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Kimi Raikkonen after announcing retirement: I had fun and I did it my way

Kimi Raikkonen after announcing retirement: "I had fun and I did it my way"

02-09-2021 16:37

On Wednesday night, Kimi Raikkonen confirmed that the 2021 Formula 1 season will be his last in the sport. The Iceman made his debut in 2001 for Sauber and is set to conclude his career in just three months. The 2007 World Champion says he "wouldn't change a single thing" about his career. 

Raikkonen has won 21 Grands Prix, placing him comfortably inside the top 20 on the all-time list. Raikkonen is one of only five drivers to stand on the podium more than 100 times in his career. In an interview with BBC Sport, Raikkonen reflects on his career. 

"I had fun and I did it my way. I wouldn't change a single thing. No complaints. I had a good run. I'm happy with what I achieved. It is not easy to win. I wanted to win a championship. I got close one or two times and it happened with Ferrari. Happy it happened, especially with them," Raikkonen said. 

Raikkonen's dislike of PR and interviews has been well documented through the years. And in the press conferences, the Finnish driver has often resorted to dry humour which helped him become a fan favourite. "I always said it as it is. The purpose to come here is the driving. There are a lot of other things but they have never been for me the reasons to be here."

The future

Ever since a young age, Raikkonen has been fully focused on F1. He spent two years in the WRC before making a return to F1. In his time, he has competed for Lotus, McLaren, Sauber and Ferrari. He is currently finishing his career at Alfa Romeo. But Raikkonen hasn't got any plans for the future. 

"F1 takes a lot of time from our lives but it has never been the main thing in my life. I live my life outside and do normal things and from that side it's fine. I don't want to have some schedule put on, because obviously the last 18, 19 years in F1, since I started, and I did rallying in those two [sabbatical] years, there was always a schedule, what is coming next on this date or that date," Raikkonen added. 

"I don't want that. That's for sure one of the big reasons I wanted to do something else, that life doesn't go because of the race or whatever it is, the work that is involved in F1. So I'm not in a rush. I've not even thought about it at all yet."