Kimi Raikkonen – Joins Renault F1 !

The 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen will be returning to F1 in 2012 with Lotus Renault, signing a two-year deal after three years away driving in the World Rally Championship. The deal means that there will be a record-breaking six world champions on the grid next year.

Raikkonen says he’s delighted to be back: “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,” the Finn said.

Chairman of Lotus Renault and it’s majority owner Genii Capital, Gerard Lopez, added: “All year long, we kept saying that our team was at the start of a brand new cycle. Backstage we’ve been working hard to build the foundations of a successful structure and to ensure that we would soon be able to fight at the highest level.

“Kimi’s decision to come back to Formula 1 with us is the first step of several announcements which should turn us into an even more serious contender in the future. Of course, we are all looking forward to working with a world champion. On behalf of our staff, I’d like to welcome Kimi to Enstone, a setting that has always been known for its human approach to Formula 1