Apr.20 (GMM) Designer James Allison was a key to Kimi Raikkonen’s 2014 resurgence, the Finnish driver’s manager admits.
Raikkonen struggled notably to match former teammate Fernando Alonso last year, bringing into serious question his future at the Maranello team.
But the 35-year-old is returning to form this year, and on Sunday he ended a long podium drought in Bahrain and almost challenged Lewis Hamilton’s Mercedes for victory.
It revived memories of 2012 and 2013, when Raikkonen shone at the wheel of a James Allison-inked Lotus after his rallying and Nascar sojourn.
Now, Allison is leading a resurgent Ferrari’s technical team.
“Yes, this Ferrari and the Lotuses in Kimi’s time have obvious similarities,” Raikkonen’s manager Steve Robertson smiled as he told the Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat.
“Both are good with the tyres. This Ferrari has the same signature as the Lotuses,” he acknowledged.
“Kimi drives at his best when he can feel the front of the car very well,” Robertson added.