Dany Bahar defends Kimi Raikkonen’s Snow Mobile race participation – Formula 1 news
Chief Executive of the Lotus Group has made a statement to defend the way they are managing Kimi Raikkonen.
Kimi Raikkonen has just joined Renault for the 2012 season after a two-year banishment from the sport, and almost put his first season since comeback in serious danger after he got involved in a skidoo accident.
Raikkonen took part in a Swatch Snow Mobile race and got into an accident. Luckily, he came out without any serious injuries and just suffered a sore wrist.
Robert Kubica was also involved in an accident in 2010 when he was allowed to go for a rally race in Italy. Renault was criticized for letting their driver take part in a rally race just before the season.
Following the recent events, Dany Bahar came out in defence of the way they manage their drivers.
Bahar explained that Renault does not indulge in limiting their driver’s activities. He explained that we are promoting a team that has a lot of risk involved that is part of what Renault does both commercially and corporately.
“It is part of our job to do things that are risky, we do it commercially and corporately, Kimi does it in his own life,” Bahar is quoted by Reuters. “Kimi is Kimi and it will be difficult to change the way he lives.”
“Whether it takes three days, six races or 20 races, remains to be seen. The important thing is that Kimi steadily improves. As long as this happens, we give him time ... He has grown up, he is no longer young. He knows what he is doing and what is expected
of him. I believe he will take things a little more seriously,” he added.
It is good news for Raikkonen’s fans as well as supporters of Formula 1 as fans all over the globe have been waiting for Raikkonen to make a comeback and bring added competitiveness and excitement to the sport. Although it remains to be seen how fast the
former world champion will adjust to the Formula 1 format as he has been rallying for the past 2 years.
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