Kimi Raikkonen says he has found the return to Formula 1 with Lotus "very positive" after two days with the team in Valencia.
The Finn is looking to return to the sport after a two-year break having initially walked away from the glamour motorsport at the end of the 2009 season.
But the 32-year-old is back in the swing of things and is now looking forward to the first pre-season test in Spain in two weeks.
Raikkonen says this week has allowed him to develop relationships within the team with the engineers which has "helped a lot".
He added: "It was great to be driving an F1 car again, and from that respect I feel very positive."
Raikkonen has real Formula 1 pedigree after spending four years with McLaren and two with Ferrari before trying his hand at rallying and NASCAR.
The 2012 Formula 1 season is due to get under way in Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix on March 18 before winding up 20 races later in Brazil on November 25.
Red Bull ace Sebastian Vettel is the man to catch as the German has won the world drivers' championship for the last two years.