KIMI RAIKKONEN ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM FORMULA ONE

2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen has announced that the 2021 season will be his final in F1. Kimi entered Formula One driving for Sauber in 2001, he would go on to race with McLaren, Ferrari, Lotus and finally Alfa Romeo.

During the 2020 season Raikkonen broke the record for most starts in Formula One previously held by Rubens Barrichello. At the end of this season Raikkonen will have made 352* starts.

Raikkonen made his debut at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix, where similar to the likes of Verstappen was criticised for being too young for F1 - Kimi finished in sixth place earning himself a single point on his debut. His first win wouldn't come until the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix while racing for McLaren finishing 39 seconds ahead of second placed man Barrichello in the Ferrari. Kimi took his final win in 2018 at the United States Grand Prix driving for Ferrari.

In his career Raikkonen has achieved;

Championships: 1 - 2007

Wins: 21

Podiums: 103

Pole Positions: 18

Fastest Laps: 46

Raikkonen is one of very few drivers to ever achieve over 100 podiums.

As of this day Raikkonen remains Ferrari's most recent World Champion. Raikkonen did take a break from F1 to enter into the Rallying World Championship for 2010 and 2011 returning to F1 in 2012 with Lotus.

In terms of career stats Raikkonen is the most successful Finnish driver in the sports history ahead of the likes of Mika Hakkinen a fellow World Champion.

With the announcement that Kimi is retiring that has put the question of who will replace him at Alfa Romeo for 2022 on many peoples lips - various drivers have been linked including fellow Finnish driver Valtteri Bottas.

It only seems right to end this post with one of Kimi's most famous lines said during the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix,

"Leave me alone... I know what I'm doing"