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Kimi Raikkonen: racing career

Junior Categories

Kimi Räikkönen made a big impression in the world of motorsport early in his career. He quickly left karting and began to make a splash in various racing categories.

In 1999 he finished second in the European Formula Super A Championship for the Dutch PDB Racing TeamIn the same year he won the British Formula Renault Winter Series and subsequently dominated the British Formula Renault Championship, winning seven out of ten events.

This impressive record of 13 wins in the first 23 races caught the attention of Peter Sauber and led to a test with the Sauber Formula 1 TeamRaikkonen’s performance during testing was convincing enough for Sauber to offer him a seat alongside Nick Heidfeld for the 2001 season.

Clean (2001)

Kimi Räikkönen made his Formula One debut with Sauber in the 2001 Australian Grand Prix. His solid performance throughout the season, including four points-scoring finishes, impressed everyone in the paddock.

This remarkable debut season caught the attention of McLaren, who were looking for a new driver. With a seat available, McLaren’s Ron Dennis decided to sign the young Finn for the 2002 season.

McLaren (2002–2006)

Räikkönen joined McLaren in 2002alongside the experienced David Coulthard. Despite occasional inconsistencies, he showed enormous potential and finished his first season with McLaren in sixth place overall with four podium finishes.

2003: A title contender

In 2003, Raikkonen became a serious title contender, challenging Michael Schumacher and Ferrari. Consistent performances throughout the season kept him in the title race.

He secured his first Formula 1 victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix. However, due to McLaren’s lack of competitiveness in the second half of the season, Raikkonen narrowly missed out on the championship, finishing just two points behind Schumacher.

2004: Problems with McLaren

In 2004, Räikkönen was considered one of the best drivers in the field. Unfortunately, McLaren had problems with vehicle development, allowing Ferrari to dominate the season.

Räikkönen managed a single victory at the Belgian Grand PrixHowever, he finished seventh overall, reflecting the challenges McLaren has faced this year.

2005: Close call

In the 2005 season, a rule change occurred that significantly altered the competitive landscape. McLaren had a fast car, but reliability problems slowed Raikkonen’s title challenge.

Despite several victories and podium finishes, the championship ended only in second place behind Fernando Alonso of Renault due to mechanical defects.

2006: A difficult year

The 2006 season was another tough year for McLaren, marred by performance and reliability problems. Renault and Ferrari fight for the titleRäikkönen finished the season without a win.

However, a significant change was on the horizon when Ferrari announced that they had signed Räikkönen on a three-year contract starting in 2007.

Ferraris (2007–2009)

Räikkönen joined Ferrari in 2007 as Felipe Massa’s partnerThe season was dramatic as Räikkönen fought for the championship against McLaren drivers Alonso and Lewis Hamilton.

2007: World Champion

Before the final race of the season, Raikkonen was an outside contender for the title. But then Hamilton began to struggle with reliability issues, paving the way for Raikkonen to win the championship.

For Ferrari, this victory was their first drivers’ title since 2004 and their most recent to date.

2008: Title defense not possible

In the 2008 season, Räikkönen had problems with qualifying speed, which hampered his title defense.

His teammate Massa and Hamilton fought for the championship. Hamilton won the last race in dramatic fashion. Räikkönen finished third in the overall standings.

2009: A year of change

The 2009 season brought significant rule changes and Ferrari struggled to adapt, with teams like Brawn GP and Red Bull Racing emerging as frontrunners.

Ferrari announced that Fernando Alonso would replace Räikkönen in 2010which prompted Räikkönen to take a break from the sport.

Lotuses (2012–2013)

In 2012, Räikkönen returned to Formula 1 with Lotus. After a break from racing, he faced scepticism about his performance. However, he quickly dispelled the doubts and regularly scored points and podium places. Räikkönen finished the season third in the championship.

2013: Early success and later struggles

The 2013 season started well for Raikkonen, who won the opening race in Melbourne. However, his season was plagued by inconsistency and he lost his title chances.

Despite several podium finishes, he was unable to fight for the championship. Ferrari announced Raikkonen’s return for the 2014 season, as Alonso’s partner.

Ferraris (2014-2018)

Räikkönen’s second term at Ferrari began in 2014, a year marked by major technical changes in Formula 1 with the introduction of V6 turbo engines.

2014: A challenging return

Ferrari struggled with an unreliable engine and a lack of downforce, and Raikkonen was overshadowed by Alonso, finishing the season 12th in the standings.

2015–2016: Partnership with Vettel

Sebastian Vettel joined Ferrari in 2015Räikkönen showed an improved performance and finished fourth overall, but was still behind his teammate.

In 2016, Räikkönen was able to keep up with Vettel’s pace more regularly and finished the season only 26 points behind.

2017-2018: Consistency and Victory

In the 2017 season, Vettel was clearly superior to Räikkönen, but Räikkönen finished far behind in the overall standings.

The 2018 season was similar, although Räikkönen took a memorable win at the United States Grand Prix. Ferrari announced that Charles Leclerc would replace Räikkönen in 2019, and Räikkönen moved to Alfa Romeo.

Alfa Romeo (2019-present)

Räikkönen joined Alfa Romeo in 2019 and brought his extensive experience to the team.

2019: A dominant season

Raikkonen had a strong season and clearly outperformed his teammate Antonio Giovinazzi, finishing the season with 43 points compared to Giovinazzi’s 14.

2020: The fighting continues

In the 2020 season, Alfa Romeo’s performance dropped off, limiting Raikkonen’s opportunities to score points. He finished the season with just four points and Giovinazzi was better qualified than him throughout the season.

2021: Continue with Alfa Romeo

Both Räikkönen and Giovinazzi have been signed by Alfa Romeo for the 2021 season, with Räikkönen continuing to bring his experience and skills to support the team’s efforts.