the Finnish Kimi Raikkonen (Alfa Romeo), Formula One world champion – in 2007, with Ferrari – announced this Wednesday, on his account of a well-known social network, his retirement from the premier category of motorsport when it ends season.
“That’s all. This will be my last season at Formula “ , Explained Kimi, 41 years old and who, with 341, is the driver with the highest number of races in the honorary division of motorsport, in which he made his debut in 2001 and in which he has 21 victories, 18 poles and 46 fast laps. “This is a decision I made last winter,” said ‘Iceman’ – the ‘ice man’ – as he is known in the realm of the engine.
“It has not been an easy decision, but after this season it will be time for new things,” wrote, on his Instagram account, Raikkonen, also runner-up in the Formula World in 2003 and 2005 -l ‘year of the first title of the Spanish double world champion Fernando Alonso- and three times third in the world (2008, 2012 and 2018). “Although the season is still underway, I want to thank my family, all my teams and everyone related to my car career, and especially all of you, my fans, who have helped me. has been supporting all this time, “said Kimi, who has climbed a Formula podium 103 times and competed in the World Rally Championship between 2009 and 2011, before returning to the honorary division of the engine in 2012.
“Formula One may have come to an end for me, but there are so many more things in life that I want to experience and enjoy, yet. I’ll see you around after all this! With all my heart, Kimi,” he wrote the eccentric Finnish star this Wednesday in his farewell announcement in the queen category of the engine.
Kimi, who made his Formula debut aboard a Sauber in 2001 and ran the McLaren for the next five seasons (2002-2006), completed two trips – between 2007 and 2009; and from 2014 to 2018 – with Ferrari, the most lauded team in history, of which it remains its last world champion (2007). Just before returning to Maranello’s team, Raikkonen played two seasons, 2012 – his return, after competing in rallies – and 2013, in Lotus; and since 2019 he has competed in the World Cup with Alfa Romeo. He currently ranks seventeenth in the championship, with two points.
Publication on its official networks
That’s all. This will be my last season in Formula 1. This is a decision I made last winter. It has not been an easy decision but after this season comes the time for new things. While the season is still underway, I want to thank my family, all my teams, everyone involved in my sporting career and especially all of you, big fans, who have supported me all this time. . Formula 1 may come to an end for me, but there is so much more in life that I want to experience and enjoy. See you after all this! Honestly, Kimi