Kimi Raikkonen nonchalant after stunning Abu Dhabi victory

Kimi Raikkonen has remained his typical nonchalant self after clinching a stunning victory at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, his first since 2009 and Lotus’s first since 1987 with Ayrton Senna behind the wheel. Regardless of Raikkonen’s laid back approach to his victory, he hopes it will give more support to the team for next season.

Despite assuming the lead once Lewis Hamilton retired and dominating out in front, Kimi Raikkonen remained extremely laid back after the race, playing down the feeling of finally returning to the top step of the podium. Throughout the 2012 season, Lotus have been the team everybody has been waiting to see finally clinch victory. Whilst the likes of Mercedes and Williams took surprise victories in the early stages of the season, Lotus endured a topsy-turvy start to the season, with both Raikkonen and Grosjean coming agonizingly close to victory.

Although Lotus and Kimi Raikkonen have only just taken their first victory of the season, the ‘Iceman’ has remained the most consistent driver on the grid. Kimi Raikkonen remains the only driver on the grid to have completed every single racing lap, taking points in every race except the Chinese Grand Prix at the start of the season. The Finn hopes the victory at Abu Dhabi will boost the support from within the Lotus outfit.

“I’m happy, but there’s nothing to jump around about.” Explained a nonchalant Kimi Raikkonen after the race, “Really we still have a few races to go, I’ll try to do the same again. I’m just happy for everybody in the team. We have had hard times lately and hopefully it gives some belief for the people, even more that... I mean they’ve been working very hard the whole year but with the hard times there’s a bit unknown in the whole situation and hopefully for the people who runs the team, who owns the team, the people who works for... for everybody, hopefully it gives a bit more support and hope that things will turn around and be even better than it’s been this year.”

Prior to the start of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, Kimi Raikkonen was confirmed at Lotus for another season, although his team-mate has yet to be confirmed. The Finn will be hoping this victory is the first of many with the Enstone-based outfit, as the teams aims to once again challenge for Championship glory next season after a relatively competitive 2012 season.

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