Career Timeline of Kimi Räikkönen: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Kimi Räikkönen built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Kimi Räikkönen, a Finnish racing driver nicknamed "the Iceman," competed in Formula One from 2001-2021 and the World Rally Championship from 2009-2011. He secured the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in 2007 while driving for Ferrari. Throughout his Formula One career, spanning 19 seasons, Räikkönen won a total of 21 Grands Prix, establishing himself as a prominent figure in motorsports.

Sections (4)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1986: First Three-Way Title Battle Since 1986

The 2008 Chinese Grand Prix marked the first time since 1986 that there was a three-way title battle in the final race of the season, with Kimi Räikkönen, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso all contending for the championship.

1994: F1's Oldest race winner

In 2018, Räikkönen won the United States Grand Prix, becoming, at 39, F1's oldest race winner since Nigel Mansell in 1994.

1997: Oldest Polesitter Since 1997

At the Monaco Grand Prix in 2017, Räikkönen scored his first pole position in 129 races, becoming the sport's oldest polesitter since 1997. He finished the race second after Vettel had a superior strategy.

1998: Nordic Championship Win

In 1998, Kimi Räikkönen won the Nordic Championship at Varna in Norway.

1999: Graduation to Junior Formulae

In 1999, Kimi Räikkönen graduated to junior formulae after winning several national kart racing titles.

1999: European Formula Super A Championship

In 1999, Kimi Räikkönen placed second in a round of the European Formula Super A championship and also competed in the Formula Ford Euro Cup.

September 2000: Sauber Formula One Test

In September 2000, Peter Sauber gave Kimi Räikkönen a test with the Sauber Formula One team at the Mugello Circuit, where he impressed and lapped quicker than regular driver Pedro Diniz.

2000: British Formula Renault Championship Win

In 2000, Kimi Räikkönen dominated the British Formula Renault Championship with Manor.

2001: Formula One Debut

In 2001, Kimi Räikkönen began competing in Formula One.

2001: Consecutive points finishes

In 2001, Kimi Räikkönen was one shy of the record of 24 consecutive points finishes set by Michael Schumacher.

2001: Signing with Sauber and F1 Debut

In 2001, Kimi Räikkönen was signed by Sauber for the Formula One season despite concerns over his inexperience. He scored a championship point in his debut at the Australian Grand Prix.

2001: Formula One Signing with Sauber

In 2001, Sauber signed Kimi Räikkönen to Formula One after his success in the British Formula Renault Championship.

2002: McLaren Debut and Maiden Podium

In 2002, Kimi Räikkönen joined McLaren and achieved his maiden podium on debut.

2002: Racing for McLaren

In 2002, Kimi Räikkönen raced for McLaren. He finished second at Imola. At the Spanish Grand Prix, Räikkönen made a mistake in qualifying and had to start from the back of the grid, later retiring from the race due to a collision.

2003: First Grand Prix Victory

In 2003, Kimi Räikkönen achieved his maiden victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix and finished runner-up to Michael Schumacher in the championship by two points.

2003: Consecutive points finishes

In 2003, Kimi Räikkönen was one shy of the record of 24 consecutive points finishes set by Michael Schumacher.

November 2004: Announcement of Racing Team

In early November 2004, Kimi Räikkönen announced his intention to create a racing team with his manager Steve Robertson, called Räikkönen Robertson Racing (Double R), to compete in Formula Three in 2005.

2004: Michael Schumacher Equalled the Record of Fastest Laps in a Formula One Season

In 2004, Michael Schumacher set the record for the most fastest laps in a Formula One season, with ten fastest laps.

2004: Difficult Start to the Season

The 2004 season started poorly for Räikkönen, claiming only a single point in the first seven races due to repeated breakdowns of his McLaren's Mercedes engine. Despite this, he was classified fifth in Canada and finished sixth at the United States Grand Prix.

2005: Runner-Up in the Championship

In 2005, Kimi Räikkönen won seven Grands Prix and finished runner-up to Fernando Alonso.

2005: Victory and Challenges

In 2005, Kimi Räikkönen won the Canadian Grand Prix due to Alonso's mistake. However, all Michelin teams withdrew from the United States Grand Prix for safety reasons. At the French Grand Prix, he finished second, and at the British Grand Prix, he claimed third place despite an engine failure.

2005: Formula Three Competition

In 2005, Räikkönen's team, Räikkönen Robertson Racing (Double R) competed in Formula Three.

2005: Challenging Start to the Season

Kimi Räikkönen had a less than perfect start to the 2005 season with the McLaren reported to be too soft on its Michelin tyres. He stalled on the grid at the Australian Grand Prix, ending the race with just a point. In Malaysia, a faulty tyre valve failed. Bahrain saw him achieve his first podium of the season with a third place.

2006: Ferrari Contract Signing

After the 2006 Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari announced that Kimi Räikkönen had signed a three-year contract with Scuderia Ferrari, starting from the 2007 season.

2006: Spanish Grand Prix and Monaco Retirement

At the Spanish Grand Prix in 2006, Räikkönen finished fifth after qualifying ninth. He then admitted he had no chance of winning the 2006 Championship. In Monaco, he retired during a safety car period and was later seen walking along the sidewalks and climbing aboard a yacht.

2006: Possible Departure from McLaren

During the 2006 Hungarian Grand Prix, despite expressing comfort at McLaren, Kimi Räikkönen hinted at a possible departure if reliability issues persisted, leading to a victory over Michael Schumacher after teammate Montoya's retirement.

2006: Retirement and Relaxation at Monaco Grand Prix

During the 2006 Monaco Grand Prix, Räikkönen's McLaren MP4-21 broke down due to an exploding heat shield, forcing him to retire. Following the retirement on 2006, he went straight to his yacht in his racing suit and relaxed in his jacuzzi.

2006: Winless Campaign

In 2006, Kimi Räikkönen had a winless campaign.

2006: Räikkönen Robertson Racing Success

In 2006, Räikkönen's British Formula 3 Championship team, Räikkönen Robertson Racing, saw their driver Mike Conway win the British F3 International Series title and the Macau Grand Prix.

2006: Retirement at United States Grand Prix

In 2006, at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Räikkönen made contact at the first corner of the first lap and broke his Lotus's right front suspension, forcing Räikkönen to retire on the first lap for the first time since the 2006 United States Grand Prix.

November 2007: Räikkönen Confirmed as 2007 Champion After FIA Appeal Rejection

In November 2007, Kimi Räikkönen's 2007 Formula One Drivers' Championship title was confirmed after the FIA Court of Appeal rejected McLaren's appeal regarding alleged fuel irregularities in other cars. This confirmed the race results, securing Räikkönen's championship win.

2007: Move to Ferrari Announced

After the 2006 Italian Grand Prix, Ferrari announced that Kimi Räikkönen would replace Michael Schumacher in the 2007 season.

2007: Inspiration from 2007 Season

During the 2012 Korean Grand Prix weekend, Räikkönen said he took inspiration from the 2007 season which he won at the last round in Brazilian Grand Prix after Lewis Hamilton suffered gearbox problems.

2007: Joining Ferrari

In 2007, Kimi Räikkönen joined Ferrari as the teammate to Felipe Massa.

2007: World Drivers' Championship Win with Ferrari

In 2007, Kimi Räikkönen moved to Ferrari, secured six victories, and won the World Drivers' Championship, beating Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton by a single point.

2007: Wins 2007 Formula One Drivers' Title

In 2007, Kimi Räikkönen won the Formula One Drivers' Championship by winning the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. He overtook Hamilton at the start, and later Massa, ultimately securing the victory and the championship by a single point over Hamilton and Alonso.

2007: Formula One World Championship Win

In 2007, Kimi Räikkönen won the Formula One World Drivers' Championship with Ferrari.

2007: Third Place at Fuji Speedway in Japan

In 2007, at the Fuji Speedway in Japan, Kimi Räikkönen qualified third. During an extremely wet race with the first 19 laps behind the safety car, Räikkönen moved through the field to finish third after being affected by having to change to extreme wet tyres early in the race due to a late FIA notification to Ferrari.

2007: Second Victory of the Season in France

In 2007, during the French Grand Prix, Kimi Räikkönen qualified third, overtook Hamilton at the first corner, and ultimately secured his second victory of the season after overtaking his teammate Massa during pit stops. This marked his 11th Formula One career victory and Ferrari's first 1–2 win of the 2007 season.

2007: 11th anniversary of his 2007 F1 world championship

In 2018, Räikkönen won the United States Grand Prix, Coincidentally, this victory came on the 11th anniversary of his 2007 F1 world championship.

2007: Won the championship with Ferrari

In September 2013, it was confirmed that Räikkönen had agreed a two-year deal to return to Ferrari, where he won the championship in 2007, starting from 2014.

2008: Significantly slower pace of Ferraris and McLarens

At the start of the 2009 season at the Australian Grand Prix, the pace of the Ferraris and McLarens in particular was significantly slower than the likes of the Brawn, Red Bull and other outfits who were struggling to keep up with them in 2008.

2008: Third Place Finish

In 2008, Kimi Räikkönen finished third in the championship, with victories in Malaysia and Spain.

2008: Pole and Race Win at Spanish Grand Prix

In 2008, Kimi Räikkönen secured his first pole position of the season at the Spanish Grand Prix, later winning the race and setting the fastest lap. He surpassed Mika Häkkinen in the number of fastest laps and podium finishes, becoming the highest-ranked Finnish driver in these statistics.

2008: First Race Win of 2008 Season at Malaysian Grand Prix

In 2008, after a disappointing first race in Australia, Räikkönen won his first race of the season at the Malaysian Grand Prix, finishing ahead of Robert Kubica and Heikki Kovalainen. His victory in Kuala Lumpur came on the fifth anniversary of his maiden victory at the same track. He also secured the lead in the championship after finishing second in Bahrain.

2008: Win at Chinese Grand Prix

In 2008, at the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, Räikkönen dominated the weekend and won the race after Hamilton retired due to sliding into a gravel trap. This was Räikkönen's fifth win of the season. It also marked Ferrari's 200th race win and 600th podium in a World Championship event as a manufacturer. He moved to seven and three points behind Hamilton and Alonso in the Drivers' Championship, respectively.

January 2009: Räikkönen's rally debut at the Arctic Lapland Rally

In January 2009, Kimi Räikkönen made his initial rally debut at the Arctic Lapland Rally, driving a Tommi Mäkinen Racing-prepared Abarth Grande Punto S2000 and finished in 13th place.

November 2009: Confirmation of Absence from Formula One in 2010

In November 2009, Kimi Räikkönen's manager confirmed that he would not drive in Formula One in the 2010 season.

December 2009: Shift to World Rally Championship

On 4 December 2009, Kimi Räikkönen announced his shift from Formula 1 to the World Rally Championship for the 2010 season as a full-time driver for the Citroën Junior Team.

2009: World Rally Championship Entry

In 2009, Kimi Räikkönen began competing in the World Rally Championship.

2009: Rally Finland Debut

In 2009, Kimi Räikkönen debuted in rallying at the Rally Finland.

2009: Retirement at the Australian Grand Prix

In 2009, Kimi Räikkönen started the season at the Australian Grand Prix, qualifying in ninth place. He retired from the race due to differential failure after an unscheduled pit stop following contact with a barrier.

2009: Victory in Belgian Grand Prix

In 2009, Kimi Räikkönen won the Belgian Grand Prix before leaving Formula One.

2009: End of Ferrari Contract

In 2009, Kimi Räikkönen's three-year contract with Ferrari ended.

2009: Third-place finish at the Italian Grand Prix

In 2015, at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Räikkönen recorded his first podium since the 2013 Korean Grand Prix for Lotus, and the first in his second spell with Ferrari – his most recent Ferrari podium was a third-place finish at the 2009 Italian Grand Prix.

2009: Departure from Ferrari Announced

Near the end of the 2009 season, Ferrari announced that Kimi Räikkönen would be leaving the team, despite having a contract for 2010. He was replaced by Fernando Alonso and linked to other teams.

April 2010: First WRC points at the Jordan Rally

On 3 April 2010, Kimi Räikkönen scored his first WRC points after finishing eighth in the Jordan Rally, becoming the second driver after Carlos Reutemann to score championship points in both Formula One and the World Rally Championship.

September 2010: First rally win at Rallye Vosgien

On 18 September 2010, Kimi Räikkönen achieved his first rally win when he participated in the Rallye Vosgien 2010 in France, winning all six stages in the asphalt rally.

2010: Ferrari 1-2 finish since 2010

At the Monaco Grand Prix in 2017, Räikkönen finished second after Vettel had a superior strategy, giving Ferrari their first 1–2 finish since 2010.

2010: Rumors of Comeback with Renault

During 2010, rumors emerged about a possible Räikkönen comeback with the Renault team in 2011, following a resurgence in Renault's form. Team principal Éric Boullier claimed he had been contacted by Räikkönen.

2010: Signing with Citroën Junior Team

In 2010, Kimi Räikkönen signed with the Citroën Junior Team in the World Rally Championship and took a stage win at the Rallye Deutschland.

2010: Departure from Formula One

In 2010, Kimi Räikkönen was replaced by Alonso and left Formula One at the end of his 2009 campaign.

2010: Toyota Offer and Rejection

In 2010, after leaving Ferrari, Räikkönen was offered a driving contract by Toyota F1, before they pulled out of Formula One, but he refused due to wanting to drive a race-winning car and Toyota's insufficient salary offer.

March 2011: Plans to enter NASCAR

In March 2011, it was reported that Kimi Räikkönen would try his hand at NASCAR starting in the Truck Series in the summer of 2011.

November 2011: Announcement of Return to Formula 1 with Lotus in 2012

On 29 November 2011, it was announced that Kimi Räikkönen would be returning to Formula 1 in 2012, signing a two-year contract with Lotus.

2011: Possible Comeback with Renault

2011: Continued in Citroën Machinery

In 2011, Kimi Räikkönen continued in Citroën machinery as a privateer under the ICE 1 Racing banner, finishing tenth overall in both seasons.

2011: End of World Rally Championship

In 2011, Kimi Räikkönen stopped competing in the World Rally Championship.

October 2012: Lotus Confirms Räikkönen for 2013

On 29 October 2012, Lotus confirmed that Kimi Räikkönen would be racing with the team in 2013, ending speculation about other options.

November 2012: Wins Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

On 4 November 2012, Kimi Räikkönen won the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix for Lotus F1 team, marking their first win since 1987. Despite Alonso's pressure, Räikkönen secured the victory after Hamilton's retirement. He finished the season third in the standings.

2012: "Just leave me alone, I know what to do!"

During the 2012 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, after taking the lead, Räikkönen famously told his race engineer Simon Rennie "Just leave me alone, I know what to do!" when advised about Fernando Alonso's pace. He also admonished his team to stop reminding him about tyre temperature every ten seconds during the same race in 2012. The quote became popular, and T-shirts were rumored to be printed, but this was denied.

2012: Second Place Finish at Chinese and Bahrain Grand Prix

In 2012, Kimi Räikkönen qualified and finished second at the Chinese Grand Prix, even with car damage. At the Bahrain Grand Prix, he started eighth and finished second, ahead of his teammate Romain Grosjean. The podium result mirrored that of 2012.

2012: Return to Formula 1 with Lotus

In 2012, Kimi Räikkönen returned to Formula 1, signing a two-year contract with Lotus.

2012: Fifth Place at Korean Grand Prix with Lotus E20

In 2012, at the Korean Grand Prix, Räikkönen finished fifth after battling with Hamilton. The race saw the introduction of a coanda style exhaust system and other minor updates to the Lotus E20.

March 2013: Wins Australian Grand Prix

In March 2013, Kimi Räikkönen won the Australian Grand Prix from seventh place with a two-stop strategy. He also set the fastest lap of the race. Later in Malaysia, he finished seventh after a car damage at the start.

June 2013: Breaks Schumacher's record

On June 30, 2013, at the British Grand Prix, Räikkönen finished in the points for the 25th consecutive race, breaking Michael Schumacher's record. He finished fifth but believed second place could have been possible.

September 2013: Returns to Ferrari for monetary reasons

In September 2013, Kimi Räikkönen agreed to a two-year deal to return to Ferrari starting from 2014, citing monetary reasons for leaving Lotus.

2013: Lotus Contract Extended for 2013

Following the 2012 Indian Grand Prix, Kimi Räikkönen's contract with Lotus was extended for 2013 because the terms of options in the contract had been met.

2013: Victory at Australian Grand Prix

In 2013, Kimi Räikkönen secured a victory at the Australian Grand Prix with Lotus.

2013: First podium since the 2013 Korean Grand Prix

In 2015, at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Räikkönen recorded his first podium since the 2013 Korean Grand Prix for Lotus. He mentioned that he was hopeful in winning races in the near future after the team's strong recovery relative to 2014.

2013: First top-four finish for the Hinwil-based team since 2013

In 2019, at the Brazilian Grand Prix, Räikkönen finished fourth, the first top-four finish for the Hinwil-based team since 2013.

2014: Joins Ferrari

Following the Italian Grand Prix week in 2014, it was announced that Räikkönen would not continue with Lotus and would join Fernando Alonso at Ferrari.

2014: Recovery relative to 2014

In 2015, at the Bahrain Grand Prix, Räikkönen finished second after gaining that position late in the race. Räikkönen said that he was hopeful in winning races in the near future after the team's strong recovery relative to 2014.

2014: Return to Ferrari Helmet Design

Upon his return to Ferrari in 2014, Räikkönen's helmet base color became a vibrant red, with white diagonal lines. He also continued to race with a Bell model instead of Ferrari's supplier Schuberth.

2015: Podiums and Fourth in Standings

In 2015, Kimi Räikkönen partnered with Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, taking several podiums and finishing fourth in the standings.

2015: Second Place Finish at Bahrain Grand Prix

In 2015, Räikkönen finished fourth in Malaysia and China. At the Bahrain Grand Prix, he finished second, recording his first podium since the 2013 Korean Grand Prix.

2015: Partners with Sebastian Vettel

In 2015, Räikkönen remained with Ferrari, partnering with Sebastian Vettel after Alonso's departure.

2016: Improved Qualifying Performances

During the 2016 season, Räikkönen showed greatly improved qualifying performances, out-qualifying teammate Vettel 11–10.

2016: Further Podiums

In 2016, Kimi Räikkönen achieved further podiums with Ferrari.

2016: Contract Extension with Ferrari

In 2016, on August 19, Ferrari announced that Räikkönen had extended his contract with the team for the 2016 season.

August 2017: Contract renewal with Ferrari

On August 22, 2017, Räikkönen renewed his contract with Ferrari for the 2018 season.

2017: Further Podiums

In 2017, Kimi Räikkönen continued to achieve podiums with Ferrari.

2017: First podium of the season

In 2017, Räikkönen started the season with fourth in Australia, fifth in China and then again fourth in Bahrain. Räikkönen scored his first podium of the season at the following Russian Grand Prix, finishing third.

September 2018: Leaves Ferrari, rejoins Sauber

On September 11, 2018, it was announced that Räikkönen would leave Ferrari at the end of the season to rejoin Sauber on a two-year contract, the team he made his Formula One debut with in 2001.

2018: Third at the Australian Grand Prix

In 2018, Räikkönen qualified second for the first race in Australia and finished third.

2018: Final Career Win and Third in Championship

In 2018, during his last season with Ferrari, Kimi Räikkönen achieved his final career win at the United States Grand Prix, a record 114 races after his previous, and clinched third in the championship.

2019: Sauber renamed Alfa Romeo Racing

Following Räikkönen's return to Sauber, the team was renamed Alfa Romeo Racing prior to the start of the 2019 season.

2019: Move to Alfa Romeo

In 2019, Kimi Räikkönen moved to Alfa Romeo.

2020: Racing with Alfa Romeo

In 2020, Kimi Räikkönen continued racing with Alfa Romeo.

2020: Two Point-Scoring Finishes

In 2020, Räikkönen scored points twice, finishing ninth at the Tuscan Grand Prix and again ninth at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix.

2021: Retirement from Formula One

In 2021, Kimi Räikkönen remained with Alfa Romeo before retiring from Formula One at the age of 42.

May 2022: Cup Series debut

In May 2022, Trackhouse Racing announced that Kimi Räikkönen would make his Cup Series debut in the No. 91 Chevrolet at the 2022 Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International.

2022: Named Team Principal of Kawasaki Racing Team

In 2022, after retiring from Formula One, Räikkönen was named the team principal of the Kawasaki Racing Team for the 2022 season of the Motocross World Championship.

2022: NASCAR and Motocross Involvement

Since his retirement from Formula 1, Kimi Räikkönen made a one-off appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022 and has served as team principal of Kawasaki in the Motocross World Championship since 2022.

March 2023: Return to No. 91 at Circuit of the Americas

In March 2023, Kimi Räikkönen returned to the No. 91 at the Circuit of the Americas, where he qualified 22nd and finished 29th after a chaotic race.

2023: NASCAR Appearance

In 2023, Kimi Räikkönen made another one-off appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series.

Mentioned in this timeline

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Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab...