Kimi Räikkönen to retire from F1 at the end of this season
Sep.1 – Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN driver, Kimi Räikkönen, has announced he will retire from Formula One at the end of the 2021 season. The Finn, currently the most experienced driver on the grid with 344 Grand Prix entries, will leave the sport after a record 19 seasons, in which he won 21 races, one World Championship and the hearts and admiration of millions of fans worldwide.
Kimi made his debut in 2001 with the Sauber F1 Team, helping the Swiss constructor to a then-best fourth place in the championship, before moving to McLaren and Ferrari. Following a two-year hiatus in 2010 and 2011, he returned to the sport with Lotus before making a comeback to Ferrari. He then returned to Hinwil to compete in three further season with Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN – a perfect conclusion that made a full circle of an astonishing career.
Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN would like to express all its gratitude to Kimi for the incredible seasons spent together in these two stints; for the work ethic, the passion for racing, the determination to succeed he displayed from his first test in Fiorano to last week’s session debriefs; and for being a unique character, always true to himself – something that endeared him to everyone who worked with and for him.
The team wishes Kimi all the best for an incredibly well-deserved retirement, in the knowledge that he and his family will greatly enjoy his presence at home after the final chequered flag in Abu Dhabi. In the meantime, we are looking forward to a successful conclusion of the 2021 season together, to bring such an illustrious career to the ending it deserves.
Frédéric Vasseur, Team Principal of Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN: “There isn’t any driver out there like Kimi Räikkönen. His presence, his charisma and his unique attitude, matched with the innate skill that made this team give him a chance back in 2001, have made him a legend of our sport in a way which numbers and statistics struggle to convey. It was a pleasure to work with him in these years and I believe I speak on behalf of everyone at Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN, from the shop floor in Hinwil to the garage here in Zandvoort, when I say a driver like Kimi has written some indelible pages of our team’s, and our sport’s, history.”
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Thanks, Kimi, it has been fun.
top guy ! the old dog for the hard road
Raikkonen's F1 record
Total All-time ranking
Grand Prix starts 341 1st
Wins 21 15th
Podiums 103 5th
Pole positions 18 15th
Fastest laps 46 3rd
If there was an all-time ranking for personality & entertainment value Kimi would be #1 with a bullet. Remember his Abu Dhabi radio comment a while back,"Just leave me alone, I know what to do." Directly from ONE season of Formula Renault to F1, skipping all those meddlesome junior formula, he evidently did know what to do.
Indeed.
Indeed, Kimi is an authentic character, who is not afraid of what somebody else thinks of him. I will surely miss him.
Don't forget that if he wouldn't have so much bad luck in 2003 & 2005, he would have been a 3x WC. In his 3rd season (2003) he ended up as runner-up behind Schumacher with 3 DNF's and only had a deficit of 2 points.
I still can remember his DNF on the Nurburgring where he trained pole and the Mercedes engine in the back of the McLaren blew up in lap 25 while leading the race with ease.
The same can be said about 2005, when he won 7 races and also had 3 DNF's from technical failures to again end up as 2nd behind Alonso with.
yes indeed ,im wishing kimi well in his retirment from F1.
Emmm nothing special except for one season, couple of good comments over the radio but once again nothing special. Sacked from ferrari for under performing and beaten by team mates including massa, destroyed by Alonso and vettel who was in turn destroyed by Leclerc.
Good luck for the future but it was a long career not a great one.
nooooo, why, why both Rossi and Kimi in one year, this is worst year ever for motosport, im so sad...
Ah Kimi, you'll be sorely missed. F1 won't be the same without you. I'll definitely be binge drinking this weekend in your honor.
Austin 2018 is the only race I have ever attended. Still can't believe that I got to watch him win his last race ever in red. Thanks for the great memory Kimi.
That's an amazing memory, Sako, hang on to it. But I bet you never had JYS give you advice about the fast way around Watkins Glen. So there!
Did your tams blow off?
Nah, they had ear flaps and chin straps. LOL
You got me beat RoR. The best thing I got was meeting Jenson Button at a bar here in Santa Monica. He was so nice to talk to. It was so funny how no one had a clue who he was. Like he'd go up to the bar to get a drink and hot girls would be like who's this nobody standing next to me all rolling their eyes lol.
The only other cool thing was seeing F1 in Hollywood where they closed off Sunset Blvd and had Mercedes with Bottas, Redbull with Max and Alex, and Renault Danny Ric doing doughnuts. It was nice to hear the old V8's roar instead of the new lawn mowers.
What were you doing slumming with the tourists in Santa Monica? LOL Good stuff the old piston pounders.
All of LA is a slum now. Don't get me started on that lol. Got tipsy at our favorite watering hole there and then was craving a burger. Walked in to Father's Office nearby and there he was with a friend. Couldn't believe my eyes. An amazing burger, drinks, and a chat with a F1 world champion is a good night.
There has never been nor will there ever be anyone like Kimi in Formula 1. He's true to himself above all, and that isn't a common trait in F1. He's always been fast... be it in a make or break Fiorano test or in the back half of an F1 grid. He adapts to weather and team conditions seamlessly. His numbers and stats do not reflect his brilliance. I knew he had to retire eventually, but I was not expecting it so soon... like 20 years is soon, I know. I'm Tifosi all the way, but Kimi will forever by my all time favorite F1 driver. Thank you, Kimi.
with a tear in our eye we say goodbye thanks KIMI be happy and stay safe ,remember there will never be anyone like you ever again.
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