Former Force India team principal Otmar Szafnauer has disclosed details of an unsuccessful attempt to sign Kimi Raikkonen during the Finn’s 2012 Formula 1 comeback, revealing how close the 2007 world champion came to joining the Silverstone-based squad instead of Lotus. The revelation sheds new light on Raikkonen’s return to the grid after his two-year sabbatical pursuing rally racing following his departure from Ferrari at the end of 2009.
Speaking on the High Performance Racing podcast, Szafnauer recounted a memorable encounter with Raikkonen at the Brazilian Grand Prix weekend in late 2011, where negotiations took place at the Hyatt hotel in Morumbi. The meeting included two of Raikkonen’s companions, whom Szafnauer identified as the founders of the popular mobile game Angry Birds, highlighting the unique social circle surrounding the typically reserved Finnish driver during his time away from F1.
The discussions continued at a Red Bull end-of-season party, where Szafnauer witnessed Raikkonen’s star power firsthand. Despite massive crowds preventing entry, organizers immediately recognized the former McLaren and Ferrari driver and granted access to the entire group. “Kimi waited for every one of us to get in before he stepped through,” Szafnauer recalled, demonstrating the respect and consideration that characterized their professional relationship during negotiations.
Ultimately, Szafnauer acknowledged that Force India could not compete with Lotus’s more attractive package at the time. “You have to convince drivers that the future looks rosier than the other offers they have,” he explained. “To be fair to him, he went to Lotus at a time when they won more races than we did. They were better at that point; they still had James Allison there.” Instead of Raikkonen, Force India retained Paul di Resta and promoted test driver Nico Hulkenberg to a race seat for 2012, while Raikkonen secured two victories during his successful two-year stint with Lotus before returning to Ferrari in 2014.