Bringing Kimi Räikkönen back into Formula 1 after a two-year break is not without its risks, the Group Lotus CEO has admitted. Dany Bahar spoke of the 2007 Champion at a journalist lunch, also acknowledging that the departure of Vitaly Petrov will have its financial setbacks for the Enstone team which last won the titles five years ago.

Räikkönen makes his F1 comeback after spending 2010 and 2011 in the World Rally Championship and NASCAR, having been replaced at Ferrari by Fernando Alonso.

 

“The decision we took was that we need to bring the team to the next level,” Bahar is quoted as saying by Reuters. “We have (the naming issue) solved, we have a clear identity and a clear brand. Now it's the next step: to restructure the team, to bring in new technical talent, an experienced driver and maybe not to go after 'pay drivers' anymore.”

Petrov, the first and so far only Russian to compete in the sport, picked up a maiden podium finish at the start of this year and Bahar understands that his exit has its effects.

“It's a brave decision to say, 'We're not after the money, we will try and go the hard way’” he continued. “We will try to succeed through performance, with the best people coming in, the best driver coming in, and make the team better. We have to fight even harder to get the money, even harder to race and to get sponsorship, but we believe we have a nice offer.”

Racing alongside Räikkönen will be Franco-Swiss driver Romain Grosjean, who suffered seven difficult races with the restructuring team in 2009 but has since claimed this year’s GP2 title in controlled fashion for Eric Boullier’s DAMS outfit.

gpupdate.net