Lotus announce Kimi Raikkonen will drive R30 in January – Formula 1 news
Lotus has confirmed that Kimi Raikkonen will be driving the R30 in January in order to reacquaint himself with Formula 1 car.
FIA has limited the testing days but has allowed drivers to test in a two season old car. Raikkonen will be doing just that when he tests the R30 in January.
“We don't test the new car until February, so it's a long wait. However, I should be able to jump into a two-year-old F1 car in January,” Raikkonen said.
“We can now confirm that Kimi Raikkonen will be completing some mileage in the team's R30 car at Valencia on 23rd/24th January!” Lotus announced on twitter.
Raikkonen left Formula 1 two years ago and has since not driven a F1 car. The former world champion was tipped to make a comeback on several occasions during the two-year banishment but nothing came to realisation.
Finally, Lotus struck a deal with the Finn and lured him back into F1. The driver himself maintained that the rules and the car is not much different than when he was racing. He also added that he was more comfortable with the Pirelli tyres as well.
The Finn said he expected to be competitive on the grid from the get go though many critics have questioned that claim. When Raikkonen left Formula 1, it was being speculated that he had lost interest in the sport and did not have any motivation left to
compete in the sport.
Now that he is back critics have again questioned his motivation levels to make successful comeback.
The test that Raikkonen is going to partake in January is testament that he is not taking things easy and the motivation is there to succeed.
“Sometimes you hear some nonsense and sometimes you hear nice things. The main thing is that coming back is what I wanted and I have a good opportunity with the team so I'm happy,” Raikkonen said.
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