Kimi Räikkönen
Finlandés · 2001–2009, 2012–2021
Kimi Räikkönen, "The Iceman", is one of the most beloved characters Formula 1 has produced. Impassive, allergic to the fanfare and disarmingly honest over the radio, that coolness hid a blisteringly quick driver of natural talent who impressed from his arrival at Sauber in 2001, with barely 22 car races behind him.
His 2005 season with McLaren is legendary: seven wins and stunning recoveries, but disastrous reliability denied him a title he deserved. He made amends in 2007, his first year at Ferrari, storming back in the final two races to become world champion by a single point over the McLarens of Hamilton and Alonso.
After a spell in rallying, he returned to F1 in 2012 and stretched his career to 2021, becoming the driver with the most Grand Prix starts in history. His laconic lines ("Leave me alone, I know what I'm doing") and his indifference to fame made him, paradoxically, even more popular.
What if Räikkönen had another car?
We took his real attributes and put him in the best car of each era: in a real driver's seat, against the team-mate that car actually had. 20 full seasons in each.
| Car | Team-mate | Finish | Wins | Titles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLaren1988 | Alain Prost-37 pts | P1.9 | 5.3 | 15% |
| Williams1992 | Riccardo Patrese+75 pts | P1.1 | 9.8 | 95% |
| Ferrari2002 | Rubens Barrichello+69 pts | P1.1 | 12.1 | 95% |
| Red Bull2013 | Mark Webber+116 pts | P1 | 15.4 | 100% |
| Mercedes2016 | Lewis Hamilton-23 pts | P1.6 | 8.9 | 40% |
| Red Bull2023 | Sergio Perez+91 pts | P1 | 17.3 | 100% |
| Cadillac2026 · 11th on the grid | Valtteri Bottas+41 pts | P9 | 0 | 0% |
The only one who beats him is Alain Prost in the 1988 McLaren: 37 points clear over a full season.
Rating by season
- First season
- 85 2001
- Peak
- 91 2007
- 2021
- 76 Alfa Romeo
19 seasons in the database, from 2001 to 2021. Our own rating, from 50 to 99.
Teams
Tags
Wins
21
Poles
18
Titles
1
Best year
2005
What would Kimi Räikkönen have achieved with a different car or in a different era?
Hypotheses featuring Kimi Räikkönen
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Where Kimi Räikkönen comes up in what we have measured, with our own numbers.
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