Räikkönen Record Holder: The Great Moments of His Career – Part 3

Kimi Räikkönen in numbers

With 323 races contested, Kimi Räikkönen is, until this Sunday, October 11, tied with the other record holder, Brazilian driver Rubens Barrichello, who competed in F1 between 1993 and 2011. Fernando Alonso completes this podium with 312 races.

323 races for Räikkönen, then, and two last-minute withdrawals:

-le Grand Prix des Etats-Unis en 2005, où tous les pilotes équipés de pneus Michelin n’ont pas pris part à la course sur le circuit d’Indianapolis, sur recommandation du manufacturier, après plusieurs crashs en essais.

– le Grand Prix de Malaisie en 2007 où sa Ferrari, en panne de batterie, ne lui a pas permis de prendre le départ de la course.

Since 2001, Räikkönen has competed in 18 F1 seasons, interrupted by two seasons in the WRC in 2010 and 2011.

After taking two years to win his first Grand Prix, the Malaysian Grand Prix in 2003, “Iceman” managed to stand on the top step of the podium 21 times.

Podium he was able to climb 103 times, with 21 victories, 37 second places, and 45 third places.

The circuit at which Räikkönen excels the most is Spa-Francorchamps, with 4 victories: 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2009. Since 2009, he has been nicknamed the “King of Spa”.

“Iceman” also excels in the number of fastest laps in races. With 46 fastest laps to his name, he is the third best performer since Formula 1 started recording them. Lewis Hamilton has been ahead since 2019 with 51 fastest laps. The master in this area is Michael Schumacher with his 77 fastest laps.

Simultaneously, Räikkönen has achieved only 2 hat-tricks: 2 pole-fastest lap-win performances. He has also achieved 18 pole positions since his debut.

With his longevity, the Finn holds the records for the longest gap between his first and last pole position, as well as between his first and last victory, with 13 years and 15 years, respectively! To give you an idea, Räikkönen was 23 years and 5 months old during his first success in 2003 at the Malaysian Grand Prix… 39 years and 4 days during his last victory in 2018 in the United States!

Räikkönen was 23 years and 5 months old at the time of his first success in 2003… 39 years and 4 days old at his last victory in 2018!

Some anecdotes…

Räikkönen is the only active driver to have experienced three different engine eras. He made his debut with Sauber using the naturally aspirated Ferrari V10. Then in 2007, F1 switched to the naturally aspirated V8 engine. Currently, and since 2014, F1 cars are equipped with the small turbo hybrid V6 engines. Might he have time to experience a fourth technical era in 2022? Only time will tell.

In 2017, a young fan of the Finnish driver is so upset by his favorite driver’s retirement that he cries. This video goes viral. A story between this young fan and Kimi Räikkönen is born. The young boy is invited to the paddock to meet the driver and ease his disappointment!

Räikkönen at the Ferrari amusement park.

Räikkönen also experienced a victory lost in the aftermath. Declared the winner of the 2003 Brazilian Grand Prix, he stepped onto the podium after the race… but the trophy was handed to Giancarlo Fisichella a few days later. A video recap of this eventful race!

Hop into the Alfa Romeo during the 2019 winter tests, you are in Räikkönen’s perspective.

To conclude, here are ten memorable conversations between Kimi Räikkönen and his race engineers.

If you haven’t done so yet, you can read the first part and second part of our feature on our website!

With Alexandre Lepère