Kimi Raikkonen Biography: Kimi Raikkonen is Finland’s most successful racing driver, winning 21 Grand Prix races.
Kimi Raikkonen Biography
Kimi Raikkonen Biography: Kimi-Matias Räikkönen was born in Espoo, Finland on October 17, 1979. Räikkönen began racing at a young age, starting in karting at the age of ten. He was racing in karting events in Monaco by age 15, showing great tenacity by driving his kart even after his steering wheel broke. Kimi was in a bicycle accident when he was younger, which damaged his vocal cords. This affects his voice, giving him a distinct speaking style.
He eventually advanced to far more popular races, including the Nordic Championship, European Formula Super A Championship, Formula Ford Euro Cup, British Formula Renault winter series, and Formula Renault UK Championship. His outstanding results guaranteed him a future in Formula One.
Kimi Raikkonen Wiki
Name | Kimi Raikkonen |
Date Of Birth | October 17, 1979 |
Birth Place | Espoo, Finland |
Height | 5ft 7inch |
Weight | 70Kg |
Zodiac Sign | Libra |
Profession | Racing Driver |
Net Worth | $250 Million |
Car Collection | Ferrari Enzo, Rolls-Royce Wraith, Ferrari 488 Pista, Ferrari F12 Berlinetta, Lotus Evora S, Fiat 500 |
Kimi Raikkonen Personal Life
Kimi met Jenni Dahlman, a Finnish model, in 2002. They married two years later, and their relationship lasted nearly ten years till their divorce in 2014. Räikkönen later married another model, Minna-Mari Virtanen. The couple married a year after welcoming their first child in 2015. Virtanen and Räikkönen had their second child in 2017.
Also Read: Carlos Sainz Biography, Wiki, Age, Weight, Height, Car Collection Net Worth, Career
Kimi Raikkonen Net Worth
Kimi Räikkönen is a wealthy Finnish race car driver with a net worth of $250 million.
Kimi Raikkonen Career
Raikkonen joined the Sauber Formula One team in 2000 and debuted at the Mugello Circuit. The Sauber team did their best to keep Kimi from their competitors until he competed on the biggest stage. In 2001, despite participating in only 23 races, he was granted his F1 license. After a successful debut season with Sauber, Raikkonen joined McLaren in 2002. After his first race with the team, he finished 3rd, but engine problems continued to limit his potential. Despite McLaren’s outdated engine and chassis, he ultimately won his first race in 2003 and continued showing strong performance throughout the following years. Despite some disadvantages, the team continued to perform well and had a chance to win the Constructors’ Championship until the final race was completed. Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen fought throughout the season.
Throughout the 2004 season, engine problems remained, but Raikkonen maintained a high level of performance. Many observers viewed him as one of the sport’s rising talents, and other racing teams began to evaluate him. Throughout 2005, some issues remained with McLaren vehicles, leading Raikkonen to contemplate leaving the group. He won Autosport’s “International Driver of the Year” award despite having many shining moments throughout the year.
Raikkonen experienced a similar situation in 2006; in 2007, he left McLaren to join Ferrari. He won the World Drivers Championship in his 1st season with his new team, & as of 2019, he was the last Scuderia Ferrari driver to do so. The following year, he won the DHL Fastest Lap Award for the second straight season after setting ten of the season’s fastest circuits.
During the 2009 season, the Ferraris appeared considerably slower than Red Bull and Brawn. Raikkonen finished 12th that season and departed Formula One after negotiations with some teams broke down. Then, for the next few years, he competed in the WRC, achieving excellent results but rarely finishing in first place.
In 2011, Raikkonen made yet another career change to NASCAR. He demonstrated great potential but was unable to secure a contract. He returned to Formula One in 2012 and signed with Lotus. He soon proved he had kept his touch by finishing on the podium and in third place. In 2013, he won the Australian Grand Prix but was forced to end the season early due to a back injury. Between 2014 and 2018, Raikkonen returned to Ferrari. Although he could not recapture his previous form when he won the championship with Ferrari, Kimi performed admirably and was rewarded with contract extensions. In 2018, he finished third in his final season with Ferrari.
In 2019, Raikkonen joined Alfa Romeo Racing. In the first half of the season, he once again proved that he still held a lot of ability and led the team to new heights of success. In 2020, however, his performance declined significantly, and he became Alfa Romeo’s number two driver behind the inexperienced Antonio Giovinazzi.
Räikkönen returned to the No. 91 at the Circuit of the Americas in March 2023, qualifying 22nd and running in the mid-pack for the majority of the race before a pit stop just before a caution period propelled him to fourth place with nine laps remaining. He finished 29th after a hectic race that included many restarts and incidents.