Kimi Brasil

Martin Whitmarsh is delighted that Kimi Räikkönen is making a Formula 1 return this year, even though the Finn is not back with McLaren. Prior to his stint with Ferrari, the World Champion of 2007 won twelve races between 2003 and 2005.
After debuting with Sauber in 2001, Räikkönen switched to McLaren and immediately achieved a career-first podium finish in 2002. A year later, a maiden race victory and pole position followed and he finished runner-up to Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso in 2003 and 2005, respectively.

“Kimi is a great guy, with a super talent,” McLaren Team Principal Whitmarsh told the official F1 website. “He was very successful during his five seasons at McLaren, winning 12 Grands Prix for us and, although he narrowly failed to win a Drivers’ World Championship during that time, he could easily have become World Champion in both 2003 and 2005 if he’d had a bit more luck or a little more reliability.
“Even as things were, without that extra bit of luck and reliability required to win World Championships, he still won 12 Grands Prix for us and some of those wins were truly majestic.
“During an FIA press conference at a Grand Prix in the latter half of last year - I forget where - I was asked by a journalist whether the Team Principals of the teams then rumoured to be considering Kimi for a 2012 drive, a couple of whom were sitting alongside me, should hire him or not. My answer was an unequivocal ‘yes’. I stand by that and I’m pleased that he’s made a comeback.”
Räikkönen will be in action with Lotus (formerly known as Renault) and is partnered by Romain Grosjean, who also returns to F1 for the first time since 2009.