Raikkonen ready for Formula 1 return
January 25, 2012 12:31:03 UK
Raikkonen finished sixth in the standings in 2009, his last season in Formula 1.Kimi Raikkonen is preparing for his first Formula 1 campaign in two years and the Finn is confident he can impress following his pre-season preparations.
The 2007 world champion left Formula 1 for the World Rally Championship in 2009 but is set to partner 25-year-old Frenchman Romain Grosjean at Lotus in the coming campaign.
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The fact Raikkonen has been out of Formula 1 for two-years convinced Lotus to hand him some time on the track ahead of the first pre-season test in Jerez in two weeks. The 32-year-old completed 171 laps over a two-day period in a two-year-old car, on Pirelli demonstration tyres, at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit in Valencia, Spain, and Raikkonen insists he is all set for his return to Formula 1.
"Overall the two days have been helped me a lot," said Raikkonen.
"Even though I was using a two year-old car and the demonstration tyres, I learnt about working with the team and engineers which means I can focus on the new car once we get to Jerez for the first official test.
"It was great to be driving an F1 car again, and from that respect I feel very positive."
Raikkonen can be backed at 8.00 to land the Drivers' Championship, reigning champion Sebastian Vettel is priced at 3.75 to defend his crown.
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