Source: autosport.com
Lotus expects Kimi Raikkonen to return to action for the final day of the Barcelona test, after being unable to run on Saturday because of food poisoning.
The Enstone-based outfit was forced to fly Romain Grosjean in from Paris to try and complete its test programme after Raikkonen was struck down overnight with illness.
Although a final decision about Raikkonen’s fitness will be made on Sunday morning, team principal Eric Boullier said that the indication was that everything would be okay.
“He is feeling better,” said Boullier, when asked by AUTOSPORT about Raikkonen’s condition.
“I think he is missing driving obviously. He has confirmed he wants to drive tomorrow. He feels ready to drive tomorrow, so I am going to wait for the final assessment from our doctor. But I think he is going to be okay.”
Grosjean, who will remain in Barcelona until tomorrow just in case Raikkonen is not fit enough to drive on Sunday, revealed that he only found out that he needed to return to the track when he woke up in Paris.
“I was a bit lazy this morning,” explained the Frenchman. “I was supposed to wake up between 9.30am and 10am to do personal stuff in Paris, but I woke up earlier at 8.30am.
“I switched on the mobile phone and I had a message from Alan [Permane, Lotus director of race engineering], and he said, ‘can you call me back because Kimi is not well? We would appreciate it if you could make it to Barcelona.’
“I called him back and said, ‘we will try the easiest solution to bring me here’. It wasn’t easy because basically it is Saturday and there are not thousands of flights. So I am happy to be here. I got here at 1.50pm and jumped in car and had a few laps.”
KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN SPACE 