Kimi Raikkonen believes E20 has the potential to be the front-runner – Formula 1 news
Lotus team driver Kimi Raikkonen believes that their car E20 has a great potential to reach the front in the 2012 Formula 1 season.
Lotus has been considered as one of the most competent team for this season. However, they had a varied set-off this year with their pair of drivers, Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean.
Raikkonen has not been able to secure any representative place in the grid while his teammate, Grosjean even after performing well during the qualifying has not been able to do well in both the races of the season so far.
Nevertheless, the Finnish driver, Raikkonen is quite positive that they can catch up to the front with their car’s pace if the conditions prove out to be favourable.
“I think we've got off to an encouraging start,” he said. “It's been frustrating sometimes with the chassis issues in testing, the qualifying mix-up in Australia and the gearbox change in Malaysia, but we've shown we can deal with any problems and come back
stronger. It feels like I've never been away; the team has done a good job and I'm working well with them which makes things easier. The car feels good and we clearly have the pace to be at the front; we just need some better luck.”
Furthermore, the technical director of Lotus, James Allison expressed that they are waiting for the normal race conditions so that they can bring the best out of them and show their true pace.
In addition, Allison said that they will try their best to make the necessary developments and the significant preparations for the races ahead in order to make essential improvements in the car.
Besides, Raikkonen expects to have normal race situation in the Chinese Grand Prix which is to be held at Shanghai International Circuit on April 15, 2012.
Raikkonen made his comeback in F1 after spending two years in the World Rally Championship. Nonetheless, he expressed that he is the same person as he was before and he did not feel any noticeable difference in the sport.
“I'm still the same person as I was before,” he said.
Tags: