David Coulthard: “I expect a great return from Kimi to Formula 1”

David Coulthard is convinced that his former McLaren teammate Kimi Raikkonen will be able to make a great return to Formula 1 with the Lotus Renault team in 2012.

Team Renault – which will become Lotus next year – announced this week that it had signed world champion Raikkonen, who has spent the last two seasons focusing on the World Rally Championship.

Coulthard, who drove together with Raikkonen at McLaren from 2002 to 2004, is convinced that the Finnish driver has matured a lot in these two years and this will be extremely useful to him.

“I think it's more worldly now,” Coulthard told reporters at the Race of Champions.

“Kimi stopped his career too early, there's no doubt about that,” Coulthard said. “He left F1 also because he enjoyed rallying.”

“I did an event with him earlier this year at the Red Bull Ring and he was there jumping on everything – Whether it was dirt bikes or cars that were there, he just has a great desire to go to the limit and so I'm sure it will be like this in Formula 1 too."

Jenson Button commented Raikkonen's decision to return as a surprise.

“I was surprised by his decision and by Renault's announcement, I thought he had a chance with Williams,” said Button.

“I think it's a good thing for the sport. As a driver, he is very, very competitive. If he really wants to race, he knows he can be fast.”

“It's good to have him back and the races will be more fun and, of course, the nights after the races will be more fun too.”