Kimi, the last of romantics, the last Ferrari world champion, the steaming ice. Pure talent and you can see it at Eau Rouge, you can see it when it rains. The last hero of a Formula 1 that doesn’t exist anymore. The last of the greatest, the Flying Finn. The Finnish fire.
Kimi-Matias Räikkönen, born 17 October 1979, is a Finnish racing driver currently driving for Ferrari in Formula One.
Kimi Raikkonen, Grand Prix of Brazil, Autodromo Jose Carlos Pace, Interlagos, Sao Paolo, 21 October 2007. Kimi Raikkonen on the podium of the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix which he won, also becoming the new World Champion. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images.
He won the F1 Driver's championship with Ferrari in 2007, with victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos and till date remains the last Ferrari Champion.
Kimi Raikkonen of Finland and Kaj Lindstrom of Finland compete in their Ice 1 Racing WRT Citroen DS3 WRC during day 1 of the WRC Wales Rally GB on November 11, 2011 in Cardiff, United Kingdom. Photo by Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen and Kaj Lindstrom compete in their Citroen C4 Junior Team during Leg 2 of the WRC Rally Jordan on April 2, 2010 in Amman, Jordan. Photo by Massimo Bettiol/Getty Images.
After nine seasons racing in Formula One, he competed in the World Rally Championship in 2010 and 2011.
Kimi Raikkonen in a Lotus.
In 2012, he returned to Formula One, driving for Lotus and continued to drive for Lotus in 2013.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF16-H Ferrari 059/5 turbo on track during qualifying for the F1 Grand Prix of Hungary at Hungaroring on July 23, 2016 in Budapest. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
On 11 September 2013, Ferrari announced their signing of Kimi on a two-year contract, beginning in the 2014 season.
Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren, is seen at a pit stop during the Formula 1 GP of Great Britain, in Silverstone, U.K., Sunday, June 11, 2006. Photo by Guenter Schiffmann/Bloomberg via Getty Images.
Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing and Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, walk out for the drivers' parade during the British Formula One Grand Prix at Silverstone Circuit on July 6, 2014 in Northampton, United Kingdom. Photo by Christopher Lee/Getty Images.
His current contract with the team has been extended since and expires at the end of 2017.
F1 Grand Prix debut driver for the Sauber team Kimi Raikkonen flies with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Roulettes over Albert Park in Melbourne, Australia. Credit: Allsport Australia.
The grid girl for Kimi Raikkonen on the grid prior to the 2004 Australian Grand Prix which is round one of the FIA Formula One World Championship, on March 7, 2004 at the Albert Park Circuit, Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during qualifying for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit on March 28, 2009 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Race winner Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, celebrates on the podium with second placed Fernando Alonso, Ferrari and third placed Sebastian Vettel, Red Bull Racing, following the Australian F1 Grand Prix at the Albert Park Circuit on March 17, 2013 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Scuderia Ferrari, is seen in the paddock during previews for the Australian Formula One Grand Prix at Albert Park on March 12, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Vladimir Rys Photography via Getty Images.
Formula One World Championship 2015, Grand Prix of Australia, n.7 Kimi Raikkonen, Scuderia Ferrari. Photo by Hoch Zwei/Corbis via Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF71H on track during qualifying for the Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park on March 24, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF71H on track during qualifying for the Australian F1 Grand Prix at Albert Park on March 24, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Australian GP 2001. A young blond man calmly discusses with the security guards in front of the turnstiles of Melbourne’s paddock: “I’m sorry, I have no pass but I’m a F1 driver”. Kimi Raikkonen’s career in the F1 circus starts in a clearly not triumphal way. The security won’t go down. No exception: go away or pay the ticket as everyone else.
Kimi Raikkonen? We’ve never heard of him. Then, half an hour later of on again – off again, the future Iceman finally gets to come in paddock.
Kimi Raikkonen, Sauber.
Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard at Monza in 2001. Photo by Rainer Schlegelmilch.
Räikkönen entered Formula One as a regular driver for Sauber-Petronas in 2001.
Kimi Raikkonen drives the n. 4 McLaren MP4-17 Mercedes V10 to second place during the F1 French Grand Prix on 21 July 2002 at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, France. Photo by Darren Heath/Getty Images.
He joined McLaren Mercedes in 2002 and became a title contender by finishing runner-up in the 2003 and 2005 championships to Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, respectively.
Räikkönen's move to Ferrari in 2007 saw him secure his first Formula One World Drivers' Championship, beating McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso by one point, as well as becoming one of the very few drivers to win in their first season with Ferrari.
Kimi is sleeping in his Ferrari F2007 in 2007.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F2008, Grand Prix of Belgium, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, 07 September 2008. Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari nose cone after his accident on the 4th lap of the 2008 Grand Prix of Belgium. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus-Renault E20, Grand Prix of Belgium, Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps, 02 September 2012. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images.
In 2008 he equalled the record for fastest laps in a season, for the second time.
Kimi Raikkonen at the Ferrari factory.
Räikkönen left Scuderia Ferrari and the sport in 2009. He made his return to F1 when he signed a 2-year deal with Lotus starting with the 2012 Formula One season. In his comeback season, he won the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. His consistent performances allowed him to end the season 3rd in the Drivers' Championship.
Kimi Raikkonen poses for a portrait shoot in London, UK. Photo by Hamish Brown/Exclusive by Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen poses for a portrait shoot in London, UK. Photo by Hamish Brown/Exclusive by Getty Images.
Kimi was born in Espoo. He had a long line of success in karting from the age of 10. His first race outside Finland was in Monaco when he was 15 years old.
Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren Mercedes, with his girlfriend Jenni Dahlmann at the 2003 Monaco Grand Prix in Monte Carlo. Photo by Martin Rose/Bongarts/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, McLaren, poses in an ice sculpted Formula One car during preparations for the Monaco F1 Grand Prix on May 24, 2006. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen drives the n.3 McLaren MP4-21 Mercedes V8 during practice for the Formula One Monaco Grand Prix on 28 May 2006. Photo by Darren Heath/Getty Images.
Sunbathers relax as Kimi Raikkonen drives by during practice for the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at the Monte Carlo Circuit on May 22, 2008. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Sunbathers relax as Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives by during practice for the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at the Monte Carlo Circuit on May 22, 2008. Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images.
Amber Fashion Show and Auction held at the Meridien Beach Plaza in Monte Carlo, Monaco, on May 23, 2008. Kimi Raikkonen, Heikki Kovalainen and Kimberly Stewart. Photo by Pool Benainous/Sanchez/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images)
Kimi Raikkonen attends the Amber Fashion Show and Auction held at the Meridien Beach Plaza on May 23, 2008 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Photo by Dave Benett/Amber Fashion/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives past the harbour during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at the Monte Carlo Circuit on May 24, 2009. Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, drives during practice for the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at the Circuit de Monaco on May 23, 2013 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during final practice ahead of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on May 24, 2014 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on May 25, 2014 in Monte-Carlo. Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F14 T, racing from the chicane towards Tabac corner during the 2014 Monaco Grand Prix. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images.
Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull Racing, leads from Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, during the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on May 24, 2015. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, with Federica Masolin, Sky F1 Italy, at the Shell F1 quiz during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 27, 2016 in Monte-Carlo. Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, with Federica Masolin, Sky F1 Italy, at the Shell F1 quiz during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 27, 2016 in Monte-Carlo. Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, with Federica Masolin, Sky F1 Italy, at the Shell F1 quiz during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 27, 2016 in Monte-Carlo. Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, with Federica Masolin, Sky F1 Italy, at the Shell F1 quiz during the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco at Circuit de Monaco on May 27, 2016 in Monte-Carlo. Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF16-H Ferrari 059/5 turbo on track during final practice ahead of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on May 28, 2016. Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF16-H Ferrari 059/5 turbo on track during final practice ahead of the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on May 28, 2016. Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H, leads Sebastian Vettel, driving the (5) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H, on track during the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on May 28, 2017. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkönen, Ferrari, goes during the race on Formula 1 Grand Prix de Monaco on May 28, 2017 in Monte Carlo, Monaco. Photo by Robert Szaniszló/NurPhoto via Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H rounds the hairpin during the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on May 28, 2017. Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF71H on track during qualifying for the Monaco Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2018. Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF71H on track during qualifying for the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2018. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF71H on track during qualifying for the Monaco F1 Grand Prix at Circuit de Monaco on May 26, 2018. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
During the race, the steering wheel broke, but he continued, informing his mechanic by frantically waving the steering wheel in the air on the home straight. Räikkönen's next Monaco race was also memorable; he was thrown on the wrong side of the safety fence in a first lap collision but continued driving until running out of road. Undeterred, he lifted his kart back onto the track and continued to race. His mechanic thought Räikkönen had retired, but he eventually caught up with the other competitors and finished third.
Kimi Raikkonen arrives in the paddock with his girlfriend, Jenni Dahlmann, prior to the Formula One British Grand Prix on July 17, 2003 at Silverstone in Northamptonshire, England. Photo by Bryn Lennon/Getty Images.
Räikkönen met Finnish model and former Miss Scandinavia 2001, Jenni Dahlman in 2002. The couple married on 31 July 2004, living between Switzerland and Finland. They separated in February 2013 and divorced in 2014. Räikkönen became engaged to fitness and underwear model Minna-Mari "Minttu" Virtanen.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during day one of F1 winter testing at Circuit de Catalunya on March 1, 2016 in Montmelo, Spain. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
On 7 August 2016, Räikkönen married Virtanen in a ceremony in Siena, Italy.
In this handout supplied by Ferrari, Kimi Raikkonen skiing during the Ferrari Wroom F1 press meeting on January 10, 2007 in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. Photo by Ferrari via Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen is seen snowboarding during the Ferrari Wroom F1 press meeting on January 9, 2008 in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. Photo by Pool via Getty Images.
Räikkönen's hobbies include snowboarding and ice hockey. He has also competed in several different kinds of motorsport events.
Kimi on the Hunt.
In March 2007 he competed in a snowmobile race in Finland under the pseudonym "James Hunt", referring to the 1976 world champion whose "playboy" lifestyle has been compared with his own.
Later he and two friends entered a powerboat race in the Finnish harbour city of Hanko while wearing gorilla suits. Again, he raced under the name "James Hunt". They then won a prize for the best-dressed crew. Kimi said he invoked the name of his hero as a riposte to the media sensationalisation of his private life.
Everywhere and also in the Far East, there’re always plenty of Finnish flags. Unlikely that his fellow citizens only would wave them …. They are fans of all around the world. Räikkönen is known for his dislike of giving media interviews and frequently answers questions in a blunt and monosyllabic manner. He has a self-appointed moniker, "Iceman", with several layers of meaning; apart from its association with famously-cold Finland, he is widely considered to have a cool temperament under pressure and also an 'icy' person with most other drivers, team members and the media. He appears to be aware of the perception, making no apologies for it stating that he is "not here to try to please people”.
Apart from his on-track driving, off-track instances demonstrating this calm demeanour include being asleep 30 minutes before his first Formula One race and eating an ice cream during the temporarily-suspended 2009 Malaysian Grand Prix.
Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus-Renault E20, Grand Prix of Malaysia, Sepang International Circuit, 25 March 2012. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images.
Known to be frustrated by anything that prevents him from simply racing, he is relatively outspoken in his criticism of politics and off-circuit drama in sport. In an article, Lotus team principal Éric Boullier described Räikkönen as someone "doing pretty much whatever he wants". This has been best displayed during the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix when, after his McLaren-Mercedes broke down as the heat shield had exploded and he was forced to retire, he promptly went from his car straight to his yacht fully dressed in his racing suit and immediately relaxed in his Jacuzzi. Although his terse one-liners are well known, he is also known for having a dark sense of humour.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, exits the pitlane at dusk during practice for the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit on October 30, 2009 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Paul Gilham/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during qualifying for the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit on October 31, 2009 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Hoch Zwei/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, drives on his way to winning the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix at the Yas Marina Circuit on November 4, 2012 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during practice ahead of the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on November 21, 2014 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F14 T, Grand Prix of Abu Dhabi, Yas Marina Circuit, 23 November 2014. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images.
On the 20th lap of the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Räikkönen had just taken the lead from Lewis Hamilton and his race engineer Simon Rennie advised that Fernando Alonso was five seconds behind and that he would be kept informed of Alonso's pace; Räikkönen replied, "just leave me alone, I know what I'm doing!" Later in the same race, he admonished his team again, when being told to manage the tyre temperature: "yes, yes, yes, yes, I'm doing that all the time. You don't have to remind me every ten seconds!” The first quote attracted significant press coverage and Räikkönen made no attempt to apologise in the post-race interview. He’s a sensitive and emotional guy, contrary to what he wants us to think and to popular belief. Not an Iceman at all: emotional and warped, so much for an apparent impermeability. For a far too ostentatious not caring, for a kind of a aridity also in respect of who admires him. In a position of excessive loneliness but, in some respects, looked for. Nothing, of course, that might mistake a real champion. It’s impossible not to be close to Kimi Raikkonen. Despite the character of the Finnish driver would be particularly cold you can’t not to appreciate, in addition to his driving style, his naturalness and his search for privacy in a world like the one of Formula 1, fake and based much on public relations. Last exponent in a long line of winning Finnish drivers, Kimi was a wiz kid of the Circus, he didn’t lose his way and indeed was capable to win a world title, he left F1 for two years and came back, managing to step onto the winner’s podium again. Ferrari Formula One driver and person who people call “Ice Man” for some very strange reason, Kimi Räikkönen is one of the most animated and articulate drivers. Ever. There is absolutely nothing that can kill Kimi Räikkönen’s chill. I’ve never seen a man deal with a car fire so calmly. Räikkönen’s Formula One car is literally on fire and he just steps out of it like he’s going to go take a nap. To Raikkonen's fans - and he has perhaps more than any other F1 driver - the Finn is the fastest man on four wheels and he just needs a car that suits him to prove it. Television pictures showed him blasting over the top of Raidillon (the left-hander over a crest at the top of Eau Rouge) into a cloud of smoke totally unsighted, but with his foot hard in it. So how to account for Raikkonen's enduring appeal, other than as a historical throwback? His personality has a lot to do with it. It’s the core of his appeal.
Kimi Raikkonen, Grand Prix of Spain, Circuit de Barcelona, Catalunya, 09 May 2004. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images.
Fast-tracked into the sport with the shortest CV on four wheels, the unknown newcomer who came from nowhere and said next to nothing immediately proved he knew exactly what he was doing: driving a Formula 1 car as fast as it could possibly go. By Gerald Donaldson.
The car couldn't always keep up with his talent and it took seven seasons for Kimi 'Iceman' Raikkonen to become World Champion. Notoriously inanimate and uncommunicative, the silent speedster's frozen expression in fact masked the hidden depths in one of the most original - and popular - characters in the sport's history ...
Kimi Matias Raikkonen spent his childhood in a house built by his great grandfather in Espoo, a suburb of the Finnish capital, Helsinki. To provide for Kimi and his older brother Rami, their hard-working parents Matti and Paula toiled, respectively, as a road builder and an office clerk.
Money was scarce but the Raikkonens were a happy family and their humble homestead surrounded by open countryside was an ideal environment for the two rambunctious youngsters to flex their racing muscles. At first (when Kimi was just three years old) the brothers tore around on miniature motocross bikes fitted with training wheels. A move to karts paved the way for Kimi (who began competitive karting at 10) and Rami (who eventually became a successful rally driver) to make rapid progress in motorsport, though it came at a cost. Matti had to work nights as a taxi driver and nightclub bouncer and funds diverted to karting meant plans to replace the outside lavatory with a proper bathroom in the family home had to be postponed.
Kimi, a reluctant student who used his schoolbag as a sled to slide down snow-covered hills, enjoyed winter sports, especially ice hockey, though he eventually gave it up because he hated getting up for early-morning practice. At 16 he left school and enrolled in a course for mechanics, believing this skill might be the only way to stay involved in motorsport. Very soon his mechanical expertise and the need for family funding became superfluous, as Kimi's natural talent for driving fast led to sponsored rides.
Following a rapid series of successes in Finnish, Nordic and European karting, he jumped into a racing car and promptly won two British-based Formula Renault championships. In the fall of 2000, despite having just 23 car races to his name, he was given a test by the Sauber Formula One team. Impressed by his immediate pace and assured approach, Sauber shrewdly signed the 21-year old to drive for them in 2001. His having short-circuited the conventional route to the top provoked fierce debate over his right, let alone his readiness, to race at the pinnacle of motorsport. Raikkonen rapidly silenced his critics (he finished sixth in his Grand Prix debut) and attracted the attention of McLaren, who saw him as a likely successor to the retiring two-time champion, Mika Hakkinen.
One Finn after another proved to be a good thing for McLaren, for whom Kimi never gave less than his maximum, always driving to a personal limit that at least equalled, sometimes exceeded, the best of his peers. Experts endlessly praised his seamless, straightforward, mostly mistake-free style. "I never really think about what I'm doing," Kimi said in a rare outburst of self-analysis. "I just do it."
His five seasons at McLaren coincided with a period of unevenly performing, often unreliable, cars. Yet he finished second in the championship twice (2003 and 2005), won nine races and finished in the top three on 36 occasions. His podium appearances and subsequent TV interviews exposed him to public scrutiny under which he tended to squirm and fidget, tugging his ears, rubbing his nose and trying to hide beneath his baseball cap. He seldom smiled, spoke sparingly in a mumbled monotone, then all but ran for the nearest exit.
Yet in his private life the poker-faced enigma's icy reserve was prone to spectacular bouts of thawing out. 'Drunken race ace Kimi bounced out of lapdance club for fiddling with his gearstick!' shrieked a headline in a British tabloid newspaper. Spanish media gleefully reported that the vodka-loving Flying Finn was found lying fast asleep outside a bar embracing an inflatable rubber dolphin. In Monaco he was filmed cavorting on a yacht, swaying unsteadily on the upper deck then falling onto on a lower level where he landed on his head.
"What I do in my private life doesn't make me drive any slower," the free-spirited speedster insisted. In truth, the Iceman's private life was running smoothly and he was well-settled on the domestic front, having in 2004 married Jenni Dahlmann, a gorgeous Finnish fashion model and former Miss Scandinavia. At their sumptuous Swiss home there was plenty of room for their two dogs and Kimi's car collection. Asked to name his most prized possessions, he replied: "my wife and my Ferrari Enzo."
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F2007, Grand Prix of Japan, Fuji Speedway, 30 September 2007. Photo by Paul-Henri Cahier/Getty Images.
In 2007 he began driving a Ferrari Formula One car for a living, having been hired (for a reported $41 million a year) to fill the considerable void left by the departing seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher, whose unrivalled work ethic and team leadership qualities were not part of a Raikkonen repertoire that seemed more akin to another past champion. A week before his debut with the team, Ferrari's new recruit was in Finland, winning a dangerous snowmobile race he had entered under the alias of 'James Hunt.'
He got off to a fast start with Ferrari, winning the season-opener from pole position, though by the penultimate race he was third in the driver standings, behind the McLaren team mates Fernando Alonso, seeking a third successive title and Lewis Hamilton, the record-breaking rookie. Though Raikkonen had won more races, five to their four apiece, he remained the longshot among the trio of contenders at the final race, in Brazil. The phlegmatic Finn delivered sensationally, winning the race and the 2007 World Drivers' Championship by a single point.
On the podium the new champion swigged and sprayed his champagne and, grinning at last, the Iceman broke his silence with a virtual torrent of words. "I'm very happy. I came from pretty much nothing but my family, friends and sponsors helped me get here. People will probably look at me differently and make up more stories about me. But I'm going to lead my life as I want and that's it."
And so he did. In two more seasons with Ferrari his results tapered off, as did his interest in continuing. At the end of 2009 Ferrari offered him a lucrative way out by buying up the final year of his contract (to make way for Fernando Alonso).
Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, drives during day two of Formula One winter testing at the Circuito de Jerez on February 8, 2012 in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Kimi spent the next two seasons amusing himself in the World Rally Championship, an experience he found no substitute for competing at the pinnacle of motorsport, where he returned in 2012 to drive for the Lotus F1 Team.
His comeback was a resounding success. He finished a remarkable third overall in the championship and led Lotus to a highly respectable fourth in the team standings. He was the only driver to complete all 20 races, one of which he won memorably.
Kimi won the first race of 2013, coming second in six others and collecting enough points to finish fifth among the drivers, despite missing the last two races to have an operation to repair a back injury.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during practice for the Singapore Formula One Grand Prix at the Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 25, 2009. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during practice ahead of the Singapore F1 Grand Prix at Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 19, 2014. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during practice for the Formula One Grand Prix of Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 18, 2015. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H and Max Verstappen driving the (33) Red Bull RB13 stop at the side of the circuit after colliding at the start during the F1 Grand Prix of Singapore at Marina Bay Street Circuit on September 17, 2017. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Then, in keeping with his tradition of independence, he announced he was leaving Lotus and would in 2014 return to the team where he won the 2007 championship: Ferrari.
His return to the Scuderia was a disaster, prompting speculation that the Iceman had finally melted. Humiliated by his team mate Fernando Alonso, who scored three times as many points, Raikkonen blamed his worst ever results on an inability to change his car’s handling to suit his driving style. The phlegmatic Finn handled the setback philosophically - “it doesn’t matter. It is what it is.” – an opinion that was shared by Ferrari, who retained his services for 2015.
‘Lacklustre’ and ‘underwhelming’ were some of the terms critics used to describe a 2015 season that seldom went smoothly for Kimi Raikkonen. There were more incidents and accidents than usual and he finished a distant fourth in the championship, well behind his new team mate Sebastian Vettel. Yet he remained arguably the most popular driver and Ferrari renewed his contract. “It’s not been an ideal year,” Kimi admitted. “That’s how it goes.”
Kimi Raikkonen driving the Ferrari SF15-T during F1 Live London at Trafalgar Square on July 12, 2017 in London, England. F1 Live London, the first time in Formula 1 history that all 10 teams come together outside of a race weekend to put on a show for the public in the heart of London. Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images for Formula 1.
Sebastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen on stage at the F1 Live in London event at Trafalgar Square on July 12, 2017 in London, England. Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Formula 1.
A resurgent Raikkonen - rejuvenated by a contract extension for 2017 and remaining relaxed amid the chaos that unsettled his team mate Vettel - was often Ferrari’s main threat in 2016.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during final practice for the United States F1 Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on October 24, 2015 in Austin, United States. Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives during final practice for the United States F1 Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on October 24, 2015 in Austin, United States. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari and Valtteri Bottas, Williams, walk to the drivers parade before the United States Formula One Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas on October 23, 2016 in Austin, United States. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
And in 2017 - fourteen years after he made his F1 debut and nearly a decade since he won the driving title - Kimi Raikkonen continued to be a fixture in the sport.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, drives past the Olympic Cauldron during practice ahead of the Russian F1 Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom on October 10, 2014. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
F1 World Championship 2014, Grand Prix of Russia, grid girls. Photo by Hoch Zwei/Corbis via Getty Images.
F1 World Championship 2014, Grand Prix of Russia, grid girls. Photo by Hoch Zwei/Corbis via Getty Images.
Grid girls pose before the Russian Formula One Grand Prix at Sochi Autodrom on October 12, 2014. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
F1 World Championship 2014, Grand Prix of Russia, grid girls. Photo by Hoch Zwei/Corbis via Getty Images.
Grid girls pose during the drivers' parade before the Formula One Grand Prix of Russia at Sochi Autodrom on October 11, 2015 in Sochi, Russia. Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images.
Grid Girls at the drivers parade ahead of the Formula One Grand Prix of Russia at Sochi Autodrom on May 1, 2016 in Sochi, Russia. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
A girl at the 2016 Formula 1 Russian Grand Prix at the Sochi Autodrom Circuit in Olympic Park. Sergei Bobylev/TASS. Photo by Sergei Bobylev\TASS via Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen seen during a drivers' track parade ahead of the 2017 Formula One Russian Grand Prix at the Sochi Autodrom racing circuit. Photo by Vyacheslav Prokofyev \ TASS via Getty Images.
Girls seen ahead of the 2017 Formula One Russian Grand Prix at the Sochi Autodrom racing circuit. Photo by Vyacheslav Prokofyev \ TASS via Getty Images.
Grid Girls during the F1 Grand Prix of Russia on April 30, 2017 in Sochi, Russia. Photo by Peter J Fox/Getty Images.
Grid girls at the drivers parade during the Formula One Grand Prix of Russia on April 30, 2017 in Sochi, Russia. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
No longer a race winner, but dutifully performing his role as understudy to his team leader Sebastian Vettel, he finished fourth in the 2017 driver standings and scored a fair share of the points that enabled Ferrari to secure second place among the teams. For his contribution the Faithful Finn was given another contract extension for a further year.
Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari, waves to the crowd on the drivers parade before the F1 Grand Prix of Mexico at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on October 28, 2018 in Mexico City. Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen finished a solid third overall in the 2018 Drivers’ Championship, racing reliably, scoring points regularly (including 12 podiums and a 21st career win at the US GP) and remaining a bright spot in an otherwise frustrating year for Ferrari, for whom his 2007 driving title made him the famous team’s last World Champion. His uncomplicated character provided a valuable steadying influence during the periods of disarray that again plagued Ferrari. He enjoyed continuing popularity with the fans, among them Sebastian Vettel, who declared Kimi his best ever team mate.
Kimi-watchers saw his traditionally inanimate demeanour enlivened by frequent smiles. The offbeat oddball celebrated for his silence even spoke more. He was a happy man and it showed.
Minttu Virtannen at the 2014 Austrian GP in Spielberg. Photo by Melzer / Ullstein picture via Getty Images.
Having sorted out his sometimes turbulent private life he now relished his role as the head of a charming family: wife Minttu, young son Robin and baby daughter Rianna.
But he still loved his racing. At the age of 39 and a multimillionaire, the veteran of 294 Grands Prix could easily have retired to his sumptuous estates in Switzerland and Finland. Instead, he signed a two-year contract with Alfa Romeo Racing – formerly Sauber – in a back-to-the-future return to where his great F1 adventure began.
From 2019 the newly-renamed team was comfortably led by the sport’s oldest driver. Kimi, who turned 40 in October of that year, proved his motivation was undiminished by earning 43 of the Swiss squad’s 57 points, emphatically outscoring team mate Antonio Giovinazzi – 15 years younger than the 'elderly' Iceman.
Toiling in the relative obscurity of the eighth-placed Swiss-based team suited the publicity-shy Finn well. Living nearby enabled him to frequent the factory where his presence helped inspire the personnel and contribute to the car’s development. Moreover, the more mature Kimi Raikkonen, once notorious as a rowdy tearaway but now a devoted family man, was finding his private life especially rewarding.
In 2021 Raikkonen finally decided that those rewards outweighed the racing ones and, after a record 349 starts as an F1 driver, the 42-year-old veteran retired from the sport. In his last season, though forced to sit out two races after testing positive for Covid-19, he scored 10 of his Alfa Romeo Racing team’s 13 points. In a career spanning nearly half his lifetime and driving for five different teams he scored 21 wins, 103 podiums, 18 poles, 46 fastest laps and a world championship in 2007.
“I also said it last year, when I reached the end of the contract. I would like to stop being the last Ferrari champion. I sincerely hope it can happen very soon. I always want the best for Ferrari and I hope that someone will soon be able to win the World Championship. By continuing to improve someone will succeed.” Kimi Raikkonen
“Of course I always have some pain, I'm getting old, I think it's normal. It is not so much the neck as the shoulders. Let's say it's the other side of what you like, the older you get the more pain you have.” Kimi Raikkonen
“Breaking the Barrichello Grands Prix record? For me is the same.” Kimi Raikkonen
“I don't know if these cars are more difficult to drive than in the past, it would take a good memory … Now remember what happened in 2001… With those single-seaters you pushed hard, now the races are managed differently. The best way to compare them would be a test with both cars. I've had a lot of exciting battles. In many seasons I have fought against Michael. And in the beginning against drivers like Mika Hakkinen and Mika Salo, the 'olds'. Then the 'new ones' arrived and I have fun with them too." Kimi Raikkonen
"In the past, experience was very important or at least it made a difference. Today everything is different. There aren't many tests anymore but the kids have other useful tools at their disposal to prepare themselves to the best. Throughout my career, my driving style has remained more or less the same. I would say that sport has changed the most.” Kimi Raikkonen
Peter Sauber and Kimi Raikkonen.
End of October 2000. At the headquarters in Hinwill, Switzerland, the test schedules are being prepared for the 2001 season when Peter Sauber's phone rings. The owner of the Swiss team is launching a championship in the name of concreteness and, when he receives the call from David Robertson, he is amazed: "hey Peter, I have a little boy on my hands who makes sparks, why don't you organize a test with a F1 car to test him?" Sauber is not looking for drivers but a test can be done, also because there is one of them scheduled at Mugello for the end of the month and there are three or four drivers to check. “Okay, take him to Tuscany and I'll make him do laps with the others I have on the list,” Peter Sauber says, but Robertson insists. That kid is quick, but he has to test alone for three days, otherwise the test makes no sense. Peter Sauber thinks about it for a while, but he knows Robertson well and has always trusted him: "okay, but if it's a scam at the first opportunity I'll take it into account," Sauber replies. “Don't worry, you'll see it's worth it, he's a phenomenon,” David Robertson concludes. One detail is missing: the name of the driver, which Sauber forgets to ask at first: "can you tell me who I have to give this 100,000 euro free test gift to?," the Swiss boss asks amused. "Raikkonen, his name is Kimi Raikkonen and he is really fast". Peter Sauber hangs up the phone and wonders to himself how he managed to get fooled by that old fox Robertson, but then instinct tells him to trust. After all, if it goes well he has a champion on his hands to wean and maybe resell, if it goes wrong it will not be one more test to change the fate of the team. And then, the Mugello circuit is a track with no excuses: either you go fast or you are destined to fail. Meanwhile, Sauber asks for a résumé of Raikkonen and, when they discover that in total he has just attended 23 car races, most of which in Formula Renault, someone in Hinwill wonders if old Peter has not gotten too old for F1. But now the word is given, it must be kept and on this Sauber is an old-fashioned gentleman. We leave, destination Mugello and Kimi is ready to wait for the team. The first day was spent fine-tuning the cockpit and discovering an F1 car. The boy is quick but he doesn't score excellent times. Late in the evening, a technician mounts him four new tires and tells Kimi to get it on. "Not yet, I'm not yet ready to do what I want with an F1, let's wait for the right moment otherwise I'll frustrate everything," Raikkonen replies seriously. The tenor of the conversation is reported to Peter Sauber who, for the second day of testing, decides to go to Mugello and see to who he has put in hands his F1. With Sauber there is also Willy Rampf, a sort of technical director and factotum of the Swiss team. The meeting between Raikkonen and Sauber is destined to make history: one speaks little or no English, the other does not speak English at all. They shake hands and look into each other's eyes. It is the body language that convinces Sauber that the kid has the numbers to race in F1. In his career he has seen Michael Schumacher, Karl Wendlinger, Heinz-Harald Frentzen, Andrea de Cesaris, Nicola Larini, Gianni Morbidelli, Mika Salo and many others: something tells him to trust. “Usually, as soon as they get to F1 they want to prove to be fast, Raikkonen doesn't. He wanted to understand the car and then give his best. It was the first time a driver had done this. I made up my mind, talked to Robertson and got him to sign a four-year contract”. On those days at the end of October 2000 in Mugello, Kimi Raikkonen's career in F1 began. By Paolo Ciccarone.
Michael Schumacher understood it there, in that attempt to overtake in Melbourne, that the 2003 season would be tough, very tough. He understood that another Finn would prove to be a dangerous opponent as well as an obstacle for the sixth title and the run-up to Fangio. Who knows, maybe he regretted having said to Peter Sauber during that day of testing in 2000: ''I don't know who was driving the car, but you have to hire him, he will become a great one!'' Thanks to that young driver who challenged the super champion, 2003 is remembered as one of the best years of the F1 of the new millennium.
Michael Schumacher, Ferrari, watches Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari F2008, at the Monaco Grand Prix.
"Listen, once Raikkonen was already with us. Schumi comes to me and tells me: look at the telemetry, there are curves that Kimi makes in a crazy way, only he can do it. That is the Finn, as a driver, cannot be discussed, he has an exceptional talent." Luca Baldisseri
Race winner Lewis Hamilton is congratulated by Kimi Raikkonen in Parc Ferme, following the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on April 19, 2015. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
“I don't know if Kimi knows it, when I was little I really wanted to get to Formula 1 and I played F1 with the PlayStation. I always used McLaren and always chose Kimi. And this is crazy. I never opted for Montoya, but I was always Kimi in his car. I've always wanted to compete against him. It's amazing to think about how life develops and the opportunities I've had to work with these legends. I don't know if they realize the respect that the younger generations have for them. Maybe yes". Lewis Hamilton
Leo Turrini: “Kimi laughs like a child. Honestly, I have seen many drivers, but one in a state of ecstasy like him I have not seen. You see that Kimi is really happy and feels to be back home.” “I owe to Kimi a heart attack (real) post-Interlagos 2007. But I talked to him twice in my life. Mystical experience, however. So nothing personal. Zero private interests. I just think Raikkonen is a great driver. I use the present, not the past tense.”
In a day where too many drivers of all disciplines are little more than a bunch of crybabies, Kimi is the ultimate throwback. He loves to drive and he loves to party and, when he opens his mouth, he is the most honest driver on the grid because he just says it like he sees it. The infield parties there are the stuff of legend and I think James Hunt 2.0 would love it there.
Kimi Raikkonen and Minttu Virtanen are seen on Iceman Yacht on August 6, 2015 in Ibiza, Spain. Photo by Iconic/GC Images.
Minttu Virtanen is seen on August 6, 2015 in Ibiza, Spain. Photo by Europa Press/Europa Press via Getty Images.
No yachts per se, but the girls are just as pretty. Raikkonen is not comparable to any great driver of the past, he’s so great by himself. The best Kimi is probably the one of 2005 and 2007.
Nico Rosberg, Mercedes, celebrates his win on the podium with Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari and Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes, during the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on April 3, 2016 in Sakhir, Bahrain. Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H on track during practice for the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on April 14, 2017. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H on track during practice for the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on April 14, 2017. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
The fact he’s still competitive in 2017 gives you an idea of his talent. However, having to think of Kimi’s best year, I choose 2007.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H on track during the Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit on June 25, 2017 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images.
Kimi Raikkonen driving the (7) Scuderia Ferrari SF70H on track during the Azerbaijan F1 Grand Prix at Baku City Circuit on June 25, 2017 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images.
Budapest, July 30, 2017.
Budapest, July 30, 2017.
His was an extraordinary thing. One who’s 17 points behind with just 20 points still up for grabs, for sure has to benefit from rival’s mistakes. But he had to be perfect in an extreme circumstance. And the Finnish was, confirming his pure talent. He could also win the title in 2005 and 2008 but in both circumstances it didn’t depend on him. However, I believe world titles have to be “weighed”, not only counted. Kimi and Mansell have won one each. They weren’t and aren’t less good than people who won more.
Jacques Villeneuve said: “Raikkonen is exceptional. Much more than a number two. I wonder that someone still won’t accept it. Between him and Vettel the difference is one tenth a lap at most. And Kimi is a perfect mate: he stimulates you, because if you don’t drive hard he’s in front of you. And he never stocks tension within the team.”
For journalists, he is, frankly, often a bit of a nightmare. He can, it has to be said, sometimes give long, informative answers, even a hint of a smile. This is "chatty Kimi", although the mumbling never goes away and it is often really quite hard to catch what he's saying. But, usually, his general disdain for anything other than driving shines through and there is a succession of non-committal answers and cliches. Frustration with this has, for many, turned into a kind of resigned amusement. One journalist has even invented a game he calls "Raikkonen bingo". He goes into news conferences with a list of Raikkonen's most-used phrases and ticks them off as they come up: "it is what it is". "I don't know". "It's the same for everyone". "We do our own thing". And everyone's favourite: "bwoah", with which Raikkonen starts every answer to a potentially difficult question. But it is this refusal to conform that appeals to people about Raikkonen. Never mind that answering questions is part of his job, that giving rubbish answers short-changes his fans as well as the media. People like that he is different, and seems not to care. And his brusque team radio utterances only burnish his reputation.
Sebastian Vettel describes Raikkonen as "the least complicated" team-mate he has had in F1. "In general I got along with all the team-mates I had", the German says. "Here and there we had some difficulties but with Kimi there are no politics. That is good. It keeps everything quiet. We put our own egos aside. They are not so big. I would say Kimi and I have the least ego problems of the whole paddock, which is good for the team. We race hard but outside the car there is no problem". And his driving skills? "He is a world champion for a reason", Vettel says. "He could have been a multiple world champion if the early years of McLaren gave him a better car. He is one of the best drivers we have on the grid, no doubt."
“You cannot change him, he is a special person, the most particular one ever seen in F1. He has such experience and determination that he is completely disinterested in what public relations are, he doesn't want any and if you ask him stupid questions, he will answer the same. Even though I can't consider him a friend, I really like him as a person, so I think he's right to stay as he is." Jackie Stewart
The fact that many who have worked with him say the "Iceman" image is an inaccurate construct is irrelevant. An image - and a successful one - it is. He is described as quiet, taciturn or cold, just like professional, focused, fast and cool. In addition to driving skills Räikkönen proves in the rugged world of Formula 1 also strength of character. He drives boat races in a gorilla suit, he answered reporters’ questions freezing cold and he wins Formula 1 races. This Finn cannot be bended and says what he thinks – if he says something. Many people – including Formula 1 fans and experts – think it’s even still a rumour, but it is true: Kimi Räikkönen is an entertaining man! If you did not know better, you might almost think, the Finn let out his dry patters with the intention to test, which of the journalists understands his humour and which not. The hardest statements you can read here.
Kimi Raikkonen speaks with guests during a Shell guest appearance in Ferrari hospitality during previews ahead of the Abu Dhabi F1 Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit on November 20, 2014 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Kimi's top quotes
“Just leave me alone, I know what I'm doing”, in response to his team updating him on his position, Abu Dhabi 2012.
“Do you want me to keep doing laps and laps, because I get nothing out of this", on repeated lap testing in free practice two, Spain 2015.
“Where are the blue flags? I have been following him the whole ******* lap", following a back-marker, European GP 2016.
“That guy keeps pushing me off every time when I'm next to him. So if that's legal, then I will do the same", frustrated at Max Verstappen's driving style, Texas 2015.
“Driving is the only thing I love about F1”.
“Others can sit in the simulators if they want. I´m here to drive”.
“It’s all the same if it rains or not”.
“Ferrari’s own parties are the nicest. There are all the crew and their children. I don’t know exactly what I will do there. Maybe I will be Santa. Other parties are official and boring”.
“My life would be much easier had I been a F1 driver in the 70’s with the guys. I was definitely born in the wrong era”.
“I’m not going to a language school to learn Italian, that’s not what I came to do at Ferrari”.
Q: the most favourite turn?
KR: “Eau Rouge”.
Q: my career in a memory?
KR: “2007 F1 World Championship victory”.
Q: if you could choose the only food to eat for the rest of your life?
KR: “salmon? Very Scandinavian …. “.
Kimi Raikkonen, Lotus, drives during practice for the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit of Spa Francorchamps on August 31, 2012. Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images.
Shell promotion girls form a guard of honour at their hospitality unit before the Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit of Spa Francorchamps on September 2, 2012. Photo by Getty Images for Shell.
Q: if you could choose one circuit to race …
KR: “Spa”.
Kimi Raikkonen drives a Ferrari into the Kimi Raikkonen Tag Heuer cocktail party at Atlantic on March 12, 2008 in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Robert Prezioso/Getty Images.
Q: if you could choose one road car …
KR: “Ferrari, no doubt. Any kind of Ferrari”.
Q: if you could choose one location for your vacations ….
KR: “home. Who needs a location for vacations?”
Q: if you could choose one racing car …
KR: “the Ferrari, the one I won the 2007 World Championship”.
Q: if you could choose one city to live ….
KR: “the place where I spend the summer. It has a name but I only say it’s in Finland”.
Q: if you could choose one person to live with …
KR: “my family. I can’t choose one person”.
Q: if you could choose one mean of transport …
KR: “the car, what else?”.
Q: if you could choose one age to live …
KR: “any. I’m very happy of my whole life”.
Q: if you could choose one band or singer to listen to …
KR: “when I was a boy I liked Guns N’ Roses, but it was long time ago”.
Q: if you could choose one dessert …
KR: “Finnish candy”.
Q: the most exciting moment during the race weekend?
KR: “I think it’s the race start, always.”
Q: “the most boring?”
KR: “now”.
Q: “how does it feels to drive at 300 km/h?”
KR: “it feels normal”.
Q: what do you do in the night before the race?
A: “I sleep!”
“Formula 1 would be a paradise without the media”.
Q: would you go to any other team than Ferrari?
KR: “probably not”.
Q: definitely not?
KR: “I said probably not”.
Q: why Kimi became a race-driver and not an icehockey-player?
“I have decided to do motorsports because I don´t have to get up so early in the morning”.
Kimi seems to have a new strategy to get rid of the journalists: ”ah, go and interview Mikko Leppilampi. He likes to talk”.
Q: Kimi, what’s the 5th grid place like?
KR: “it’s the 5th grid place”.
Q: what is on your I-Pod?
KR: “mostly Finnish music, all sorts. You wouldn’t know, so it doesn’t matter what I say”.
Q: Kimi, how is the cooperation in the Team. Do you get along with everyone?
KR: “yeah it´s fine. But they have a much harder time with me than I with anyone else”.
Q: what do you mean?
KR: “I am a bit lazy sometimes”.
Lewis Hamilton said that winning his first race felt better than having sex. Kimi´s reply to that was: “maybe he never had sex”.
Q: Kimi, have you ever got angry about anything and jumped up and down and shouted?
KR: “yeah, many times but of course you’re not happy if you retire or something but I guess it mostly happens more in normal life than in racing.”
Q: can you give us examples?
KR: “no, not really”.
Q: what are the kind of things that make you angry in normal life, as you say?
KR: “if you keep asking questions like those”.
Kimi and his wife Minttu at the 2016 Italian Grand Prix.
Kimi Räikkönen on the question whether he likes it when his wife accompanied him to the races: ”yes, without her the evening in the hotel room is so boring”.
Kimi on Finnish Independence-Day Party at the President’s castle: “I think I will skip the dancing part. Maybe someone else dances with Jenni if she wants”.
Q: do you have any special rituals when the helmet is concerned like many other drivers have?
KR: “I wipe it, so that I can see better”.
Q: Gossip Media asks how have you prepared for the saison?
KR: “I usually get to read from your magazines what I have done”.
Kimi answered a question about his lack of emotion after winning a Grand Prix.
KR: “it’s not my style. Yeah, winning feels good, but I’m not the type of guy who jumps up and down and rubs it in everyone’s face”.
Q: what can be done in Finland?
KR: “well, in summer there’s fishing and shagging. And in winter the fishing is bad”.
In 2022, while the world talks about Charles Leclerc's victory, Kimi Raikkonen is enjoying his retirement complete with a Ferrari-branded cake.
Kimi and family on a sled.
"There's a lot of bullshit going around in Formula 1. Personally, I'm happy to finally be out of it. There are so many things that are wrong, so many things that don't make sense. There are so many false things that are part of this world. We know all this, but no one has the courage to say it." Kimi Raikkonen
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