In 2012, the talk of the Formula One community was the ‘Jenson button’ and ironically on the steering wheel for Kimi Raikkonen, there is a button marked with the words “JENSON” and it is right next to the “ICE CREAM” one.
We all know that the Finn loves ice-cream and has a sense of humor, even though he is known as the Iceman!
One of the projects by the Lotus F1 engineers was to create new office environments for their two drivers. The office is of course their cockpits. Romain Grosjean’s has his own stylish look but the one drawing the most attention is the one belonging to the past world champion who magically raced his car to third in the 2012 title fight.

Kimi Raikkonen is one of a kind to say the least. While many consider him moody and rarely smiles, it is obviously that the Lotus team knows their driver very well. Just view the up close image of his steering wheel to note that the E21 designers and engineers understand the Iceman.
Years ago, I had the privilege of being part of a photo shoot of the “never smile Kimi” and we all had a blast, including his brother. Raikkonen would do his standard pose with the straight face and as soon as the photographer was apparently finished, he would break into a big grin. One of the world’s best photographers realized that right away. He got the smile photos also.
At the end of the teaser video that Lotus F1 sent out before the unveiling of the new Lotus 2013 car powered by Renault, Raikkonen broke into one of his rare smiles at the end. Of course the video (see below) also was a take-off on his now famous “Leave me alone ...” comment.
There are a number of high-tech gadgets on both Grosjean’s and Raikkonen’s steering wheels. And yes there is a special “smile” one for the Iceman. We are sure Grosjean does not need to be reminded to smile, but perhaps he needs to “Deploy Angry Bird”.
Only button missing is the famous second part of his comment during the Abu Dhabi race which he won: “… I know what I'm doing.”

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Lotus team boss Eric Boullier echoed everyone around him at the team's 2013 launch on Monday by claiming that that winning was the only goal for the new season, but added that its strong driver was a key factor in that ambition.

While retaining Kimi Raikkonen was something of a no-brainer for the Enstone squad after his strong return to the top flight netted a win amongst seven podium finish, there was more deliberation over whether Romain Grosjean deserved a place in the line-up after a mercurial campaign that deliver blinding speed and a combination of good finishes and first lap accidents.

In the end, the Frenchman was confirmed alongside Raikkonen for a second term, and Boullier insists that his inclusion will only help serve the team well.

“We know that both drivers work well together and their skills and talents complement each other,” he reasoned, “Kimi has such a wide range of experience and knows how to react to any situation or circumstance. He's also a superb resource technically, [while] Romain has superb raw speed which we are confident will be harnessed in a more effective manner during races in 2013.

“Both are competitive individuals - as racing drivers are - and this pushes each one of them, and the team, to better things. It was clear how much we benefitted from having two very talented drivers in 2012 and I can only see this getting even better in 2013.”

'Getting better in 2013', of course, means improving on the positions occupied at the end of 2012, where Raikkonen finished third in the individual standings behind Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso, and Lotus filled fourth spot in the teams' ranking.

“We want to do better than we did last year,” Boullier agreed, “2012 was a good season for us - certainly in the context of the previous season - but we, like every team in this highly competitive sport, want to win. We want to make regular appearances on the podium, and add to our tally of appearances on the top step.”

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Lotus have set their sights on a top-three finish in this year’s Formula One world championship after becoming the first team to unveil their car for the forthcoming campaign.

Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen and team bosses gathered at their headquarters in Enstone, Oxfordshire on Monday to reveal a car they believe is capable of making a significant impact on the track this year.

With few significant changes to the regulations for 2013, the E21 bears what technical director James Allison described as a “family resemblance” to last year’s model but with some key improvements.


steering wheel of the Lotus car for this season’s F1 races. — AFP
Last year Raikkonen finished third in the drivers’ championship, with Lotus finishing fourth in the constructors as they amassed over 300 points, just 75 adrift of third-placed McLaren.

With Red Bull and Ferrari also ahead of them in the pecking order, it appears a tall order for Lotus to overhaul such rivals in the constructors’ chart.

But chairman Gerard Lopez and team principal Eric Boullier are confident they can show last season was no flash in the pan.

“Third place is at least an achievement we would like to have this year,” Boullier said.

“We obviously expect to pick up the momentum from 2012. There is some stability in the regulations, with both drivers more eager than ever. We will fight with everything we can to be in the top three.”

It was an impressive campaign for Lotus last year as Raikkonen, returning to F1 after two years away, finished in the points in 19 of the 20 races.

The Finn scored the team’s first win since 2008, when they were formerly known as Renault, by taking the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi in November.

Raikkonen concedes it will be tough to repeat that feat, but he is determined to do everything possible to make it happen.

“It’s not going to be easy to improve on what we did last year,” he said.

“But that’s the aim, to do better, and hopefully we can do it. We put our trust in the people who made last year’s car and who have made this one.

“We try to improve in all areas. If you can qualify further up the grid, then it gives you a better chance to win races and makes your life a lot easier on race days.

“It’s the whole package they’ve tried to make faster, and hopefully we’ve managed to do it.” — AFP

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Kimi Raikkonen is hopeful McLaren will be severely weakened by Lewis Hamilton’s departure as Lotus target a top-three finish in this year’s Formula One world cham-pionship.
Hamilton’s decision to quit McLaren after 14 years with the team – the final six of those in F1 – and join Mercedes continues to be a main talking point four months on after the announcement was made.
For Lotus, an impressive fourth in the constructors’ title race last year, just 75 points behind third-placed McLaren, Hamilton’s exit could see them push the top two in Red Bull and Ferrari.
Lotus F1 chairman Gerard Lopez said on Monday, upon the unveiling of his team’s new car: “Our expectations are to hopefully do better than we did last year, which is quite a lofty expectation. But it’s what we are shooting for.”
Whether Hamilton’s replacement in Sergio Perez can amass the number of points the Briton regularly achieved is open to debate.
Asked whether McLaren are now less formidable without Hamilton, 2007 world champion Raikkonen said: “Hopefully, yes.
“We will wait and see in testing, and then go from there. It will be interesting to see what happens.”
On his return to F1 last season after two years away, Raikkonen was a class act, finishing in the points in 19 of the 20 races en route to claiming third in the drivers’ championship behind Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso.
Significantly, the Finn scored the team’s first win since 2008, when they were known as Renault, by taking the chequered flag in Abu Dhabi in November.
Given such success, Raikkonen admits there is obvious cause for early optimism for the E21, although he added: “It’s not going to be easy to improve on what we did last year.
“But that’s the aim, to do better, and hopefully we can do it. If you can qualify further up the grid, then it gives you a better chance to win races and makes your life a lot easier on race days.
“It’s the whole package they’ve tried to make faster, and hopefully we’ve managed to do it.”
With few alterations to the regulations, momentum could be everything going into the new F1 season that starts in Melbourne, Australia, on March 17.
Technical director James Allison concedes this year’s car bears a “family resemblance” to last season’s model, but insists he and his team of designers and engineers have not stood still.
“I can assure you we have done a lot. The whole team has worked heart and soul on this thing for a long time,” said Allison.
“The rules for this year are very similar to those for last year, but as ever in F1 the devil is in the detail.
“In this car that adds up to a significant amount of performance, so we’ve a mixture – some neat new ideas, and a pushing of the same sort of concepts as we’ve been working on for a few years.”

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Lotus E21 Picture
The Lotus F1 Team showed off the Lotus E21 in an Internet launch. | January 30, 2013 | Lotus
3 Photos

Just the Facts:
The Lotus F1 Team unveiled its new Formula 1 car on Monday via an online broadcast.
The Lotus E21, powered by Renault, is expected to be a contender for victories this year.
Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean return as drivers for the team.


Lotus F1 Team is the first Formula 1 outfit to show its new car, using the Internet to broadcast its launch of the Lotus E21 on Monday. Live public ceremonies will introduce the new cars of McLaren on Thursday and Ferrari on Friday. The new Ferrari machine will be labeled F138.



The Lotus E21 retains power from a Renault V8 engine, but the team dropped the engine maker's name from its title after competing as Lotus Renault GP in 2011.

The team has a unique and complicated heritage. It carries the name, but no genealogical relationship, to the iconic Lotus brand established by the late Colin Chapman in the late 1950s.

In actuality, it owes its origins to Toleman Motorsport, founded in 1981 by Ted Toleman. That team gave the great Ayrton Senna his GP debut ride in 1984.

The team was purchased in 1985 by the Benetton clothing family. Under the name Benetton Formula and directed by the flamboyant Flavio Briatore, the team won two world championships. They were the first two of seven won by F1's most successful driver of all time, Michael Schumacher, in 1994 with Ford power and again in '95 with Renault engines.

In 2000, it became the property of Renault and became the works team of the French car manufacturer. Two more world championships were captured by the team, both by Fernando Alonso.

In 2011, there were two teams with the name Lotus competing in F1. A legal wrangle resulted in the requirement that the other team, Lotus Racing, drop the name. That team is now Caterham.

Like its predecessor E20, the new car carries the black and gold primary colors that Chapman's cars had in the 1970s when Mario Andretti won the sixth driving championship title for the team in 1978. That was the seventh constructor title for the original Lotus outfit. There is a splash of red on this year's car.

Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean return as drivers for Lotus. Raikkonen, the 2007 champion for Ferrari, won the team's only victory last year at Abu Dhabi. That was the first win for the team since Alonso scored for Renault in 2008.

Edmunds says: As is anticipated with most of the 2013 machinery, to the casual observer there are only incremental differences compared to last year's machine. Lotus climbed to the winning level last year and can be expected to challenge for more victories in 2013.

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The launch was streamed live from the team’s Enstone base via their YouTube channel on Monday night to fans across the globe.

The E21 was the first car to be unveiled, with McLaren set to launch their car for 2013 in the coming days followed by Ferrari and Force India.

Lotus will be hoping to build on their impressive year in 2012 which saw Kimi Raikkonen claim victory in Abu Dhabi last November.

With only limited changes to last years technical and sporting regulations, the E21 is very similar to its predecessor, the E20.

The livery also remains similar with just an extra touch of red being incorporated into the legendary colour scheme.

To continue with the theme, the drivers line-up is exactly the same as 2012 with former F1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen partnering Romain Grosjean.

The Finn is hopeful that Lotus can continue their fantastic 2012 form into the new season and that more Grand Prix wins are on the way.

“Last year was my return to Formula 1 and it went pretty well.” Raikkonen told the official Lotus F1 Team website.

“This year will be my second with Lotus F1 Team and my eleventh season overall in Formula 1 so I’ve got a pretty good idea of what to expect.

“For me, I will continue to do the best I can; let’s see how good our car is, and how good the cars of the opposition are too.”

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Lotus driver Kimi Raikkonen has dismissed speculation that he plans to use his time at the Enstone team as a means to get a deal with one of the more renowned outfits.

"I'm not really thinking beyond this season at the moment, but I'm sure there will be talk before the end of the year," he commented when asked if he would be happy to attract the interest of another team.

Speaking at the unveiling of the E21 earlier this week, the Finn confirmed that he was looking forward to spending another year at the team and hoped that the continuity within the Lotus set-up would play a role in him as well as team moving up the order.

"It's not a massive thing which will suddenly mean you start winning all the races, but it's nice to be at the same team as you understand how they work, and they understand how you work. We quickly developed a pretty good way of working together last year and there's no reason to think that won't continue this season," he said.

"It helps," he said of being part of an unchanged line-up for the new season.

"I enjoyed my comeback to F1 last year and there's no reason to say I shouldn't enjoy the 2013 season too," the 2007 World Champion added.

"I know there will be big changes to the cars and regulations for 2014, so who's to say that won't be exciting?"

While his win at Yas Marina was Lotus' only of the season, between himself and team-mate Romain Grosjean claimed 10 podiums and the Finn has no problems racing alongside the erratic Frenchman again.

"We had a pretty good relationship last year and it's clear he's fast and motivated," the former Ferrari, McLaren and Sauber driver said of the clumsy Grosjean.

On track, we were pretty close to each other at times, but we didn't have any issues. It's good when you have a team-mate who's fast and works hard. I think we should be fine in 2013."

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Whether it is their forgiving nature or a case of gross misjudgement I don’t know, but Lotus have astonishingly handed their controversial driver Romain Grosjean another chance.

The Franco-Swiss misfit infamously involved in, and the cause of, a spate of scary race incidents last season, will be retained alongside Kimi Raikkonen in their line-up for the 2013 campaign.

And I would wager the decision will have puzzled those endangered by him when he goes to work on the track as much as it has me.
One victim was Mark Webber, whose Red Bull was carelessly rammed in the rear by Grosjean and dumped out of the race on the opening lap in Japan. “A nutcase,” was the Australian veteran’s scathing verdict. “A first-lap nutcase.”

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Romain Grosjean has insisted he will be going all out to prove Lotus right in giving him a new deal for the 2013 Formula One campaign.
The Swiss driver's future was in the balance in the post season, after his 2012 campaign was littered with high-profile crashes including a dramatic multi-car incident at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Grosjean looked set to lose his seat alongside Kimi Raikkonen but following talks with owners Genii Capital, the 26-year-old was given a second chance.

With the Australian Grand Prix taking place on March 17, Grosjean is looking forward to the start of the season and making the most of his opportunity.

He said to Sky Sports News: "(It was) not an easy end of the season but I think I've learnt how to put everything together for this year. We know that there won't be any more chances so I'll have to deliver what the team want.

"It's not a secret that I started work with a psychologist in September last year and it went very well during the winter. I had a lot of discussion with Genii (Capital), the owner, to try to help them understand and take the right decision. And when they called me to say, 'Okay we go again for one more year' I was more than happy."

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Lotus F1 is the first team to take the wraps off its 2013 Formula 1 season challenger. The E21 was unveiled in an online launch ceremony broadcast from the team's UK factory. Lotus wants to build on their success from last season aiming for regular podiums and wins and cement its position among the top F1 teams. Last season was quite productive for the Lotus team with Kimi Raikkonen's win in Abu Dhabi and numerous podiums, ending the season ahead of Mercedes AMG F1 team in fourth place.

The driver line-up remains unchanged with Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean at the helm, joining them is the reigning GP2 series champion Davide Valsecchi as the third driver and Nicolas Prost as development driver. Jerome d'Ambrosio continues as reserve driver.

Since the rules for the new season are very similar to that of last season, the overall design design of the E21 remains the same as the E20 with major changes being to the exhaust system. Teams this year have an option to cover up the not so pretty steps in the nose of the car, Lotus have however opted not to use the panel and have come up with a better looking nose than before.

During the launch, Lotus team principal Eric Boullier said that their target was to be third in the championship this year. If Kimi obliges, that's an easy task.

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James Allison reckons Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean will be Lotus' "trump card" this season.

Lotus were the first team to launch their 2013 challenger when they took the covers off the E21 on Monday.

However, it's not the car that technical director Allison believes will give Lotus the edge over their rivals. Rather, he reckons, it will be the team's two drivers.

"By far and away the biggest trump card we have to play this year is that we have got two drivers who start the year [in strong shape]," Allison told Autosport.

"One of them [Raikkonen] had a brilliant season last year and really got up to speed quite swiftly and no-one would deny that in the last half of the year his driving was absolutely top drawer stuff.

"Obviously, Romain had a few well-publicised moments and I think they will be useful lessons learned for him so he will have a much more productive year.

"We're going to start with two drivers that are properly competitive and are going to put a lot of points down the oppositions' throats."

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The Lotus Renault F1 team became the first team to reveal their 2013 challenger, the E21 on January 28th . The team launched their car to a live audience via YouTube and on Sky Sports as well.

The new car looks pretty similar to the 2012 car in various aspects. For one, the team has not opted to go for the optional “vanity panel” on the nose and hence, the platypus nose is seen on the E21 as well. The team has also gone for a secretive approach, with bland front and rear wings. We should be seeing the launch spec wings when the car debuts for testing in Jerez.

Lotus drivers Kimi Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean unveiled the car to viewers and both drivers exuded optimism. Kimi in particular stated that the car had what it takes to be a world championship contender. This should come as no surprise as the E20 was one of the fastest cars on the grid with excellent race pace. It was strong on almost all tracks and its major strength was to look after it’s tyres during the race. This ability to look after the tyres better than other cars will play a crucial factor this year as well with Pirelli intending to provide tyre compounds to “spice up” the racing.

Technical director James Allison was also positive about the E21′s capabilities:

Depending on where you look, some parts of the new car are a ground-up redesign and in other areas we have further optimized the best bits of the design philosophy we’ve adopted for several seasons. The front and rear suspension layouts are substantially revised to try and give us better aerodynamic opportunities.
He was less candid about the changes that were done on the car:

We’ve done a lot. There is a lot gone into it and it is going to be an exciting car. The rules for 2013 are very, very similar to 2012 so you can expect a lot of family resemblance from the 2012 car, but the devil is in the detail and it adds up to a significant amount of performance

How big is that jump in performance going to be?  Lotus have not revealed all their cards and it’s too early to predict how fast they are going to be.

This week, there are other launches to look forward too as well. Mclaren are launching their car on Thursday, followed by both Force India and Ferrari on Friday. Sauber and Red Bull will launch their cars on Saturday and Sunday respectively, while Mercedes and Toro Rosso will unveil their 2013 challengers on Monday.

The F1 circus is starting to come alive for the 2013 season and its only a matter of time before we are in the thick of the action. More to come!

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Remember Mark Arnall? He was Kimi Raikkonen’s trainer on the World Rally Championship for two years from 2010-2011, responsible for keeping the Iceman fed, watered, happy and in tip-top shape

It wasn’t always an easy job as Raikkonen is a demanding taskmaster. Plus, Mark knew very little about rallying before Raikkonen made the jump, although he’s been in Formula One since the days of Mika Hakkinen.

After Hakkinen retired, Mark swapped one Iceman for another. And last year, Mark returned with Raikkonen to Formula One, helping him to achieve the fitness and frame of mind that instantly took him to third in the championship last year.

This season, Raikkonen is aiming to go even better. And Mark will still be alongside him – except with not so many early starts and roaming around the countryside as his rally days. But he’s certainly not ruling out coming back if Raikkonen wants another go…

Because it doesn’t matter what Raikkonen drives. The more Mark has got to know his world champion boss, the more he realises that he can drive anything. He’s watched him drive Formula One cars, rally cars, NASCARs, Le Mans cars, snowmobiles, powerboats…the lot basically.

“He can adapt exceptionally quickly to whatever he is driving or riding and has a phenomenal feel for what's going on underneath him,” points out Mark. “You saw that in rallying and you can see it when he drives on a new circuit for the first time and picks it up quicker than team mates who have spent hours on a simulator. Or when he comes back to Formula One after two years away from the sport and performs the way he just has done in 2012.”

Those two seasons in rallying clearly kept the Iceman sharp: and he’s keen to be back at some point, as soon as his Formula One contract allows (he asked to do Finland last year, they said no). Expect Mark to be right behind him.

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 Kimi Raikkonen couldn't have hoped for a better return to Formula One after a three-year hiatus. Finishing third behind Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso was the best result the former champion could have hoped for in 2012.

The 2007 world champion will now hope to go one better with his performance in 2013 as he prepares for a second season with Lotus.

Excerpts from an interview...

What are your thoughts heading into your second season with Lotus F1 Team?

I'm feeling pretty good. Last year was my return to Formula 1 and it went pretty well. This year will be my second with Lotus and my 11th season overall in F1 so I've got a pretty good idea of what to expect. I'm sure it will be an exciting season and I'm sure there'll be lots to talk about. For me, I will continue to do the best I can. Let's see how good our car is, and how good the cars of the opposition are too.

Is the continuity with the team beneficial to you?

It helps. It's not a massive thing which will suddenly mean you start winning all the races, but it's nice to be at the same team as you understand how they work, and they understand how you work. We quickly developed a pretty good way of working together last year and there's no reason to think that won't continue this season.

Are you still learning as a driver?

I don't think you ever stop learning, but there is less to learn than if you're a rookie. I don't think I could say I'm a rookie. We had new tracks last year, that's always something nice to learn and for me best learnt on the tracks themselves. There will be a new car which we'll want to develop and get working at its best. There are always changes in the sport -- some small, some big. Generally everything's pretty similar, and the feeling of racing on track is pretty familiar.

This is the second year of a two-year deal, are you thinking of 2014 and beyond?

I'm not really thinking beyond this season at the moment, but I'm sure there will be talk before the end of the year. I enjoyed my comeback to F1 last year and there's no reason to say I shouldn't enjoy the 2013 season too. I know there will be big changes to the cars and regulations for 2014, so who's to say that won't be exciting.

Have you set yourself targets for this season?

To do the best job I can. I've not driven the E21 yet so it's difficult to say what could or could not be possible. We know we had a good car last season, but everyone is working hard to make the best car. I will be working with the team to help get the car as strong as we can, then in Melbourne we'll have our first taste of results. It's a long season from there. 2012 was a good start, let's see what we can do in 2013.

Do you think the team has what it takes to win a championship?

Yes, I think they do. It's clear from working with them that they are racers, and you can see in their history that they've won championships. Nothing I saw last year made me think that another championship was impossible in the future. Of course, there is some pretty tough competition out there and everyone wants to win. The team have beaten everyone before and there's nothing to say they can't do it again.

Do you think you proved a point in 2012?

Maybe for other people, but not for myself. I knew I could still perform well in F1 given the right opportunity; it was only other people who had doubts.

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Iceman – the nickname given to Kimi Räikkönen by Ron Dennis at the beginning of the 2002 season – suits the 2007 Formula 1 World Champion perfectly.

The Finnish star is most likely the coolest guy in Formula 1… ever. There is nothing that really makes him upset, angry or happy for more than for fifteen minutes or so. Kimi is quick to put everything behind him. The cool nature is innate.

Kimi’s mother Paula remembers him only once being very nervous and losing his cool outlook. He was six years old at the time.

Paula took her son for a regular check-up with their doctor and Kimi had to wait in the corner with toys to keep him occupied as mother and doctor talked. There were many toys, but suddenly Kimi became agitated, biting his finger nails and acting very nervously.

“The doctor started to think that Kimi perhaps had a concentration problem,” Paula explains, “but it was only a question of the toys!

“In those days Kimi was interested in jigsaw puzzles and felt that the jigsaw puzzle available in the surgery was too easy. He saw the puzzle for older children – for 10-15 years old – but could not reach it. The doctor’s assistant refused to give it to him and told him it was meant for older children, not for him.

“Finally Kimi got the more difficult jigsaw puzzle, put the pieces in place and smiled. The doctor was laughing; convinced now that this kid did not have any kind of problem with concentration,” Paula says with the pride of a parent in her voice.

Kimi learnt to drive around that age and – as with putting the pieces together in a jigsaw puzzle – so he started to become the master of putting pieces right in his racing, without losing his concentration in any circumstances.

Paula confirms that Kimi’s willpower has always been tremendously strong.

“He is always going his own way. Whatever you do, you cannot change his mind if he has decided something. As a small kid, if I wanted him to help me in some household chores – let’s say like taking a trash can out – if I saw he didn’t want to do it, it had to ask in an opposite way. I’d say to him: “Don’t you take the trash can out; I will do it myself.” Usually that way Kimi did it,” his mother recalls.

So when did his parents find out that their younger son had the talent to become a world-class motorsport star?

“The closest people – like parents – never see those kind of things themselves,” says Paula. “I think we noticed some promising signs for the first time when Kimi was about ten years old and started in the junior classes of go-karts in Finland. It’s was a father of one the competitors – who had a lot of experience as a mechanic for his own son – who started to ask; “who’s that boy in car number 104?” [which was Kimi].

He said that with that attitude and that speed he would go far; and he was right,” Paula smiles.

His mother also knows the strengths of her son.

“An absurd will to win every time and a never give-up attitude; that’s Kimi. From the time he started racing, he kept turning the steering wheel as long as the wheels kept rolling. I think it is that Finnish-style of tenacious fighting spirit we call ‘sisu’ in him.”

How surprised was Paula when Kimi decided to make a comeback to Formula 1?

“To be honest, I was amazed. Kimi never talks about his work with me if I don’t ask first, but I heard some rumours of his negotiations with Williams and I asked him about that. He answered that he would go to Lotus, because it was a better option for him.

“It was a surprise. His friends had been saying to me that Kimi was so tired and finished with Formula 1 and then suddenly he went back. I think it was very good for him to have his break as he seems to really be enjoying racing again,” she emphasizes.

The closest people – relatives and friends – know a totally different Kimi Räikkönen compared to the one race fans see. He is far from lacking emotion, far from being blunt and tough. Quite to the contrary, he likes to help, he likes to be around, he likes to take care of his family.

Kimi’s brother Rami has two sons, Justus and Tiitus. Kimi is a godparent of the elder, Justus, and continually brings presents for both of them.

“The boys are in a way like I was with Kimi; competing with each other in every possible way. Kimi likes to keep them well equipped with all kind of racing stuff for kids. This Christmas he bought them tablets; or should I say Santa Claus brought tablets for them,” Rami reveals.

But how close are the ever-competing Rami and Kimi nowadays?

“Kimi is my brother. I think it’s a very normal brother-to-brother relationship. We talk almost every week, we play ice hockey and do some other sports together. We both have our own work and that takes time; especially Kimi works and travels a lot.”

Toni Vilander has been very close friend of Kimi since they started to race together as 10-year-olds and were also in the army together.

Toni won the 2012 FIA World Endurance Championship for Ferrari in the GTE class and is a very experienced GT racer.

“As we race in different places we have not been seeing each other very often, but I think the friendship is forever,” he says.

Toni is a father himself and Kimi is also the godparent of his son Luukas.

Was it any kind of a surprise to Toni to see his friend having such a consistent season after two years’ absence?

“I was more surprised about Kimi making a comeback than how he performed during the season,” says Toni. “When he stopped, he was so fed up with Formula 1 and kept saying “never again”. I think it’s a good thing to have some distance away from everything and do something totally different, like rallying. That’s how your way of thinking changes and your approach gets stronger and stronger.

“Kimi is Kimi. It doesn’t matter how different the cars, the tyres or the rules are, it takes only a couple of laps and he is straight away within a second of the top guys. That’s what he did at the beginning of the Lotus era, too.”

Kimi’s image as a laid back person was seen even more in his first season as a Lotus F1 Team driver. His physio, Mark Arnall, has been working with Kimi since 2001 and asserts that the laid back image gives a wrong impression of how hard the Finnish star trains.

“When Kimi races he is not laid back. He fights and keeps fighting as long as the car is moving. That’s how he works in training as well. Since we started, he has always been like that. He gives 110% every time, whatever the programme.”

Kimi even ensures that his trainer stays in top condition. “He gave me the latest heart rate monitor from the Finnish company Suunto for Christmas,” says Mark.

One long-time trusted friend has a big input into how Kimi looks on track. Uffe Tägtström – one of the leading helmet designers of the racing world – has been designing Kimi’s helmets since his karting days.

The driver is very much involved in the design process too, so how artistic is Kimi?

“Artistic? I would not say he is very artistic, but he knows, what he wants and he is very fashion-conscious. He is certainly of his generation,” Uffe says.

Kimi has always been a certain kind of a trend creator in design style. “Sometimes it has been that whatever Kimi brings to his helmet design, it doesn’t take that much time to see the same idea in some way on somebody else’s helmet, too.”

Kimi saves all his helmets and remembers the season just by having a look at the helmet design.

“Usually Kimi gives a hint of what should be on his helmet for the season ahead,” says Uffe. “I’ll then make five different versions of the idea with the computer and he picks what he likes the most.

“Last year he wanted to have his race number up there. He had the number previously during the McLaren times, but then it was at the back of the helmet. Now the number will change from 9 to 7, but there won’t be that much of change for 2013, just some new partners,” Uffe explains.

At the 2012 Monaco Grand Prix, Kimi showed his respect to a driver of the 1970s when he incorporated the James Hunt design and name on his helmet.

“The idea was there for many years, but with McLaren and Ferrari, there was no opportunity to use it. Last year it was perfect and the feedback was great too,” Uffe praises.

Let’s wait and see what Monaco brings along this time…

Source: Lotus F1 Team

“We had a pretty good relationship last year and it’s clear he’s fast and motivated. On track we were pretty close to each other at times but we didn’t have any issues. It’s good when you have a team-mate who’s fast and works hard. I think we should be fine in 2013.”

—	- Kimi Raikkonen about working with Romain Grosjean

“Artistic? I would not say he [Kimi Raikkonen] is very artistic, but he knows, what he wants and he is very fashion-conscious. He is certainly of his generation.”
— Uffe Tägtström

““As launched, the new Lotus E21 looks very similar to last year’s E20 but developments will start to emerge when it begins testing next month.
“I’m not surprised by step on the nose - it stops airflow spilling into the area between the front tyre and the chassis, which is sensitive and you want to avoid disrupting it.

“There are bigger downforce-producing turning vanes - curved bodywork - on the bottom of the brake ducts and more at the front of the sidepods, which are reminiscent of those raced by Red Bull and Sauber at the end of last year.

“There is also a hint of Red Bull about the rear bodywork treatment around the exhaust.

“Last year, Red Bull and Sauber had bodywork right back beyond the rear wheels. The exhaust gases stuck to that as the team guided them down to the gap between the floor and wheels to increase downforce. Ferrari and McLaren, by contrast, aimed the gases across a gap.

“Lotus have gone for the Red Bull/Sauber approach. It’s not possible to tell from the pictures so far whether they have also followed Red Bull in guiding them through a hole in the floor into the central section of the diffuser.””
— Gary Anderson - BBC F1

Can Lotus’s secret tech tweak put Kimi Raikkonen back on top? Find out in this week’s magazine, coming your way from Thursday - Autosport

“We did the test at Mugello. It’s not an easy track for young drivers. I was there only for the second day and that’s when I met Kimi for the first time. He never spoke and it was not possible to speak English with him; maybe two or three words. No more. But one or two things were very, very special. His body language was so impassive and he gave the impression he was so totally focused that if he walked towards you, he could walk through you. That’s only my personal feeling. I thought: ‘This guy is so strange.’”
— Peter Sauber on Kimi’s first F1 test in 2000.