Raikkonen's reaction to F1 skipping him for champions' meet 'wins the internet'

The 2007 World Champion has gone viral after firing off a poker face response to being left out of a recent F1 champions’ gathering.

Earlier this year at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, Formula 1 brought together a panel of legendary title winners to reflect on how the sport has evolved over the past 75 years.

The line-up featured F1 world champions Mika Häkkinen, Jackie Stewart, Alain Prost, Nigel Mansell, Jacques Villeneuve, Mario Andretti and Emerson Fittipaldi.

The discussion between the seven champions was released in full on F1’s official YouTube channel this week, but fans quickly pointed out some glaring absences. Among them: Ferrari’s last champion, 2007 title winner, Kimi Raikkonen.

True to form, the Iceman took to social media to deliver a typically cold and humorous reaction.

Commenting on F1’s official Instagram post about the meeting, Raikkonen simply wrote: “Thanks for the invite.”

The post, perfectly keeping the tone with Raikkonen's famously dry humour, immediately hit home with F1 fans.

His comment quickly racked up over 21,000 likes and spread across social platforms, with many joking that Kimi had once again “won the internet.”

Since retiring from Formula 1 at the end of the 2021 season, Raikkonen has largely stepped away from the spotlight, making only the occasional public appearance.

Over his career, the Finn collected 21 race wins, 103 podiums, famously ended Ferrari’s long wait for a Drivers’ Championship in 2007, and the reputation for disliking public events, and the peripheral obligations to his racing driver duties.

So, had he received the invite for the champions' round table, would he have actually attended at all?

Despite having gone into retirement nearly four years ago, Raikkonen's hold over the F1 fandom remains intact, as all it takes is a dry and punchy one-liner to make everyone burst into laughter.