The new year has begun - and I'm sure Kimi Räikkönen who is coming back to F1-circles feels his withdrawal symptoms get less and the challenges piling up in the familiar Grand Prix -stars' style.
Lotus-Renault's team manager Eric Boullier summarized last season's downhill telling that the biggest reason was top driver Robert Kubica's injury in a rally accident in the middle of winter testing.
They saw in Renault how big the impact of a leading driver like Kubica was when the team lacked a mentally top tough doer like him who was irreplacable with his commitment. They badly needed Kubica's experience and attitude in R31-car's development work.
It's not difficult to make the conclusion that last season's experiences had a substantial influence when the team owner Gerard Lopez and team manager Boullier sealed so quickly the deal with Räikkönen.
Räikkönen's negotiations with Williams toppled and the Finn turned to Renault before the GP-weekend in Abu Dhabi. The contract was published three weeks later.
– Kimi is a world champion and they expect him to take the team forward with his own input and by the challenge of young Romain Grosjean, Steve Robertson said.
The ability to strike was maintained during season 2010
In 2010 season's second race in Australia Kubica came in 2nd and he was 3rd in Belgium and 5th in Abu Dhabi.
Last season Vitali Petrov and Nick Heidfeld snatched podium positions in the season's two first races but after that came a steep fall and for the rest of the season Renault was then racing with Lotus who had no points.
If the design department in Enstone factory led by manager James Allison will once again bring a competitive car on the track, then it's on Räikkönen's shoulders to see that the development work goes more positively than it did last season. If the car is slow, then even Midas couldn't turn it's competitiveness into gold.
Räikkönen is ouzing enthusiasm for work. According to himself his motivations is higher than ever before.
– I am happy when an opportunity like this happened. Kimi really wanted to come back. When you are away for a while you notice how much you miss back. Kimi still has a lot to give to this sport, Robertson says.
Räikkönen's WDC is from year 2007. His latest victory is from Belgium in 2009. Next season they will have three tracks - Korea, India and Austin - where Kimi has never drove. Mostly he needs to get used to Pirelli's tyres which are completely different from those Michelins and Bridgestones he knows most about.
Turun Sanomat
HEIKKI KULTA
Courtesy: Nicole
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