09/01/2012
NEWS STORY
Lotus has revealed that Kimi Raikkonen will drive a 2010 Renault R30 at Valencia later this month as he prepares for his return to F1 this season.
Having quit F1 at the end of 2009, the test will give the Finn the opportunity to experience some elements of how cars have changed in the last couple of seasons, especially in terms of tyres, ahead of the first pre-season test which gets underway at Valencia on February 7.
The regulations allow testing outside the usual group tyre tests providing the car is two-years-old and uses basic (non-testing) tyres.
The two-day test, which gets underway on January 23, follows the Finn's seat fitting for the 2012 car last week.
It's believed the two-day circuit booking was originally scheduled for Robert Kubica's test had the Pole fully recovered from his rallying accident last February and remained with the Enstone outfit.