Curtains close for Kimi Raikkonen
Described by some as the “fastest man on the planet”, 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen will not be returning to the F1 next season.
The Finn, who parted ways with Ferrari in 2009, failed to land a partnership with McLaren. Although a possible return to Renault was being discussed, the deal recently fell though, prompting Raikkonen’s decision to withdraw from F1.
"We’re no longer looking at opportunities in F1," said the driver’s manager, Steve Roberston. "Kimi seems to be focused on rallying at the moment."
Nicknamed the Iceman in light of his relaxed and cool-headed approach to racing, Raikkonen has had an impressive career in the F1. Driving for Sauber-Petronas in 2001, he joined McLaren Mercedes the following year. Plagued by the notoriously unreliable car
during the 2003 and 2005 championships, he finished runner-up to Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.
Were it not for the ongoing mechanical problems gripping the McLaren car, many experts have postulated that the Iceman would have won both championships.
Raikkonen’s move to Ferrari in 2007 ended his run of bad luck. His move earned him an estimated yearly salary of $51 million (making him the highest paid driver in the F1). In addition, the driver managed to win the World Drivers’ Championship, beating McLaren
drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso by a mere point, causing a widespread F1 upset.
With his noteworthy F1 career coming to an end, Raikkonen transferred his affinity for racing to rallying, where he drove a Citroen C4 for the Citroen Junior Team at this year’s World Rally Championship (WRC).
While speculation about the Iceman’s future plans in the WRC continues, Roberston mentioned that his client was not ruling out the possibility of returning to F1 at some future stage. "Never say never, but right now our eye is not on F1."
Tags: