Kimi Räikkönen

Kimi Räikkönen was born in Espoo, Finland, in 1979 and reached Formula 1 through an unusually short junior career. His natural speed was so obvious that Sauber gave him a race seat in 2001 despite limited single-seater experience. Quiet, direct and famously uninterested in unnecessary attention, he quickly became known as “The Iceman,” a driver whose calm exterior hid exceptional feel and commitment. Räikkönen moved to McLaren in 2002 and became one of the fastest drivers of the decade, though reliability often cost him title chances. In 2007 he joined Ferrari and won the World Championship in his first season with the team, beating Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso in a dramatic finale. Later he returned to F1 with Lotus, won again, and then had a long second Ferrari spell before finishing at Alfa Romeo. Räikkönen retired from Formula 1 after 2021, leaving as one of the sport’s most popular modern characters. His appeal came from both speed and authenticity: he rarely performed for the camera and seemed happiest simply racing. Ferrari’s 2007 title remains his defining achievement, while his personality made him a cult figure far beyond Finland.