Kimi Raikkonen: I didn’t miss Formula 1
Kimi Raikkonen, considered to be arguably the fastest Formula One driver to have ever graced the stage, claims that he did not spend his debut year in the World Rally Championship with the regret of not driving a Formula 1 car instead.
The Iceman started his F1 career nearly a decade ago. Joining the Sauber F1 team in 2001, the Finn went on to join the McLaren team a year later. Raikkonen raced for Ron Dennis’s team for 4 consecutive years before going on to make the scarlet leap as he
joined Ferrari in 2007. However, he left the Italian constructors at the end of the 2009 season.
Life in the World Rally Championship hasn’t been much to brag about for Raikkonen from a statistical point of view. The Finn raced for the Citroen Junior Team and ended the season in tenth spot. However, throughout his WRC stint, he was linked with a return
back to Formula One – Something the former Ferrari driver has insisted, time and time again, was never an option.
When inquired over a potential return to Formula 1 in the near future, here is what the Iceman had to say,
"Of course I thought about it, because you think about everything. But I never really thought seriously about it, because actually I didn't miss Formula One at all this season. Before the start of this year I thought it would be interesting to see if I missed
it at all and in fact I didn't."
While these words clearly reflect Raikkonen’s intentions of having a Formula 1-free life, they merely reflect the Finn’s thought based on a single season away from the sport. To be a touch more precise, the 31 year old might not have been seen on the F1
race track last term, but his name was definitely listed in Ferrari’s payroll. Furthermore, Kimi Raikkonen was affectively the 2nd highest paid driver in F1, earning less than his replacement at Ferrari, Fernando Alonso, and a couple of millions
more than McLaren Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton! With that said, since his contract with Ferrari evidently expired at the end of last season, the Iceman will have to make do with his earnings in the WRC from now on.
Presently however, it is hard to confirm Raikkonen’s involvement in any motorsport for that matter, following the death of his father a few days before Christmas. According to his co-driver, Kaj Lindstorm:
"Since the death of Matti Raikkonen, all the plans are on ice. Let's hope he stays in rallying. The chances of success are much better in the second year than the first, because you don't have to be learning all sorts of things all of the time."
From a neutral’s perspective, Kimi has been an impressive addition to the world of motorsport and it is sincerely hoped that he continues his exploits on the race track.
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