Driver profile: Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen's return to Formula 1 after an unsuccessful two-year dalliance with world rallying has been something of a mixed bag.

He came close to winning his fourth race, taking the fight to Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull in Bahrain and just losing out.

But so, too, have there been races like Monaco, where he was simply not on the pace from the start, and where he fixated rather too much for the liking of his team on his steering - not for the first time, it has to be said.

Raikkonen's stats and facts

  • Team: Lotus
  • Team-mate: Romain Grosjean
  • Previous teams: Sauber and McLaren, Ferrari
  • Nationality: Finnish
  • Born: 17/10/1979, Espoo
  • Grand Prix debut: Australia 2001
  • World Championships: 2007

Raikkonen has been out-qualified six-two before the British Grand Prix by team-mate Romain Grosjean, a man in his first full season of Formula 1.

The Finn has always insisted he was back up to speed within a handful of laps of his first test over the winter.

But with the notable exception of Bahrain there has not been that much evidence of the man who thrilled fans across the world with his performances for McLaren in the early years of the 2000s.

After two years away, it seems only fair to give Raikkonen the benefit of the doubt, and to assume that there is more to come.