not make his chances in the Renault any better...nor would Hammy chances be in a Renault....ged it?
NO title, no wins and no podiums for Kim...whether you `like him` or not....end of.
Looks like Brawn in the pic with you Touron.
'Well at least he wont be driving into any one on purpose '
What?like your idol schumacher, at least twice that I can recall, probably more. As for the other remark, if you think that was anything other than just a flippant remark then you are more deluded than first thought
'You unintilectual brainless amoebas, yes, you understand me, I'm talking to you nedand,GROMET and paulhancock, remove yourselves from society cause truely you are a pest in all spheres. It's so clear that all three of you are losers in life and absolutely unsuccessful in all you have tried throughout your life.
From Francis, on Mon 13 Feb 4:10PM'
Sorry for having an opinion but I though we had freedom of speach in th UK, so thanks for the input but I will say what I like
Well at least he wont be driving into any one on purpose because he is (COLOUR BLIND) and he would never use the RACE CARD to gain EXONERATION.
It's not Lotus - it is Genii/Renault/Gravity Management F1. Calling the car after Walford shows no sense of heritage. At least Fernandes bought the rights to the name of the F1 team, then did a BBC and wimped out. Shame.
This is a venue for F1 enthusiasts to express their opinions, even though some people like to imagine that just having it as their opinion makes it fact! I see no need for people (yes, you, Francis) to abuse others for saying what they think. RANT OVER!!!
I hope Lotus can give him the car with which Kimi justifies his place this season!
"Lotus 'will bring best out of Raikkonen' " one flake 99 and a strawberry ripple it is :-)
u got it wrong ,, H ,, SEAT in spain is VW in the rest of the world
@H get this: cars are not the same every year, your comparison is pointless.
Good points H,that makes Alonso the biggest "pay driver" on the grid ! He didn't go there because they had the best car. It won't break my heart if he or they don't win another title .
Get this - in spite of Santander buying him the seat at Ferrari, in his first season Alonso failed to do what Kimi had done in his (2007) and Alonso's position going into the last two races of the 2010 season was by FAR easier than having to catch up from being 17 pts down. In his second season at the Scuderia, Alonso put up a worse performance than Kimi did in either of his last two seasons at Ferrari. F1 is mostly a business enterprise masquerading as a sport where the better commercial asset gets preferential treatment in spite of public ideas about who is the No1 or better driver. Bottom line is FIAT (SEAT in Spain) sell far, far, far more cars in either Brazil or Spain than they do in Finland. No wonder Kimi was fed up and seemed disinterested! This year, Renault (alias Lotus) need his skills to get back on track after a disastrous 2011 without Kubica. With a French teammate, it remains to be seen for how long Kimi will keep his interest...
just give the guy a chance, he is a great racer and just because he does not suffer fools gladly does not mean to say he wont be out there fighting with the rest. a bit like hamilton will this year after losing his way a bit last year but i dont see you writing him off. give the guy a chance, its great to have a great racer like him back in the sport, and gromet i have sky with no sports or h.d but with kimi back i will be turing the h.d. back on, and it will be worth every penny, just to see him on the starting grid, but much prefer bbc,
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