By and large, Kimi Räikkönen remains one of the most determined racers in Formula 1. (Photo: Sven Germann | Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN)
For the most part, Kimi Räikkönen speaks his mind when he drops the hammer on the racetrack.
However, the 41-year-old Espoo, Finland native vocalizes with his No. 7 Alfa Romeo C41 on the Formula 1 circuit. After all, the man known as “Iceman” keeps a cool demeanor with his incredible F1 accolades.
Yes, Räikkönen rarely delivers dull moments on and off the track. In fact, the versatile racer showcased his talents in one off starts in the NASCAR XFINITY and Camping World Truck Series in 2011.
Moreover, the 2007 F1 champion loves competing in F1 as observed in season two of Netflix’s Drive to Survive series. In this case, while Räikkönen may perceive F1 as a hobby, this motorsports icon still possesses a dogged determination.
Surely, recent F1 fans may recall Räikkönen’s memorable radio chatter at the 2017 European Grand Prix. Yes, he famously shouted “For what!?!” for a late race penalty in the 2020 Tuscan Grand Prix.
Overall, Kimi Räikkönen, the most experienced racer in today’s F1 grid, battles tenaciously for his Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN stablemates. Although Räikkönen ranks 15th ahead of Sunday’s (August 1) Hungarian Grand Prix, he expressed enjoyment for competing at the Hungaroring.
Certainly, Kimi Räikkönen perceives racing in Formula 1 as more than a hobby. (Photo Florent Gooden | DPPI)
“In the past, there was a lot of Finnish flags,” Räikkönen said in Thursday’s pre-race press conference. “I’ve always enjoyed the place, the town [and] the people. So, I’m happy to be back here. I think everybody’s also happy. It’s around the corner of holidays. It’s a great place. The weather is pretty good like this year. It looks like it’s going to be quite nice and warm. So, we’ll see what we’ll get.”
Altogether, Räikkönen excels at the 4.381 km (2.722 mi.) 14-turn road course. In his past 18 starts, the Finn has a victory (2005) and nine podiums resulting in a superb average result of 6.5.
Still, Räikkönen enters the 11th round of the season with a realistic mindset.
“I doubt it’s going to be any different,” he offered. “I think less straights will be better for us. But we’ll see. Obviously, it’s very difficult to overtake here. You can overtake but it’s not as easy as some other places. So, yeah, we’ll see what we get.”
In particular, Räikkönen described his trying season and the battles his team typically faces.
Indeed, Kimi Räikkönen suits up for another race weekend. (Photo Antonin Vincent | DPPI)
“It’s very similar [to Daniel Ricciardo], only not ups, only downs,” Räikkönen said with a chuckle. “But you know, that’s where we are. Some tracks, we can be in 10th or around ninth. But, usually, we’re just outside of it. Obviously, when we try to fight, there’s always some faster cars. But we’ll keep trying and see what we get.”
Notably, Räikkönen and Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN focus on extracting the most out of their cars. Expressly, Räikkönen illustrated one of the challenges that his Alfa Romeo C41 grapples, particularly on race day.
“Obviously, [we want to] do better than we’ve been doing,” Räikkönen shared. “But like I said, qualifying is probably not our strongest area. And here, it’s pretty important. Wherever we’re going to qualify, we’re going to go for the race and try to race well. Usually, if it stays hot, it can be a bit tricky on the tyres. So we’ll try to do the best that we can.”
In other words, Räikkönen intends on bringing his A-game with the midfield battle. Alongside third year teammate Antonio Giovinazzi, the gritty Kimi Räikkönen and his invaluable experiences benefit this scrappy team.
On the whole, Räikkönen hopes for a strong points finish on Sunday afternoon at Hungary. In the long run, Räikkönen hopes for more downtime around the track’s city and town limits.
Usually, Kimi Räikkönen does his talking on the track in his car. (Photo: DPPI)
“It would be nice to come back when we are not as busy,” Räikkönen said. “And obviously, it’s a holiday. But maybe one day. I always enjoyed the town. So yeah, for sure, one day, when I have a bit more time and no schedule, maybe come back.”
