Kimi Raikkonen

Lore & Background

Although his time in the black and gold livery was marked by the team's struggle with car reliability and performance consistency, Räikkönen brought an undeniable aura of professionalism and calm. He is remembered for his ability to extract maximum performance from machinery that often lacked the pace of the front-runners, setting a benchmark for resilience that would influence the team's culture as it later evolved into Alpine.

Reader's Guide

This chapter covers the late Renault era, specifically the 2012 season when Kimi Räikkönen joined the squad. This period defined the club's identity as it attempted to rebuild after the V8 engine regulations and a loss of momentum following their early 2000s dominance. Räikkönen's arrival mattered because it signaled a desire for stability through star power, even if the car itself was not yet competitive enough to challenge for wins. His presence helped maintain the team's global profile during a transitional phase that eventually led to the Lotus partnership and the eventual rebranding to Alpine. It serves as a reminder of the club's resilience in adapting its driver lineup to survive and evolve.

Did You Know?

• Räikkönen drove for the Lotus team during the 2012-2013 seasons, not after them; he left Ferrari after 2009, then drove for Lotus before returning to Ferrari later.
• He drove alongside Romain Grosjean during his two seasons with the team that would later become Alpine F1, but the team was Lotus F1 Team in 2012 and 2013, not Renault.
• Despite the car's limitations, Räikkönen managed to score points consistently throughout the 2012 season, finishing in the top ten of the championship standings.