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?

 

[F1Brits_90]

I love kimi but its right decision despite in last 6 races producing his best form sinces he's been at Ferrari. but got to take into account he's had been awful in 2015 16 & 17. surprised kimi off to sauber must be as a mentor maybe to giovinazzi. because in 2015 16 & 17 as I say the guy struggled for motivation when podiums were at stake nevermind racing for 10th. he's a fantastic character I get the argument that kimi & Alonso leaving at same time would be a blow,

but by the 2020 abu dhabi gp he will have turned 41. only Micheal Schumacher, Vittoro Brambilla, Jaques Laffite, Mario Andretti, Nigel Mansell, Pedro De la Rosa & Rene Arnoux would be driven a F1 Car older than him in last 40 years surely we want him to leave at the top

 

[cider_and_toast]

must be as a mentor maybe to giovinazzi.

I really can't see Kimi mentoring anyone. He is one of the most hard to understand drivers in F1. He's been around for 17 years and yet I haven't got a clue what motivates him or why he keeps doing it. He was even a world champion more by accident than design. A very strange character. Certainly not the first name on the list I would think of if I wanted to employ a driver to mentor.

 

[RasputinLives]

Money motivates him. I can't see Giovanzzi landing a drive now I'm afraid unless Haas suddenly pick him up. Looks to me like they'll keep who they have though.

 

[F1Brits_90]

I really can't see Kimi mentoring anyone. He is one of the most hard to understand drivers in F1. He's been around for 17 years and yet I haven't got a clue what motivates him or why he keeps doing it. He was even a world champion more by accident than design. A very strange character. Certainly not the first name on the list I would think of if I wanted to employ a driver to mentor.

true. im just trying to make some sense of it as you say, he been around 17years & In them 17 years I feel like I know him very well as much as you can without ever meeting him, like you do with a lot of sportsman after a while. I just dont get it. I dont understand why he would want to drive in the midfield

 

[Greenlantern101]

It is a strange decision, but look how well the same move went for Alonso...Oh hang on.

 

[Grizzly]

I think placing Kimi at Sauber is, at least in some part, an insurance policy for Ferrari should Leclerc not hit the ground running...

 

[aaron8831]

The unverified rumor that I saw yesterday said that Kimi was also getting some ownership stake in Sauber in exchange for swapping seats.

 

[cider_and_toast]

Yes, he's expected to own 75% of the corporate hospitality area.

 

[RasputinLives]

Kimi already owns his own team - we'll be pays for it and Robertson runs it. Be interesting to see if that name suddenly appears on the car.

 

[RasputinLives]

Also just thought. If he part owns the team now does that mean Ericsson's backers are out and so will be Ericsson?

 

[vintly]

I love this switch. Ferrari's delay in not replacing Kimi sooner will perhaps be seen as an error – I'd rather he'd gone sooner – but Leclerc seems like the right fella for the job. And keeping Kimi on at Sauber is great for F1. Usually I'd prefer an oldie like Kimi to hang up his gloves in favour of new blood, but he's gonna be good value for a season or two yet.

 

[Angel]

If Kimi does now own part of the team does that mean next year they'll be sponsored by a Vodka or Ice Cream maker?

 

[F1Brits_90]

they going to announce magnum sponsorship for 2019

 

[Galahad]

Great decision by Ferrari, terrible one by Sauber. Raikkonen is an astonishing negotiator...or has the best manager in the pitlane ever. He was such a talented and exciting driver once, but few will remember that, and this move will complete the tarnishing of his reputation.

 

[cider_and_toast]

He could quite clearly follow Alonso's route through the WEC and Indy racing. Imagine if he nipped in under Alonso's nose and won the triple crown? But no, he's content to paddle around in a Sauber for two years to no good end. Where the chuff did Sauber get the cash to pay for Kimi anyway? It wasn't so long ago they were hiring pay drivers by the dozen and on the verge of collapse.

 

[siffert_fan]

I still admire Kimi. He has been the only F1 driver that I am aware of that had the nerve to compete in the WRC where the "world's best drivers" REALLY reside. If you doubt that, try to imagine F1 races taking place in rain, snow, hail and sleet, and on surfaces of sand, mud and gravel!

Having said that, I still think that it is time he called it a day in F1.

I, for one, would love to see him beat Alonso by winning the triple crown (as C_A_T suggested) although, in all honesty, I would prefer for Graham to continue to be the sole winner of that distinction.

 

[Bill Boddy]

This may tie up with something that happened in the pit lane walk in Monza. There seemed to have been some sort of incident which required the presence of medical personnel at the Sauber garage. A fight over who is going to have the seat, perhaps?

 

[Grizzly]

Great decision by Ferrari, terrible one by Sauber.

I'm not so sure that Sauber have made any kind of decision at all: My understanding is that as part of the latest commercial tie-up between Ferrari and Sauber (or FCA and Sauber to be more precise), Ferrari have one of the seats there. Observer, commentator and sofa logic will all quickly reach the same conclusion - that Ferrari should place a junior there, Giovinazzi perhaps being the most obvious choice, but as is so often the case, this is not about choosing the 'best' driver.

 

[Il_leone]

Sauber's relationship as pointed was they expect to field at least one Ferrari backed driver . It appears people power have forced Ferrari to dig themselves out of a bit of a mess to place Kimi in their sister brand - Alfa Romeo which is pretty much a rebadged Ferrari

As for Kimi - well someone must be offering decent enough money to him to drive for Sauber otherwise he would not take it for a start

On the other hand Sauber have the only other world champion on the grid so its good PR apart from Vettel and Hamilton
------------------

Giovinazzi is getting screwed over but Ericsson seat is not confirmed despite his backers

 

[siffert_fan]

I would love to see this happen:

Giovinazzi to partner Raikkonen at Sauber? - Pitpass.com