Kimi Raikkonen originally wished to stop F1 career “much earlier”

Current Alfa Romeo driver and 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen originally wished to stop racing in Formula 1 “much earlier” than still be on the grid when he started 18 years ago.

Raikkonen made his first appearance in F1 back in 2001 and the Russian Grand Prix ahead will mark his 307th race, putting him third, one ahead of Michael Schumacher and Jenson Button, in the number of races.
 
With another year left on his Alfa contract the Finn could surpass Fernando Alonso (311) and Rubens Barrichello (322) with a total of 334 Grand Prix’s should he take part in them all.
 
But the ‘Ice-Man’ didn’t intend to be in the sport as long as he has when he first started, having left the sport for two years, missing the 2010 and 2011 seasons.
 
“Definitely not. I think I was wishing to stop much earlier,” Raikkonen said when asked if he imagined being a driver for so long.
 
“I kind of stopped it already but no, for sure not. I don’t think I had any ideas how long [I would race for]. Hopefully at least one or two years.
 
“Things have turned out a bit different – but I didn’t really have a plan before, I still don’t.
 
“We’ll try to go good things and as long as we enjoy it, obviously we’ll keep racing and see what happens.”
 
As to whether Raikkonen takes any pride in how long he has participated in the sport for he typically responded in his own way, stating that he isn’t bothered and is just happy to keep racing.
 
“Not really. I mean, to me, as long as I feel myself that I can drive where I expect to be, and I can do things as I, in my head, I feel I should, then I’m happy to keep going, plus, as long as the racing is the bigger part than all the other nonsense,” he added.
 
“I don’t really think ‘Oh, I’ve done this much racing, and it’s a great thing’.
 
“For me, the results are much more important than another other fact.
 
“Maybe the day you stop, and after a while when you look backwards, it means something. But right now, no.”