Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso says that it will be a "pleasure" to race against Kimi Raikkonen again in 2012, after the Finnish driver secured his return to the Formula One grid for next season with the Lotus/Renault squad.
Raikkonen lost his drive in Formula One to Alonso at the end of 2009, when the Spaniard came in to the Italian team.
But after two years away from the sport, the 2007 champion has announced his return to the F1 grid with the newly-renamed Lotus F1 Team from the start of next season.
And Alonso, who fought with Raikkonen for the championship in 2005 and 2007, said that he was happy to see the Finn return.
"I welcome him back. He's a great driver," Alonso beamed to reporters in a sponsor-based press conference in Spain this week.
"He's one of the drivers with the biggest talent on the grid, a world champion, a wonderful person. So it's going to be a pleasure to race alongside him."
He added: "I'm not comparing him with anyone, but it's not the same to start a race and get to the first corner and have Kimi Raikkonen alongside you than having a young driver or a rookie.
"Fighting with champions like this gives you a different feeling and more security."
Raikkonen will drive alongside Romain Grosjean in the Lotus squad in 2012, after signing a new two year deal with the team.
Meanwhile, Alonso also offered little comfort to Spanish compatriot Jaime Alguerusuari, after he lost his drive with Toro Rosso last week.
"I don't have a very strong opinion about it," Alonso shrugged when asked for his thoughts on his fellow Spaniard's plight.
"I don't know how Toro Rosso worked and how happy or unhappy they were with their drivers."
He added: "I'm probably surprised like everybody else that they have changed both drivers all of a sudden, because you usually need some consistency in a team.
"But I understand that Toro Rosso is like Red Bull's junior team and they have a lot of young drivers and they only have two seats at Toro Rosso.
"So they felt the need to change their drivers and try two youngsters. But I don't know what the situation was."
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