Kimi Raikkonen can add a second title to his tally in 2012. That is the claim of the 2007 world champion's countryman Mika Salo, who now commentates on Finnish television MTV3.
In the fourth race of Raikkonen's return to F1 from rallying, the 32-year-old last weekend challenged Sebastian Vettel for victory in Bahrain, finishing second for Lotus. Five years after his title with Ferrari, he is 19 points from the head of the 2012 drivers' championship.
"The most consistent team has been Lotus," former grand prix driver Salo said. "They've been fast at every circuit so far. In that sense, Kimi's situation looks very good. I would not exclude it at all that he will be fighting at the very end of the championship, if Lotus is able to maintain the pace of development."
It is on Salo's final point that Lotus' 2012 season will really be made. "They (as Renault) also began the previous season just as well, but soon after they were nowhere," observed the Swiss commentator Marc Surer, speaking on Austrian television Servus TV. "So the real question is 'Do they have the resources to develop the car and stay where they are now?'"
Even if Lotus' challenge fades, the future for Raikkonen - who has surprised some experts with his re-adaptation to F1 after two years of rallying - is bright, Surer insisted. "I think he has shown everyone that he is still able to do just what he was doing before (leaving F1)," he said. "He is a lot younger than Schumacher, and if you look at the past ten years, he is probably one of the best talents that we have seen in F1."
Surer said he could therefore imagine Raikkonen leaving Lotus and returning to a 'top' team, but he wouldn't know which one to recommend. "Everything is so balanced this year that it's impossible to pick a car that he could win the championship in." (GMM)
Salo and Surer impressed by Lotus and Raikkonen
- Published on 25 Apr 2012 10:48
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- By: Rob Veenstra
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Jan 26
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M. Verstappen
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L. Hamilton
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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Feb 11
L. Norris
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Feb 12
C. Leclerc
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Feb 13
A. Antonelli
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Bahrain International Circuit - Winter testing
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G. Russell
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A. Antonelli
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Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix
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Spain
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Bahrain
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Bahrain
Formula 1 Calendar - 2026
Date
Grand Prix & Circuit
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Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
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Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
6 - Mar 8
Australia
Albert Park
13 - Mar 15
27 - Mar 29
Japan
Circuit Suzuka
10 - Apr 12
Bahrain
Bahrain International Circuit
17 - Apr 19
Saudi Arabia
Jeddah Street Circuit
1 - May 3
United States of America
Miami International Autodrome
22 - May 24
Canada
Gilles Villeneuve
5 - Jun 7
Monaco
Monte Carlo
12 - Jun 14
Spain
Circuit de Catalunya
26 - Jun 28
Austria
Red Bull Ring
3 - Jul 5
United Kingdom
Silverstone
17 - Jul 19
Belgium
Spa-Francorchamps
24 - Jul 26
Hungary
Hungaroring
21 - Aug 23
Netherlands
Circuit Zandvoort
Driver profile
- Team Aston Martin
- Points 1,480
- Podiums 56
- Grand Prix 161
- Country DE
- Date of b. Jul 3 1987 (39)
- Place of b. Heppenheim, DE
- Weight 62 kg
- Length 1.75 m
- 281,401 comments on Aston Martin
57 members have this team as their favourite
Tweets about Sebastian Vettel
Team profile
- Team name Lotus F1
- Base Enstone, United Kingdom
- Daniel Ricciardo 3
- Kimi Räikkönen 7
- Romain Grosjean 8
- Kimi Räikkönen 9
- Romain Grosjean 10
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Pastor Maldonado 13
- Kevin Magnussen 20
- Nico Hülkenberg 27
- Jolyon Palmer 30
- Esteban Ocon 31
- Carlos Sainz jr 55
- 65,124 comments on Lotus F1
- 17 members have this team as their favourite
- Tweets about Lotus F1
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