Kimi Raikkonen
Kimi Raikkonen in Summary
Kimi-Matias Räikkönen, nicknamed “The Iceman”, is a Finnish racing driver currently driving in Formula One for Alfa Romeo Racing, racing under the Finnish flag. Räikkönen won the 2007 Formula One World Championship driving for Scuderia Ferrari.
Kimi Raikkonen Biography
Kimi-Matias Räikkönen was born in Espoo, Finland. 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. 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.
Räikkönen entered Formula One as a regular driver for Sauber-Petronas in 2001, having competed in only 23 car races previously. He joined McLaren-Mercedes in 2002, and became a title contender by finishing runner-up in the championship to Michael Schumacher in 2003, and Fernando Alonso in 2005. Räikkönen’s seasons at McLaren were plagued by severe unreliability from his cars, prompting a move to Ferrari in 2007. This change saw him crowned Formula One World Drivers’ Champion that season, pipping both McLaren drivers – Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso – to the title by one point. In 2008 he equalled the record for the greatest number of fastest laps in a season for the second time.
Räikkönen left both Scuderia Ferrari and the sport after the 2009 season, his sole victory that year having come in that season’s Belgian Grand Prix due to driving an uncompetitive Ferrari F60. On his return to Formula One, Räikkönen drove for Lotus in 2012 and 2013, scoring the team’s only victories. In September 2013, Ferrari announced his re-signing on a two-year contract, beginning in the 2014 season. This contract was subsequently extended until the end of the 2018 season. During his second Ferrari stint, Räikkönen scored 26 podiums, two pole positions and a victory at the 2018 United States Grand Prix, 113 Grands Prix after his last victory. Räikkönen finished among the top four overall in the championship on multiple occasions during his second Ferrari stint, finishing his total eight-year long Ferrari career with a third place in the 2018 championship.
In September 2018 Ferrari announced that Räikkönen would leave at the end of the season, followed shortly by an announcement from Ferrari-affiliated Sauber Alfa Romeo stating that Räikkönen had been signed on a two-year contract for 2019 and 2020.
In the World Rally Championship, Räikkönen drove a Citroën C4 WRC for the Citroën Junior Team in 2010, and a Citroën DS3 WRC for ICE 1 Racing in 2011. His stint in the WRC saw him beat some more experienced rally drivers with a best result of fifth, a stage win and 10th in the championship in both seasons. Concurrently, Räikkönen also competed in NASCAR, and made his debut for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Camping World Truck Series.
More Information about Kimi Raikkonen
- Name: Kimi Raikkonen
- Date Of Birth: October 17, 1979
- Place Of Birth: Espoo, Finland
- Main Occupation: Racing Driver
FAQs about Kimi Raikkonen
How Old is Kimi Raikkonen?
Kimi Raikkonen is 44 years old (birth date October 17, 1979).
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Kimi Raikkonen was born in Espoo, Finland.
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