Kimi Räikkönen
From The Formula 1 Wiki
Kimi-Matias Räikkönen (born October 17,1979) is a Formula One driver, who currently races for Scuderia Ferrari.
Contents |
[edit] Pre-F1
He started karting when he was ten and his first race outside of Finland was at Monaco at 15 years old.
By twenty years old, he had won the British Formula Renault and by that time, after two seasons (1999 and 2000), he had won thirteen out of 23 races.
[edit] F1 career
[edit] Sauber (2001)
On these results, Peter Sauber tested Räikkönen with Sauber at the Mugello Circuit. After further tests in Jerez and Barcelona, Sauber signed him for the 2001 Season. After questions about his super license, it was granted and he scored a point at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix. After the season had ended, he was in 10th place with nine points. With Nick Heidfeld gaining 12 points and 8th place, helped Sauber to a team best of fourth place in the championship.
[edit] McLaren (2002-2006)
[edit] 2002
Although linked to Ferrari (engine supplier to Sauber, badged as Petronas), Räikkönen signed for McLaren and scored a podium in his first race at the Australian Grand Prix. Despite a sizeable number of engine failures, he finished in 6th place with 24 points.
[edit] 2003
After qualifying 15th in the spare car, Räikkönen was able to lead the Australian Grand Prix and could have won but for a software glitch that meant he sped in the pitlane; he ended the race in third place. He won the next race in Malaysia, his first win. He almost won the Brazilian Grand Prix, but the result was actually taken a lap later and Giancarlo Fisichella was, in fact, the winner. He kept up this form with multiple second places and was still in the title race with Michael Schumacher first, himself second and Juan Pablo Montoya third after Monza. Montoya went out of
