Biography

Kimi-Matias Räikkönen, nicknamed "The Iceman", is a Finnish racing driver who competed in Formula One between 2001 and 2021 for Sauber, McLaren, Ferrari, Lotus, and Alfa Romeo. Räikkönen won the 2007 Formula One World Championship driving for Scuderia Ferrari, their latest World Drivers' Championship to date. In addition to this title, he also finished second overall in 2003 and 2005, and third in 2008, 2012 and 2018. With 103 podium finishes, he is one of only five drivers to have taken over 100 podiums. Räikkönen has won 21 Grands Prix, making him the most successful Finnish driver in terms of Formula One race wins, and is the only driver to win in the V10, V8 and the V6 turbo hybrid engine eras.

- IMDb mini biography by: Bonitao

Räikkönen found his way into motorsport early on. As early as 1988, at the age of nine, he started karting in the Finnish junior class. He drove his first international kart races in the early 1990s. In 1995, Räikkönen came second in the "Rocket Cup". In 1998 he won his first major national title in Formula A. After two championship titles in Formula Renault in 1999 and 2000 (British Formula Renault 2000 champion), he became a test driver in Formula 1 for Peter Sauber. Räikkönen received his first professional contract in Formula 1 with Sauber the following year, 2001. Nick Heidfeld became his teammate, creating one of the youngest driver pairs in Formula 1.

Since Kimi Räikkönen had only completed 23 races as a professional, he initially received the super license on probation for four Grand Prix. For the 2002 season, Räikkönen moved to McLaren-Mercedes to succeed Mika Häkkinen alongside David Coulthard. He reached sixth place in the overall World Cup with 24 points. In 2003 he achieved his first victory in Formula 1 at the Malaysian Grand Prix. Räikkönen became runner-up in the 2003 world championship and, with 91 points, was only two points behind Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher. Räikkönen finished seventh in the 2004 World Cup with 45 points. In 2005 he was again runner-up world champion, 21 points behind Fernando Alonso and with seven Grand Prix victories. In 2006, Räikkönen finished fifth in the World Cup with 65 points. For McLaren-Mercedes it was the first winless season since 1996.

For the 2007 season, Räikkönen moved to the Italian racing team Ferrari, and Felipe Massa became his teammate. Räikkönen won the first race, the Australian Grand Prix in Adelaide. In the overall ranking he achieved 110 World Championship points. His sixth victory in the final race of the season secured him the Formula 1 world championship title, ahead of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso in the Mercedes. He finished the 2008 season third in the World Championship after two Grand Prix victories; In 2009 he took sixth place. In the same year he made his debut in the World Rally Championship as a guest starter in a Fiat Grande Punto S2000 at the Rally Finland. He retired from Formula 1 at the end of the 2009 season. From 2010, Räikkönen competed in the World Rally Championship for Citroën.

Kimi Räikkönen has been married to model Jenni Dahlman since July 31, 2004. They live together in Switzerland and Finland.

- IMDb mini biography by: Christian_Wolfgang_Barth