Kimi Räikkönen

Probably one of the coolest drivers ever to grace F1 alongside James Hunt.

His part life-style may not have been to some teams liking in F1 but you can't deny that Kimi was probably one of the best drivers on the grid from 2003-09. He should have won more championships than he did!

Kimi won his one and only F1 Championship in 2007. Kimi won 18 races, 16 pole positions, scored 62 podiums and claimed 35 fastest laps in his time in F1.

Kimi is probably the must unluckiest driver to ever grace F1 and the amount of retirements he had no fault of his own were lots.

Kimi won his first GP in 2003 winning the Malaysian GP and he claimed his last victory in F1 at the 2009 Belguim GP.

Kimi started his F1 career in 2001 driving for Sauber, he then went on to drive for Mclaren and Ferrari before quitting the sport in 2009.

Kimi produced probably the 2 most funniest moments to happen in F1 over the last 10 years, when he said at the Brazilian GP in 2006 when Schumi first retired from F1 and the other one at the Malaysian GP where the race was red flagged and he went to the garage and got into shorts, t-shirt and flip-flops and started eating ice-cream.

Whether you liked him or not you can't deny his talent, he produced one of the comebacks of the past 10 season by starting near the back of the Japan GP in 2005 and went on to win it! Probably one of his best race wins in F1.

Did you like Kimi or Not?

 

[no-FIAt-please]

For those who think Raikkonen is only here to collect his pay packet.

http://www.f1fanatic.co.uk/2014/05/21/raikkonen-regrets-kept-racing/

 

[Titch]

That's quite a long statement from him, he must feel very strongly on the subject.

 

[RasputinLives]

or you could say it suggests he would rather be doing things other than F1. Depends on your stance.

 

[Titch]

Nothing to do with my stance, more likely to depend on his stance.

 

[teabagyokel]

He's not a mercenary any more than anyone else is, but I think he is far less interested in the glamour side of F1. I suspect he'd be far happier back in the 60s or 70s when there were fewer journalists, cars at the very limit and opportunities to have a go at the Indy and Le Mans and CanAm and F2 and non-Championship races.

He's a throwback to pre-Bernie life.

 

[Mephistopheles]

I think all he is saying is that back in Jack's day F1 drivers didn't just drive in F1 they also drove in F2, Le Mans 24 hour and other forms of racing at the same time and he wishes it was still like that..

 

[Incubus]

I think what really signalled the end of the multi-discipline racing driver dates back to 1985.

Following the successive deaths of Manfred Winkelhock and Sefan Bellof a month apart both at the wheel of a Porsche 956, F1 teams got together and agreed among themselves to include clauses in F1 drivers' contracts preventing them from taking part in any form of competitive motorsport.

 

[Jen]

....... to include clauses in F1 drivers' contracts preventing them from taking part in any form of competitive motorsport.

Sounds about right. Bernie certainly took that one on board!

 

[Mephistopheles]

That didn't stop Robert Kubica, but it does kinda prove a point..

 

[Titch]

Had Robert Kubica signed the clause?

 

[Incubus]

Ayrton Senna was said to have had a clause on his Lotus contract forbidding him from riding motorcycles, but that didn't stop him from doing just that anyway...

 

[RasputinLives]

Same with Kimi and snow mobile racing.

 

[Bushi]

Other than rally and motorbikes, how many accidents with injuries do you have in auto sport? Slim to none, so I don't see the problem.

 

[Slyboogy]

Quite unlucky in the last race.

Looked to be on course for a podium after a great start, another race where he looked good for a decent result only for it not to happen.

 

[Titch]

He was third at one point wasn't he? Then it all just slid away. Why is that?

 

[teabagyokel]

Titch - Chilton hit him when unlapping himself behind Safety Car, then Raikkonen had to pit because of a puncture, dropping him right to the back of the field.

 

[Titch]

Thanks teabagyokel. I remember now.

 

[no-FIAt-please]

Raikkonen got fastest lap in Monaco, one more and he will be joint 2nd on the all-time list with Prost on 41. I don't see Schumacher being caught on 77, still quite the achievement.

 

[rufus_mcdufus]

Kimi to quit F1 in 2015?
http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/114785

 

[RasputinLives]

What he actually said is he'll stop when his contract with Ferrari ends. He didn't say he wouldn't extend it.

To be honest I wouldn't miss him and would certainly be dissapointed if he stuck around at Ferrari much longer and denied us the spectacule of a young driver on the ascent of his career coming up against Alonso on the decent of his. Young hopeful bloodies nose of old hand is always a good story to watch.