Raikkonen: Aiming to take another step forward

29/10/2012

Having confirmed that he will remain with Lotus for 2013, Kimi Raikkonen admits that he is surprised to find himself third in the championship but aims for more next season.

"I think my return to Formula 1 has gone pretty well and the team has done a very good job all year so far," said the Finn who has visited the podium six times this season. "To be honest, I didn't expect to be fighting for the Drivers' Championship this season when you look at where the team was in 2011, so it has been great to be on the podium so many times and to score points on a regular basis.

"I feel very comfortable with Lotus and we share the same philosophy of racing," he added. "Continuing with the team was an obvious choice for me and I'm looking forward to making another step forward together next year."

"Kimi has made an exceptional comeback to Formula 1," added team boss Eric Boullier. "From the first time he sat in the car this year it was clear he had lost none of his pace or technical feedback and we have been rewarded by a focused and motivated driver all season. For Lotus F1 Team to be fighting for such strong championship positions this year is in no small part attributed to Kimi's talent and experience of racing. It was a natural conclusion for us to confirm that we will be harnessing his abilities for next season."