Lotus Renault GP Signs 2007 F1 Champ Kimi Raikkonen

Photo Credit: Lotus Renault GP

Ahead of the final grand prix for the 2011 Formula 1 tour, talk filled that paddock area on the possible return of the 2007 Formula 1 Driver Champion to the series. Sitting out of Formula 1 for two seasons, Kimi Raikkonen was the subject of the most interesting rumours in the premier auto racing series. Just two days after the Brazilian Grand Prix closed out the 2011 Formula 1 season, the speculation of the Finland native Raikkonen concludes with the announcement that the 18-time grand prix winner will pilot a Lotus Renault GP race car in 2012.

A two-year deal to drive for the team that will be officially known as Lotus Renault GP on the 2012 Formula 1 starting grid, Kimi Raikkonen commented “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." Before this announcement, the strongest speculation had Raikkonen teaming with Williams F1. Through the 2010 off-season, Mercedes GP and the now-defunct Toyota Formula 1 team were also been linked to Kimi Raikkonen.

Debuting in Formula 1 in 2001, Kimi Raikkonen's entrance into the series was one of some controversy when the young Finnish driver was granted a Super License despite limited car racing experience. Driving for Sauber, Kimi Raikkonen scored a point in his first event and would go on to run successfully for McLaren and later Ferrari. It was Raikkonen's first year with Ferrari in 2007 that he won the World Driver's Championship by merely one point over the young rookie Lewis Hamilton. Raikkonen won 6 races in 2007 but would win just 3 grand prix in the following two seasons. As the Ferrari Formula 1 team had lost its competitive edge and with the arrival of Fernando Alonso to the team for 2010, Kimi Raikkonen left the Formula 1 world championship altogether.

Raikkonen racing activities for the past two years focused around running the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC). Winning a non-WRC event (the Rallye Vosgien 2010), a fifth-place finish at the Rally of Turkey was Raikkonen's best result. Raikkonen displays no regret for following his race passions away from grand prix racing saying "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."

This past year also saw Raikkonen making a driving appearance in NASCAR during the May Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Driving a Kyle Busch Motorsport Toyota Tundra, Raikkonen showed some impressive rough talent for oval track racing finishing 15th in the truck race. While more races were planned, funding was believed that have limited Raikkonen to this single NASCAR experience at Charlotte.

Kimi Raikkonen's positioning inside the Lotus Renault GP team is set to demonstrate a stronger and more assured 2012 driver line-up. Entering this past Formula 1 season, the Lotus Renault GP team was thought to have had a stable line-up with sophomore pilot Vitaly Petrov driving alongside the seasoned grand prix winning wheel handling of Robert Kubica. Due a severe rally car crash early in February of 2011, Kubica was sidelined for the entire Formula 1 season leaving the newly-aligned force of Lotus and Renault to search for another veteran. Calling in Nick Heidfeld, the replacement driver for Robert Kubica finished in the points 6 times in 9 races including a 3rd place at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Despite some good runs, Heidfeld and the Lotus Renault GP time didn't finish the 2011 season together.

Hired as a test driver before Robert Kubica's injury, Brazil's Bruno Senna would take over the second Lotus Renault GP ride teaming with Petrov. Senna finished 9th in the Italian Grand Prix serving as the only points he would record in 2011. This recent acquisition of a past Formula 1 world champion to the Lotus Renault GP team will come as a change to their less experienced driver line-up the team ended the 2011 season with at the Brazilian Grand Prix Sunday.

Speaking for the Lotus Renault GP team, Chairman of equality owner Genii Capital Gerard Lopez spoke about 2007 Formula 1 champ Kimi Raikkonen's appearance with the team in 2012 as an important building block. “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." said Lopez.

Signing Kimi Raikkonen, it is speculated that Vitaly Petrov will retain his ride alongside the Finnish driver but nothing has been confirmed by Lotus Renault GP. As the 2012 Formula 1 season nears, the build-up for what the Finnish driver can do after a two-year absence should keep many fans eager leading up to the Australian Grand Prix.

Webber Grabs Brazilian GP Finale as Vettel Stumbles

Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti

Started on March 27th in Australia, the 2011 Formula 1 season's 19-race schedule comes to an end as the 24-car grid assembled to run the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos circuit. With the drivers title and manufacturer title locked up races earlier, the last grand prix event of the season served an importance as a single race to reinforce or to demonstrate where they place against firm Formula 1 competition. The Red Bull Racing team and the recently crowned two-time World Champion Sebastian Vettel had spent an entire proving themselves as a near unbeatable benchmark for the premier open wheel series. In Brazilian Grand Prix qualifying, Vettel and his recognized #1 Red Bull-Renault took pole ahead of teammate Mark Webber.
Though forecast strongly insisted that rain would become a factor for the Brazilian Grand Prix race, all 71 laps proceeded on a dry 4.309-kilometer race track. Taking some complexity out of this event as drivers ready to start running at Interlagos, the all-too-common occurrence of Sebastian Vettel's record 15th pole of the 2011 Formula 1 season resulted in the German driver's Red Bull-Renault losing the field on the start.
Behind Vettel early was teammate Mark Webber and the McLaren-Mercedes runners. The main adversary for Red Bull Racing this season, neither McLaren race car of Lewis Hamilton or Jenson Button could keep up to the blue and yellow race machines for this Brazilian Grand Prix. In typical fashion, the Ferrari team cars of Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa ran close to the McLaren-Mercedes. Providing some front-running action at Interlagos, Alonso was able to pass then-fourth place Jenson Button for position on the 11th lap of the Brazilian Grand Prix.

Appearing as if it could be another textbook event for the Red Bull-Renault of Sebastian Vettel, the late-race mechanical gremlin came back to bite the lead car. Experiencing shifting problems, the Renault engine could be put in a dangerous position of granading. Leading, Sebastian Vettel and the Red Bull Racing team decided to reduce short-shift his way through the rest of the event reducing his race pace. As Vettel fought the battle against a gearbox issue, his Australian teammate Mark Webber rose to the occasion for Red Bull Racing. Similar to the dominating style of the 2011 Formula 1 champion, Webber stormed like lightning around the Interlagos circuit setting one fastest lap after another. Finally on lap 13, the #2 Red Bull-Renault powered by his team car enjoying a rare feat in what had been a 2011 season spent in Vettel's shadow. Mark Webber's mission for returning to the championship-contending performance level of 2010 was clearly on display for the Brazilian crowd.

Gearbox problems were a plaque that captured more than Vettel. Indiscriminately, transmission issues slowed one McLaren F1 driver and a pilot from Lotus Renault GP. Middle way through the Brazilian Grand Prix, winner of the previous Formula 1 race at Abu Dhabi Lewis Hamilton suffered a race-ending mechanical failure in the transmission. Despite the total of three gearbox problems in the event, only Lewis Hamilton's McLaren-Mercedes would fail in finishing the Brazilian Grand Prix. The Lotus Renault GP, it was the hometown runner Bruno Senna who was reportedly dealing with minor gearbox hiccups.

While Senna finished the grand prix with the wounded Lotus Renault GP race car, the Brazilian driver's day would be impacted early when he tangled with Mercedes GP driver Michael Schumacher. In defense of 9th position, Bruno Senna made contact with Schumacher's resulting in the Mercedes GP car getting a punctured Pirelli tire. Senna received a drive-through penalty by Formula 1 race stewards for the move. Both Bruno Senna and Michael Schumacher continued the event but would not challenge for points in this final race of 2011. As their teammates collected non-point outings, the Mercedes GP and Lotus Renault GP team vehicles would leave with top-10 results. Nico Rosberg brought his Mercedes GP car home 7th while Vitaly Petrov climbed from 15th to 10th helping Lotus Renault GP secure 5th in the manufacturer points over Force India.

Photo Credit: Mercedes GP

Force India team in this final 2011 grand prix in Brazil, the team left accomplishing a feat identical to the major Red Bull Racing and Ferrari teams. Resulting in both team cars collecting points at the end of 71 laps, Adrian Sutil led the Force India squad in 6th place while Paul di Resta followed in a respectable 8th position. Kamui Kobayashi brought the Sauber team 2 final series points with a 9th place result aiding the team's effort to maintain 7th place in the Formula 1 constructor standings for 2011.

Untouched, Mark Webber sailed to the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix win resulting in the Australian's first and only victory for the Formula 1 season. Webber preserves an honour of winning a grand prix in three consecutive Formula 1 race seasons after what was 7 years of perseverance with teams like Minardi, Jaguar and Williams F1. The Brazilian Grand Prix also becomes a significant milestone for Mark Webber as the first locale the Red Bull Racing driver scored multiple wins on the circuit (Webber won the 2009 race at Brazil).

Showing his championship-caliber determination, Sebastian Vettel brought his Red Bull-Renault across the line 16.9 seconds behind teammate Mark Webber. After relinquishing the lead, Vettel's event dealing with the gearbox issue resulted in a brief overshooting of a corner but was otherwise a successful drive keeping the McLaren-Mercedes of Jenson Button almost 11 seconds behind.

Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti

Winning their 12th of 19 Formula 1 races in 2011, Red Bull Racing ties McLaren in 1984 and the 1996 Williams F1 team for victories in a single season. Despite some dents in the team's armour at mid-season, Red Bull Racing maintains itself as the consistent team to beat heading into 2012.

As cars crossed the start/finish line for the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix, the possible completion of Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello racing career is one of the news items dominating speculation for 2012. Finishing his home grand prix in 14th place for Williams F1, the vacated ride (that will be propelled by Renault power next season) is one of many questions that will dominate the next few months ahead of the March 2012's Australian Grand Prix.

Until that day, Red Bull Racing and Sebastian Vettel, in particularly, drink the champagne of 2011 victories again the strongest force in Formula 1. 

2011 Formula 1
Brazilian Grand Prix
Race Results

1. 2 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing
2. 1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing
3. 4 Jenson Button McLaren
4. 5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari
5. 6 Felipe Massa Ferrari
6. 14 Adrian Sutil Force India
7. 8 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP
8. 13 15 Paul di Resta Force India
9. 16 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber
10. 10 Vitaly Petrov Lotus Renault GP
11. 19 Jaime Alguersuari Scuderia Toro Rosso
12. 18 Sebastien Buemi Scuderia Toro Rosso
13. 17 Sergio Perez Sauber
14. 11 Rubens Barrichello Williams F1
15. 7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP
16. 21 Heikki Kovalainen Team Lotus
17. 9 Bruno Senna Lotus Renault GP
18. 20 Jarno Trulli Team Lotus
19. 25 Jérôme D’Ambrosio Marussia Virgin Racing
20. 22 Daniel Ricciardo HRT F1
21. 23 Vitantonio Liuzzi HRT F1
22. 3 Lewis Hamilton McLaren
23. 12 Pastor Maldonado Williams F1
24. 24 Timo Glock Marussia Virgin Racing

F1 Finale in Brazil Nets Record 15th Pole for Vettel

Photo Credit: Nissan/Infiniti

The finale Grand Prix in the 19-race Formula 1 championship season of 2011, the Autódromo José Carlos Pace or Interlagos race track hosts a late November event which will decide what teams and drivers head into the off-season with confidence for 2012. At one time an early event on the Formula 1 schedule, the Brazilian Grand Prix was bumped to one of the concluding races on the grand prix circuit in 2004. Presented in a country passionate about auto racing, the races on the Interlagos track have a history for producing a memorable outcomes.

Won by four different drivers since 2007, the Brazilian Grand Prix's defending winner Sebastian Vettel will start from pole position. Time trial magic becoming patented by Vettel, the German driver flew to a record-setting 15th Formula 1 pole for the season at the 4.309 kilometer Autódromo José Carlos Pace track. Taking the lead in the Q2 session, Vettel piloted his Red Bull-Renault to a stunning Q3 lap of 1 minute, 11.918 seconds. Sebastian Vettel became the only driver in the Formula 1 qualifying session at Brazil to run under the 72-second range.

The 15th pole for Sebastian Vettel in his championship-winning 2011 driver title run beats the 1992 mark of 14 poles set by Nigel Mansell. While a nonetheless impressive feat, Vettel was aided by a 2011 Formula 1 season 4 races longer than the 1992 year's run by Mansell driving for Williams F1. Most impressive is the fact the 15 pole positions for Sebastian Vettel combines with the 3 races Red Bull Racing teammate Mark Webber scored the top starting spot. Losing in qualifying on just one occasion at the Korean Grand Prix, the Red Bull-Renault dominated 2011 Formula 1 time trials 18 of 19 races.

Beating some forecasts calling for rain, the final Formula 1 qualifying session for 2011 saw the 24-car field unleashed under dry conditions. Vettel's triumph in Q3 resulted in a time 0.179 of a second faster than teammate Mark Webber making it the 6th occasion that the Red Bull Racing team will dominate the front row.

While the first row is covered by Red Bull-Renaults, the second row for the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix will feature the main rivals to Sebastian Vettel's otherwise conquering performance this season. McLaren-Mercedes cars in 3rd and 4th feature Jenson Button ahead of Abu Dhabi Grand Prix winner Lewis Hamilton. The second place team in the manufacturer championship for 2011, rumours have surrounded the McLaren team's future engine supplier with mentions that Honda might want to return to Formula 1 powering the 8-time championship constructor.

The Ferrari of Fernando Alonso and Nico Rosberg's Mercedes GP car are deposited into the third row of the Interlagos Formula 1 event. Rosberg's teammate Michael Schumacher qualified 10th for the grand prix breaking into the final Q3 session did not record a time trial run.

Pleasing the hometown Brazilian crowd, two popular national sports names will start in the top-10 for the 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix race. Ferrari driver Felipe Massa returns to the Interlagos circuit where he popularly won twice in 2006 and 2008. In fact, the 2008 victory at the home track was the last race the Brazilian enjoyed at the top of a Formula 1 podium. Making his second Formula 1 start at Interlagos is Bruno Senna, nephew of two-time track winner and grand prix legend Ayrton Senna. Bruno Senna will start 9th for the Lotus Renault GP team in Sunday's race. Making has 18th Brazilian Grand Prix start, Rubens Barrichello emerged to a 12th place starting position becoming the third and final hometown hero at the final Formula 1 race of the season.

For Sunday's Formula 1 race, weather is expected to throw teams for a curve ball for race setup. Weather predictions have up to a 100 percent chance of rain and thundestorms hovering above the Interlagos circuit during race time. Race organizations such as Mercedes GP have expressed the need to keep their options open as weather conditions will become a challenging variable to teams and race drivers.

With 71 laps around the 4.309-kilometer Interlagos track, the 2011 Formula 1 will close out starting at 2PM local time or 11am Eastern time.


2011 Formula 1
Brazilian Grand Prix
Starting Lineup

1 Sebastian Vettel Red Bull Racing
2 Mark Webber Red Bull Racing
4 Jenson Button McLaren
3 Lewis Hamilton McLaren
5 Fernando Alonso Ferrari
8 Nico Rosberg Mercedes GP
6 Felipe Massa Ferrari
14 Adrian Sutil Force India
9 Bruno Senna Lotus Renault GP
7 Michael Schumacher Mercedes GP
13 15 Paul di Resta Force India
11 Rubens Barrichello Williams F1
19 Jaime Alguersuari Scuderia Toro Rosso
18 Sebastien Buemi Scuderia Toro Rosso
10 Vitaly Petrov Lotus Renault GP
16 Kamui Kobayashi Sauber
17 Sergio Perez Sauber
12 Pastor Maldonado Williams F1
21 Heikki Kovalainen Team Lotus
20 Jarno Trulli Team Lotus
23 Vitantonio Liuzzi HRT F1
22 Daniel Ricciardo HRT F1
25 Jérôme D’Ambrosio Marussia Virgin Racing
24 Timo Glock Marussia Virgin Racing