Formula 1

Williams also 'pretty good' 2012 option - Raikkonen

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Edited: May 12, 2012, 4:55 PM

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Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus F1 Team with Beat Zehnder, Sauber F1 Team Manager

May 12 (GMM) Kimi Raikkonen has admitted his failed negotiations with Williams ultimately turned out for the better.

Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus F1 Team with Beat Zehnder, Sauber F1 Team Manager

Photo by: xpb.cc

When he decided to try to return to F1 this year, the 2007 world champion negotiated at length with Williams.

When those talks faltered, he turned to his second option, and quickly came to agreement with the former Renault team Lotus.

The Enstone based team has been the surprise of the 2012 season so far, and in Barcelona Finn Raikkonen is arguably the overall favourite.

He was asked by Turun Sanomat newspaper if the performance of Lotus, his only actual option for a race seat this year, has surprised him.

"Well, I had another option," said the 32-year-old, referring to Williams.

"It's hard to say what kind of results I would have had with Williams. They would have been pretty good as well but perhaps not quite as strong as we are doing now," said Raikkonen, who finished second in Bahrain recently.

He said he has not been surprised.

"Last year (as Renault) they weren't bad at the start of the season," said the former Ferrari and McLaren driver.

"But they had decided to put the exhaust at the front of the car and were not then able to develop the way they needed."

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