Kimi Raikkonen considered returning to F1 retirement after his disastrous 2014 season, according to a Spanish sports daily. In Bahrain, the Finn bounced back from a slump by running reigning world champion and championship leader Lewis Hamilton close for victory.
It came after an horror 2014 for Raikkonen, who was thrashed by his now-departed former Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso. "He wants to stay at Ferrari, 100 per cent," a source close to the 2007 world champion is now quoted as saying by the Spanish daily Marca.
Marca claims after Bahrain that Raikkonen, 35, "seriously considered" returning to retirement at the end of last season. "He could not get the car how he wanted and was very frustrated," the source added.
But that has all changed in 2015, as Raikkonen is happy with the James Allison-penned SF15-T and the better atmosphere under new boss Maurizio Arrivabene. "He is a different person now," the source said, "happy and excited."
After his first Ferrari tenure ended in 2009, Raikkonen spent two years in rallying and Nascar. "The only problem I have," said Raikkonen in Bahrain, "is that Seb is faster in qualifying, but that changes in the race." Italy's La Gazzetta dello Sport said after Bahrain: "Raikkonen, dreaming of a new Ferrari contract, finally wakes up." (GMM)
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