“Well, he will be very, very fast”: When Kimi Raikkonen's race engineer shared how Michael Schumacher approved of the Finn during his initial F1 years

Kimi Raikkonen is regarded as one of Formula 1’s greats, and once his former race engineer, Jacky Eeckelaert, opened up on the comments Michael Schumacher made about him during his formative years in racing. The Finnish driver who competed in the racing series between 2001 and 2021 was quick to leave an impression on the former Ferrari driver.

In a 2018 interview with F1, Eeckelaert, who served as race engineer for the then-rookie, recalled how Raikkonen was granted a test with the Sauber outfit at the Mugello circuit, with Michael Schumacher present. The Finn who had not driven an F1 car prior to his test at the high downforce circuit would record impressive lap times, which were quick enough to delight the seven-time world champion.

Recounting the encounter where Schumacher made his remark about Raikkonen, Eeckelaert stated:

“It’s true that in the evening, after the briefing, and while I was making the programme for day two, there was a knock on the door of the motorhome, and it was Michael, and he asked me, ‘Who is this driver that is driving your Sauber car?’ I told him it was Kimi Raikkonen and that 12 months ago, he was just racing karts. He replied: ‘Well, he will be very, very fast’.”

Kimi Raikkonen would prove to be very fast indeed, as he would years later complete a switch to the Scuderia Ferrari team and clinch the 2007 Drivers’ championship — coincidentally the Italian team’s last Drivers’ title triumph to date.

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David Coulthard explains why Kimi Raikkonen was not as successful as Michael Schumacher

Former Red Bull Racing driver David Coulthard once hinted at why Kimi Raikkonen was not as successful a driver as Michael Schumacher. The 54-year-old pointed to the work ethic of the Finnish driver as a pivotal reason behind the relatively successful career he enjoyed in Formula 1.

Coulthard, who spoke on the Red Flags podcast in November 2024, detailed how, in comparison to Schumacher, Raikkonen largely took Formula 1 as a hobby.

“He was just a great, great natural talent... If he had the work ethic of Michael, I think he would have won more... I stand by work ethic. It’s the difference between being a humble one-time World Champion or what he [Raikkonen] could have been.”

While Kimi Raikkonen may not have had a career on par with Michael Schumacher, the 45-year-old enjoyed a stellar career in his own right. The former McLaren driver recorded 21 race victories and multiple podium finishes throughout his career, which spanned about two decades across several teams within the Formula 1 scene, including Lotus and Alfa Romeo.