Raikkonen Completes Test, Lotus F1 Team Signs D'Ambrosio As Third Driver

Kimi Raikkonen completed his second day of testing at Circuito Ricardo Tormo in Valencia, Spain this afternoon, reacclimatizing himself to the rigors of driving a Formula 1 car, albeit at this time testing a two-year-old Lotus F1 Team model as the 2008 World Champion regains his footing in the current F1 environment.

Raikkonen completed another 91 laps on the circuit's road course for 171 laps over the two days, making for a combined total of 413 miles--the equivalent of more than two Grands Prix distances. 

"It went well today and overall the two days have been helping me a lot" the Ice Man said. "Even though I was using a two-year-old car and the Pirelli demonstration tires, I learned about working with the team and the engineers, which ins I can focus on the new car once we get to Jerez for the official first test. It was great to be driving an F1 car again and from that aspect I feel very positive."

"We enjoyed anther good day with Kimi in Valencia," acknowledged Alan Permane, trackside operations engineer for Lotus F1 Tem. "The morning was spent doing setup work in particular, with front and rear cambers. In the afternoon we ran very low fuel qualifying simulations with two new sets of tires, followed by a 27-lap run starting with a full tank of fuel.

"Kimi's pace," he indicated, "improved from yesterday as we would expect and we completed several start, pit-stop and clutch simulations. We were even able to finish early as we completed our program ahead of time. Overall it as been a productive and valuable two days.

The Lotus F1 Team also announced its third driver today, giving that assignment to Jerome D'Ambrosio, who drove last year for Marussia Virgin Racing. As third driver he will attend all races in 2012, working with the two race-day drivers, Raikkonen and Romain Grosjean. The 25-year-old Belgian stands in for either as needed.

"It is a great feeling to be joining Lotus F1 Team.  It's an exciting next step in my career," D'Ambrosio said. "I contested a complete season in F1 as a race driver for a smaller team (last year), where I learned a lot about Formula 1. Now i have the opportunity to work with one of the top teams with great potential for my future development," he declared.

"With my recent race experience, I know I can make a valuable contribution.  Being associated with Lotus F1 Team should be more beneficial (than racing with a smaller team) and this is the choice I have made.  My desire to get back in a race seat in the future is motivating me to do the best job possible in my new position."

Eric Boullier, team principal and managing director expounded, "To have a third driver who is highly motivated, fees' and talented--and who contested the full 2011 season--is highly beneficial for us. In Jerome," he said, "We have someone we know well who integrates beneficially with the squad. He impressed as reserve driver for us in 2010 and at the end of that year he made a strong showing in the young driver test. I think he is a perfect addition to our driving strength."

D'Ambrosio began his racing career in Formula Renault 1.6 Belgium in 2003, moving along to French and Italian Formula Renault 2.0. He contested the Euroseries 3000 in 2006 and joined GP2 in 2008, where he drove for DAMS. He continued with DAMS in 2010 even as he was the Renault F1 Team reserve driver.