Kimi Räikkönen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Kimi Räikkönen

Räikkönen in 2019
Born	Kimi-Matias Räikkönen (1979-10-17) 17 October 1979 (age 43) Espoo, Finland
Formula One World Championship career
Nationality	Finnish
2023 team	Alfa Romeo Racing-Ferrari
Car number	7
Entries	303 (300 starts)
Championships	1 (2007)
Wins	21
Podiums	103
Career points	1837
Pole positions	18
Fastest laps	46
First entry	2001 Australian Grand Prix
First win	2003 Malaysian Grand Prix
Last win	2018 United States Grand Prix
Last entry	2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2020 position	16th (2pts)
World Rally Championship record
Active years	2009–2011
Teams	Citroën Junior Team, ICE 1 Racing
Rallies	21
Championships	0
Rally wins	0
Podiums	0
Stage wins	1
Total points	59
First rally	2009 Rally Finland
Last rally	2011 Wales Rally GB

Kimi-Matias Räikkönen (pronounced [ˈkimi ˈmɑtiɑs ˈræikkønen]) (born October 17, 1979 in Espoo, Finland) is a race car driver, currently driving for Alfa Romeo Racing. He is the 2007 Formula One World Drivers' Champion.

Räikkönen entered Formula One as a regular driver for Sauber-Petronas in 2001. Having previously only raced in very junior open-wheel categories, he was given his Super Licence from the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) after a performance delivery promise from his team boss, Peter Sauber. He joined McLaren Mercedes in 2002, and became a title contender by finishing runner-up in the 2003 and 2005 championships to Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, respectively.

Switching to Ferrari in 2007, Räikkönen became the highest paid driver in the sport, and secured his first Formula One World Drivers' Championship, beating McLaren drivers Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso by one point.

Räikkönen is very calm, cool, and calculating in his race strategy—prompting the nickname "Iceman", which is subtly written on the side of his current helmet design. His other nicknames include Kimppa, Räikkä and Kimster (used by his mechanics).

NASCAR

Räikkönen joined the ranks of former F1 drivers who have moved to NASCAR in 2011. His first race was the Camping World Truck Series on May 20 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. He finished in 15th place on the lead lap. He hopes to work his way up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

Räikkönen's second NASCAR race was also at Charlotte. He raced in the Nationwide Series. He received a penalty for speeding on pit lane, and finished in 27th place. After the race, he returned to Europe to compete in some more rally races. Räikkönen said his plans are to "see what happens."

Results and records

Career summary

^* Season in progress
^↓ As a guest driver, Räikkönen was ineligible for points

Complete Formula One results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap)