Alan Jones says he is impressed by Räikkönen and defends Schumacher

Alan Jones, World Formula 1 Champion in 1980, is one of those drivers who attempted a comeback to the starting grids after stepping away. After narrowly missing out in the battle for the 1981 title, the Australian decided to return to his country to enjoy a well-deserved retirement. However, the adrenaline of driving a Formula 1 car eventually pulled him back, and in 1983 he was seen again behind the wheel of an Arrows at the Long Beach circuit, without much success. The same happened at the end of the 1985 championship when he took the seat of a Lola from the Team Haas. In 1986, he participated in the entire season, finishing in 12th place with 4 small points. At the end of that year, he retired definitively from Formula 1.

Now 66 years old, Jones remains an attentive observer of the premier class of motor racing. When reviewing the 2012 season, the Australian driver highlights the performance of Kimi Räikkönen after two years away from the F1 paddock frenzy. “He came back to Formula 1 and did an excellent job. It’s probably one of the most successful comebacks alongside Niki Lauda’s. I think he surprised a lot of people,” the former Williams driver remarks in the official Australian Grand Prix podcast.

Another driver who attempted a comeback after a few years of absence, Michael Schumacher, did not experience the same success with Mercedes. In 3 seasons, the German only made it to the podium once, and that was in Valencia last June. « I think Michael didn’t have the car he thought he would. People tell me he shouldn’t have come back, but in the end, there’s only one person who decides if he was right or not, and that’s Michael. You do it for yourself and for no one else, » analyzes Jones.