Kimi Raikkonen is back in Formula 1
The Finnish racing driver announced his much anticipated comeback to Formula 1 with Lotus Renault GP. He was expected to replace the aging stalwart, Rubens Barrichello, at Williams but has opted to join Renault on a two-year contract. He will be replacing
Robert Kubica who hasn’t recovered from the serious injury he suffered in February 2011.
After a two-year stint away from Formula 1, his return to the ultimate home of racing was inevitable. During his Formula 1 absence he tried his hands on World Rally Championship with Citroen and also took a dip in the world of NASCAR, racing in Kyle
Busch Motorsport in the World Camping Series alongside Kyle Busch.
"I'm delighted to be coming back to Formula 1 after a two-year break, and I'm grateful to Lotus Renault GP for offering me this opportunity," Raikkonen told the official Renault website.
What makes Kimi so special? Well to start with he was the most inexperienced driver to be given the Super License to race in Formula 1 with only 23 junior open wheel races under his belt. He is a prodigy of another Finnish Formula 1 driver, one of
the greats, Mika Hakkinen, who acted as his mentor. Kimi reminds us of young Mika Hakkinen, with similarity in his style quite evident.
Raikkonen is also nicknamed ‘Ice Man’ for his natural approach to life. He has an extremely calm composure, as cool as ice. He is a very calculated and meticulous person, both, in personal life and on track, which makes him a danger to almost every
driver on the circuit.
Looking back at his career, he started with Sauber as a regular driver after being tested on different tracks in the year 2001. His debut year’s performance was quite impressive as he scored four championship position points and eight top eight positions.
He scored nine points and helped Sauber by finishing a career-best fourth position in the constructors’ championship.
Interest in Kimi grew after his debut season and he was linked to Ferrari, the engine provider for Sauber. He eventually joined McLaren to replace his mentor, Mika Hakkinen for 2002 season. McLaren Mercedes’ whole 2002 campaign was marred by engine
failures which resulted in catastrophic performances by both its drivers. Kimi held his ground and performed well, winning his first Grand Prix in France.
The 2003 season was a good settling down experience for Kimi. The following season he started to show the potential Mika always talked about, the calmness and composure that sets him apart from others. He finished as the runner-up that year to eventual
champion, Michael Schumacher. The 2004 season was again a struggle for McLaren Mercedes with reliability issues and engine failures, resulting in early retirements from race.
The 2005 campaign again saw Kimi pushing Schumacher hard for the title and finishing as the runner-up. This time around the competition was fiercer than ever, with McLaren Mercedes having the faster car on track. The two runner-up spots achieved by
Kimi were during the most dominant era of Ferrari in Formula 1, when it won five consecutive constructors’ and drivers’ championships. And according to many pundits and experts alike, if it wasn’t for the reliability issues of McLaren Mercedes’ car, Kimi would
have been a two-time champion.
When you can’t beat them join them and that’s what Kimi did by signing for Ferrari to replace the most celebrated Formula 1 driver, Michael Schumacher. Kimi signed up with Ferrari making him the highest paid driver in the history of Formula 1, earning
a base salary of $51 million. At the time of his retirement, Michael Schumacher was very pleased with the person replacing him and believed the era of dominance that he started will continue in good hands.
Kimi didn’t disappoint and took the opportunity as he nailed the first win for Ferrari in his debut race. His performance was astonishing in the first year, going head to head in a classic battle with his former team’s new young British driver, Lewis
Hamilton. Kimi won the championship by winning the final race of the season and bringing home the title once again to Ferrari.
The next season didn’t prove fruitful for Kimi as he wasn’t able to retain his title, losing the championship to Lewis Hamilton. The car also struggled to keep pace with other manufacturers and with the arrival of new teams such as Brawn GP and Red
Bull, Formula 1 got more competitive. Raikkonen finished third in the championship table, a sign of decline for Ferrari in Formula 1.
The 2009 season was a bad one for both, Ferrari and Raikkonen. The car struggled with technical issues along with its reliability becoming a major concern for drivers. Raikkonen struggled in the early part of the season and only scored a single point
in his first six races. He did manage to put a good run of form in the middle of the season but that was as good as it got for Ferrari that season.
He retired at the end of the 2009 season, citing lack of motivation and igniting reports that he may be going back to McLaren but that move failed to materialise.
With Raikkonen coming back to Formula 1 next year, six former world champions will be lining up in front of the grid next year, aiming for a shot at the title. The quality of racing is only going to get more intense and breathtaking and if this season
was anything to go by, next season is going to be off the charts. Kimi’s return couldn’t have come at a better time.
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