[valentinesdayyy]

Kimi is back!!!

I don´t know what to type, so happy.

Kimi Räikkönen back in F1 with LRGP in 2012

[Kiariitf]

Good.

Now hopefully Grosjean gets a chance in the second seat.

[6ZCo3xuK]

The Iceman is back, this is great news although he is not going to be fighting for podiums with that car.

[TeapseTic]

Great stuff, thank goodness the 'will he' 'won't he' threads are a thing of the past.... Welcome back Kimi...

[KneefeZes]

Great news. I hope Whatevertheyarecallednowadays Renault team can produce a car good enough to keep him interested.

[Qauunet]

Holy crap! This came out of nowhere. All that talk with Williams, and now he's with Renault?!? So, 6 World Champions on the grid for next year now! Fingers crossed that Renault can make a competitive car next year. From what I read, he seems to be interested in F1 again:

Kimi Räikkönen: “I’m delighted to be coming back to Formula 1 after a two-year break, and I’m grateful to Lotus Renault GP for offering me this opportunity. My time in the World Rally Championship has been a useful stage in my career as a driver, but I can’t deny the fact that my hunger for F1 has recently become overwhelming. It was an easy choice to return with Lotus Renault GP as I have been impressed by the scope of the team’s ambition. Now I’m looking forward to playing an important role in pushing the team to the very front of the grid.” If that is true, then that's a good thing. The publicity shots in Lotus Renault gear look quite cheesy though.

[AnypecekceS]

New wardrobe...still looks like a doos!

[JAMES PIETERSE]

Holy crap! This came out of nowhere. All that talk with Williams, and now he's with Renault?!? So, 6 World Champions on the grid for next year now! Fingers crossed that Renault can make a competitive car next year. From what I read, he seems to be interested in F1 again:

He's been in talks with Renault for a week now as reported, although it was probably longer before the media got hold of it.

To be honest I don't think he lost interest with F1 as such. Fans don't know the real Kimi and just because he's not interested in talking to the media and getting excited, they assume he lacks interest in all areas. As Adam Cooper reported, we also have to remember that he was being pushed out of Ferrari during 2009 and raced for most of the season knowing he was out at the end of the year. He won one race in a dog of a car against Fisichella who later joined Ferrari and could barely drive the thing. Kimi has massive respect from all the drivers on the grid and was very popular around the paddock, so it makes you wonder where alot of the negitivity comes from?

I'm glad he's back and look forward to cheering him on now he no longer wears red overalls..

[paralelogram]

Ah crap! I was hoping to never see his dopey face on the grid again. F1 was far better off without him. Guess we can't be too surprised with Kubica having recently announcing he won't be ready and the knowledge that his talks with Williams fell through. Hopefully they will get rid of Petrov and give the second seat to Senna. I don't really see the big deal about Grosjean. I think that Senna, despite being donkey of the race in Brazil, has done enough to earn his place in the cockpit of the teams second car.

Oh well, hopefully he will regain that shine he lost when he went to Ferrari. If so it will be a pleasure to watch him drive in F1 again. Welcome back Kimi!

[benderkoz]

Ah crap! I was hoping to never see his dopey face on the grid again. F1 was far better off without him.

In what way?

[constanyiskancho]

Ah crap! I was hoping to never see his dopey face on the grid again. F1 was far better off without him

I'm interested in this too. Name one bad thing Kimi has said about his fellow drivers or even Ferrari after they backstabbed him? You don't want an honest man who just wants to drive to be on the grid? How strange. You may think he is boring but if you dislike a guy like that then there is something wrong with you.

[Keendwainge]

In what way?

In the way that there was a good seat being taken by an unenthusiastic driver. And that I was happy to not have to hear his dull voice at press conferences. I used to be a huge Kimi fan but his attitude the last season in F1 disgusted me and Massa beating him just says it all. That should have never happened to a guy with Kimi talent. I've heard all the conspiracy theories and excuses for him. I don't buy them. He was just lazy but he seemed to regain some of his old form in the last part of 2009. I hope he will return as the Kimi I loved at McLaren.

[P3bWjm1j]

New wardrobe...still looks like a doos!

Oh come on now, not as bad or a bigger doos than this guy!

[capeAngedlelp]

In the way that there was a good seat being taken by an unenthusiastic driver. And that I was happy to not have to hear his dull voice at press conferences. I used to be a huge Kimi fan but his attitude the last season in F1 disgusted me and Massa beating him just says it all. That should have never happened to a guy with Kimi talent. I've heard all the conspiracy theories and excuses for him. I don't buy them. He was just lazy but he seemed to regain some of his old form in the last part of 2009. I hope he will return as the Kimi I loved at McLaren.

To be honest I don't buy any of the reasons you have given and think they are judgements based on tabloid and forum hearsay. None of us know what its like to drive for a team where the emotional focus is on the other driver with the expectation to perform knowing you are being pushed out at the end of the year. I'm pretty sure he would love to not give interviews too and spare you the time. I think we'll agree to disagree on this one!

[Crundaangerge]

Great news . But I do have to agree that he came across as 'not even bovvvered' in his last season in F1.

[endulundaSauh]

Great news . But I do have to agree that he came across as 'not even bovvvered' in his last season in F1.

Didn't he always? Nobody knows if that was really the case but what I do know is that Finnish has what you call a "flat" intonation and that comes across quite strongly in the way Kimi speaks English. Couple that with a closed personality not uncommon to a Finnish male and the guy may appear dull and uninterested from a foreigner's perspective even if he isn't.

[Baromaro]

No I don't think it's just his accent. He seemed a lot more motivated in previous years.

[GuitarLoverBe]

No I don't think it's just his accent. He seemed a lot more motivated in previous years.

I don't think he ever sounded or looked motivated or even showed a lot of over-the-top celebration after winning important races throughout his career, whether it be his first ever victory, his amazing last-lap victory at Suzuka 2005 or his first ever victory for Ferrari or even his championship winning race in Brazil 2007.






Kimi has always been low key and did his job on the race track, that was to drive really fast when motivated, not beat his chest or show his finger to the camera or slather the camera with a wet kiss. He has a lot of fans who like him for that.

[kubekniekubek]

[QUOTE=CaptainRaiden;989082]Oh come on now, not as bad or a bigger doos than this guy![QUOTE]

7 WDC and 91 wins doesn't equate to a successful wardrobe either then

[temansertewek]

In the way that there was a good seat being taken by an unenthusiastic driver. And that I was happy to not have to hear his dull voice at press conferences. I used to be a huge Kimi fan but his attitude the last season in F1 disgusted me and Massa beating him just says it all. That should have never happened to a guy with Kimi talent. I've heard all the conspiracy theories and excuses for him. I don't buy them. He was just lazy but he seemed to regain some of his old form in the last part of 2009. I hope he will return as the Kimi I loved at McLaren.

He lost his Mojo, I agree, but I think he was understandable unenthusiastic. Lets hope that he's found it again.