Kimi Raikkönen

**Kimi-Matias Räikkönen**, nicknamed "**The Iceman**", is a former Finnish racing driver, last driving in Formula 1.5 for Alfa Romeo Racing, racing under the Finnish flag.

Räikkönen entered Formula 1.5 as a regular driver for Sauber-Petronas in 2001, having competed in only 23 car races previously. In September 2013, Ferrari announced his re-signing on a two-year contract, beginning in the 2014 season. Räikkönen left Ferrari at the end of the 2018 season, and moved to Alfa Romeo Racing on a two year contract, Räikkönen signed a contract to drive for Alfa Romeo until the end of 2021, he then retired from the sport.

## F1.5 Career

### **Sauber (2001)**

#### **2001 Season**

Peter Sauber gave the Finn a test with the Sauber Formula One team in September 2000 at the Mugello Circuit. On just the second day of the test, Räikkönen lapped half a second quicker than regular driver Pedro Diniz. Sauber had kept the news of his test quiet to distract potential competitors, internally referring to Räikkönen as "Eskimo". After further tests in Jerez and Barcelona, Sauber signed Räikkönen for the 2001 season. However, some critics (including FIA president Max Mosley) voiced concerns over granting an F1 Super Licence to such an inexperienced driver; Räikkönen had only 23 car races to his credit. He was nevertheless granted his licence from the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) after a performance delivery promise by his team boss, Peter Sauber, and scored a championship podium in his debut at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix. Reportedly, Räikkönen was asleep 30 minutes before the race.

Raikkonen had a solid year, scoring at 9 of the 17 races. This included seven podiums (3 Wins, 1 Second-Place and 3 third place's). He finished the season third in the championship with 53 points.

### **McLaren (2004)**

#### **2004 Season**

2004 saw the return of Kimi to the F1.5 Championship after a 2 year stint in F1. McLaren's pace drop was the reason for the return to championship.

The McLaren, especially the Mercedes engine, suffered repeated breakdowns, allowing him to complete just two of the first seven events. After seven rounds Räikkönen had only two point finishes. Kimi took his maiden pole position in F1.5 at Monaco, followed by a 2nd in a row at the European GP. In Canada, Räikkönen made 5 pit-stops but was classified second since the Williams-BMWs and the two Toyotas were disqualified. At the United States Grand Prix, Räikkönen finished second again.

At the French Grand Prix, McLaren rolled out the new MP4-19B. Räikkönen finished second behind his team-mate, David Coulthard. At Silverstone, Räikkönen took pole and went on to win the race, which was his first win of the season. Following on from this encouraging display, the McLarens qualified on the second row of the grid in Germany. Both cars got off to a good start, however Räikkönen lost his rear wing on lap 13 of the race while leading. He retired again from the Hungarian Grand Prix, again on lap 13. At Belgium, Kimi won his 2nd race of the season. The next weekend at Monza, Räikkönen again retired on lap 13, this time owing to electrical problems. At the next race in China, he finished 1st for the third and final time of the year. At the Japanese Grand Prix, Räikkönen was shunted by Felipe Massa on the first lap of the race, which caused him handling problems. He later managed to make up some ground: he finished 2nd. At the last race of the season, the Brazilian Grand Prix, he finished 2nd.

Raikkonen finished the season on 80 points in 4th place.

### **Ferrari (2014)**

#### **2014 Season**

Kimi returned to F1.5 after 10 years, due to a lack of pace from the Ferrari in the new technichal regulations.

A rule change for the 2014 season allowed drivers to pick a unique car number that they will use for their entire F1 career. Räikkönen however decided to retain the No. 7 car number as "It's the number I already had last year and I saw no reason to change it".

The season started with three point finished followed by a third in China and 2nd at Spain. Kimi was on for another podium in Monaco, however, Max Chilton punctured Räikkönen's left-rear tyre while unlapping himself during a safety car period, forcing Räikkönen to make a second pitstop. Räikkönen then set the fastest lap of the race on lap 75, but finished 8th. The final notable race before the summer break was at Hungary where he finished 2nd.

After a mostly disappointing first half of the season, Räikkönen had a return to form at the first race back after the summer break in Belgium, where a good strategy and a series of fastest laps earned him the win, which was his only one of the season. It was also the first time Räikkönen had finished higher in a race than Alonso in 2014. Kimi then took third place at the next race, then third again at the end of the season in Brazil.

Kimi finished the season fourth with 212 points. Throughout the season, Räikkönen struggled with the car's lack of turn-in on corner entry and the feeling of the new brake-by-wire systems, saying that "We try somehow to balance it out and try to have a front end on the car, but it is very, very difficult. I hate it when there is no front end on the car."

### **Alfa Romeo (2019-2021)**

#### **2019 Season**

On 11 September 2018, it was announced that Räikkönen would leave Ferrari at the end of the season to rejoin Sauber on a two-year contract, the team he made his Formula 1.5 debut with in 2001. Räikkönen made his Sauber return in the postseason Abu Dhabi Pirelli tyre test driving their 2018 car. The Sauber team was renamed Alfa Romeo Racing prior to the start of the 2019 season.

Räikkönen had an impressive first half of the season, appearing on the podium for the first three races. He took a total of 7 podiums before the summer break, as well as a pole position at Germany. However, after the summer break, the Alfa Romeo Racing C38 struggled for pace. Raikkonen started from pole in Belgium, but made contact with other cars around him in turn 1, which plummeted him down the order. He finished the race tenth. Kimi's final podium finish of the season was at Brazil where he finished 2nd place.

Kimi finished the season 7th with 186 points.

#### **2020 Season**

Räikkönen remained at the Alfa Romeo Racing team for the 2020 season. The team's Ferrari-powered car proved to be one of the slowest cars of the season, and the team was left fighting at the back of the grid against Haas and Williams. During the season Räikkönen scored points nine times. Kimi was the highest scoring Ferrari-powered car four times during the season.

Kimi finished the season with a career low of 35 points and 11th place in the drivers standings. He won the FIA Action of the Year award for his opening lap at the Portuguese Grand Prix, where he overtook 10 cars.

#### **2021 Season**

Kimi started the season with a 7th place finish in Bahrain, followed by a P10 in Imola. He initally finished the race at Imola higher up, but was given a post race penalty for overtaking under VSC. At Portugal, he retired from the race on lap 2, after crashing into the back of teammate Antonio Giovinazzi. Spain and Monaco provided more point scoring oppertunities with 8th place in both races, followed by a 9th in Azerbaijan.

During the season Raikkonen decieded it was time to retire from the sport at the end of the season. He tested positive for COVID-19 on the weekend of the Dutch Grand Prix and was replaced by reserve driver Robert Kubica at the Dutch and Italian Grand Prix. In November he visited the Alfa Romeo factory in Switzerland for the last time as a team member and was given a farewell, and was subsequently given a farewell by the Scuderia Ferrari team prior to the race in Abu Dhabi. For his final race in Abu Dhabi the team inscribed "Dear Kimi, we will leave you alone now" on his C41. Räikkönen was forced to retire on lap 25 because of a technical issue with a wheel nut. "It doesn't matter how it comes to the end, it's the end now and yes, I'm looking forward to it," he said after the race. Räikkönen finished the season in 11th place with 58 points.