In the glamorous world of Formula One, rivalries forged on paper translate on to heated on-track battles. The likes of Senna and Prost, Hunt and Lauda, followed by Schumacher and Hakkinen have raged with fury and lifted the most ecstatic competition in the world of motorsport.
But, in an age where Hamilton and Rosberg are commanding headlines and where the dynamics of the sport are changing with ringing cash registers and by Bernie’s mood swings, established names like Alonso and Button and rising stars like Verstappen and Sainz Jr. are all fighting.
It is so because a certain Kimi Raikkonen is still out there.
The Ferrari driver, who is said to be competing in his last season, is the oldest driver on the grid and quite possibly, still one of the fastest.
The icon of cool: can he make it count?
Notoriously shy of the media, Raikkonen’s legend expands every time the image of Formula One contracts. With F1 finding itself at an interesting cusp of rising competition from other international sports being in an age where drivers’ egos exploit every inch of the turf war on zigzagging circuits, Kimi’s understated appeal charms fans and critics alike.
This year there will be talks of Alonso’s fiery persona aiming to prop up the miserable McLaren-Honda’s fortunes, with the team also promising improvement.
One is sure that four time world champion Sebastian Vettel will be hoping to give Mercedes’ Rosberg and Hamilton a run for their money.
But despite such interesting precursors to the pinnacle of motorsport, many eyes will be on Kimi Raikkonen.
Not a spectacular 2015, but signaling a comeback
Bouncing back to form in the last season, 2015 may not have seen the very best from the Finnish racing star but gave fans a slice of why he’s so good behind the wheel. Having endured possibly the worst ever F1 season in 2014, where the Ferrari pairing of Alonso and Raikkonen produced a dampener, as opposed to what the world thought would stoke the character of the sport given the “Fire and Ice” pairing, the Finn scored only 55 points to Alonso’s 161.
“The front doesn’t work too well,” he had said, citing adjustment problems with the front end of his Ferrari. But bouncing back is probably just one of Kimi’s maverick moves.
Just a year later, partnering Vettel for 2015, a season where the Italian team followed Mercedes quite like the Italian Mafia trails its naysayers, Raikkonen’s speedy elegance helped put Ferrari at the front of the pack on many occasions.
He was again outscored by his partner, but there was a resurgence in Raikkonen’s character that many of his critics would be glad to forget.
Complaints about usual laziness in qualifying, especially his poor showing at Monza (Italian Grand Prix) were put to rest following the disastrous start at the home of Ferrari. Since then, Raikkonen’s qualifying save for Mexico where he did not qualify (ditto for race result) have read, Russia- 5, Brazil- 5, USA- 8, Singapore- 3 and Abu Dhabi 3.
Of course, standing 3rd on the podium twice at the night safari of Singapore and at the electrifyingly beautiful Abu Dhabi may not be Kimi’s idea of job well done. But while it helped Ferrari make most of the races where Rosberg-Lewis show dominated, his superb earning of setting 2 fastest laps at Canada and Bahrain, signaled the intent of the Iceman.
It was Kimi who kept his calm and nearly did Lewis’ in the desert heat of the Sakhir circuit, standing 2nd on the podium, his best finish in 2015.
Some say he’s a loose wheel nut
If you ever fancy making the most of a dull day, just hear the Iceman take on the media. Youtube is rife with ‘funny iceman’ videos where, despite the best attempts made by international press to extract verbose answers from the laidback Finn, his one word retorts splash a layer of cool that you would experience on a happy go lucky day spent on holiday.
There are some who like the plain-speaking, attention-seeking triple world champion Hamilton and former double world champion Alonso, who is baldly honest.
Then, there are some who don’t mind the compliments coming in. Picture Rosberg, Bottas and Massa. And then there are those who are adjudged the ‘most popular driver of them all’, caring a darn to all the attention which refuses to buckle down.
Kimi Raikkonen, the champagne-guzzling star of the F1 podium is in the last league.
Has Kimi still got it?
About to enter his 15th season in Formula One with a team that seduces every single driver out there, Raikkonen will be hoping to make the most out of what is rumored to be his swansong with Ferrari. This is a team where he won the 2007 drivers title, and, a team where he has held not one but two separate stints.
But this is a different time and age for the “Iceman” from Finland. Back then, when he claimed his world title in his debut year with the Maranello based stable, a feat that even legends like Prost and Schumacher haven’t attained, he was 27 and at the peak of his youth.
Now, at 36, he has still has got the pace, despite being challenged by friend and teammate Vettel.
How to make a comeback: Raikkonen style
Monosyllabic out of the car, but racing with passion while in it, in the 2 years where Kimi slipped away from the glamour of F1, he did it all.
Taking to the terse and rigorous demands of World Rallying Championship, Raikkonen competed and made news for racing trucks at Nascar. He went skiing, did some snowmobile racing and then surprised the F1 fraternity.
Just when he had been written off by those who prefer shenanigans over class, the light eyed charmer from Espoo announced his return to Formula One. Silently as ever, making headlines for a partnership with Renault, a team none fancied given the prowess of Ferrari, Red Bull and Mercedes at that point in time, all this despite Renault’s past championships, Kimi was back to where he belongs.
While Vettel’s reign clobbered them all in 2012 and 2013 save for Alonso, who roared alone, it was Raikkonen who gathered the plaudits.
Despite having not sat in F1 car for two whole years, the Iceman’s slicing of his opponents in the 2012 season saw him earn 207 points in his F1 return.
The 7 podium finishes, marked with a commanding win at Abu Dhabi, showed his detractors just what the Iceman was capable of.
Even then, the big words were missing in those punchy press conferences and Raikkonen’s lament at team radio during the final rounds at the Yas Marina circuit said it all: “Leave me alone, I know what am doing”.
While 2013 saw Eric Boullier led outfit not paying a penny to the Finn, Kimi finished 5th on the driver’s standings, despite missing the last two races.
What lies ahead?
Desperate times and desperate measures. These may well be the words in the minds of all those who will be keen to upset the dominant Mercedes show.
That said, fans will wait for Kimi Raikkonen to take his seat in the season opener that begins days from now at Australia.
Who knows what will happen when they roar,” it’s lights out and away we go!”
