r/formula1 • u/Worst_Player_Ever • Dec 11 '21
News [Kimi Raikkonen] "Biggest reason for my quitting is F1 media nonsense and politics" (Original article in Finnish, Google translation in comments)
https://www.is.fi/formula1/art-2000008462271.html1.1k
Dec 11 '21
Like the press conference with Max and Lewis where all they wanted to talk about was whether or not they are planning to crash into each other?
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u/Worst_Player_Ever Dec 11 '21
I've stopped watching press conferences long time ago in pretty much every sport.
They just don't offer any value when questions are so stupid or obvious and everyone knows answers beforehand
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u/__Rosso__ Dec 11 '21
suprised Pikachu face
Seriously it's not surprising, this is same guy who once said only good thing about F1 is racing.
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u/Worst_Player_Ever Dec 11 '21 edited Dec 11 '21
True, he has always despised media attention, press conferences and such.
F1 without media would be paradise (quote from Kimi's book)
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u/SubcooledBoiling Dec 11 '21
Kimi said similar things during his first retirement. He said he sick of the politics in F1 / Ferrari and just wanted to race.
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u/Worst_Player_Ever Dec 11 '21
And even when he moved from Mac to Ferrari. He said he got more lenient contract deciding what to do
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u/bwoah07_gp2 Dec 11 '21
I can imagine once Kimi gets a good amount of vacationing in and time with the family, he'll try doing a little bit of motorsport, a series with far less media drama and attention.
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u/Worst_Player_Ever Dec 11 '21
Most certainly. Rally(cross) or motocross would be my guess. Maybe not series, but single events now and then
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u/yura910721 Dec 11 '21
So my guy is saying if media and politics weren't getting on his nerves, he would have driven until he is 60? 😁
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Dec 11 '21
Politics in F1 and its teams also drove out Mark Webber. After Multi 21 I think he called it a day with Red Bull.
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Dec 11 '21
It’s funny when you really listen to most of his interviews. They’re a complete formality to him. He takes zero enjoyment from them. Speaks exclusively in platitudes and doesn’t present a single nuanced or contentious opinion. Say what you have to say and get through it.
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Dec 11 '21
I've always said Kimi was the least F1 driver. Not in his talent or anything, it's just that he never really played that game. I dunno how much of the grid actually leans into it, but I can imagine some names that enjoy it. Which is fine and all, that's what makes it all so interesting to some people, but hot damn does it make for some garbage fans when they buy into it.
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u/johnknockout Dec 11 '21
Kimi reached the absolute pinnacle of the sport as F1 champion with Ferrari.
That is the most F1 driver thing there is. Maybe he felt like there wasn’t anything else to accomplish after that, which to be honest I doubt. He’s been great for Gio this year who has definitely improved a lot over the course of the season.
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u/eOMG Dec 11 '21
Might be, but he's gotten too old as well. The way he blindly drove into his teammate was most telling for that fact, among other sloppy mistakes. And I won't miss his shouting at his team.
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u/986cv Dec 11 '21
Did Alfa even offer him a new contract?
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u/Spider_Riviera Dec 11 '21
IIRC, he'd told them at end of last year he was going to retire. They didn't need to and could focus on looking a new driver, instead of being hamstrung offering (and maybe expecting) him an extension of some sort.
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u/Dave_Unknown Dec 11 '21
Double edged sword though, without media and hype, you don’t have F1 as it is today.
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u/Worst_Player_Ever Dec 11 '21 edited Dec 11 '21
Kimi Räikkönen, 42, his nearly 20-year career at the sharpest peak in motorsport will end on December 12 in the final race of the F1 season in Abu Dhabi.The 2007 world champion, who achieved the most F1 starts, is still one of the most popular drivers in the royal class, although in recent seasons he was no longer able to drive, mainly due to Alfa Romeo's fleet.Before the end of his career, Räikkönen gave a rare straightforward interview to Heikki Kulla, a journalist who writes for Apu magazine, who is a legend like Räikkönen in his field.
Known for his uncompromising way of working, Räikkönen did not hide the fact that the main reason for his decision to quit was saturation with the “nonsense” and “politics” of the formula circus.Räikkönen has never enjoyed publicity, but has always loved driving. In F1, however, even Räikkönen must not focus only on driving.- This is by no means the most comfortable work environment of all, when there is too much nonsense involved, there is a policy that I don't want to take part in, Räikkönen shakes up in an extensive interview.
Räikkönen emphasizes that by far the best thing about the last race weekend after the actual drive is going home, which he is already waiting for. He unequivocally stresses that he will not be left to speculate on his decision. There will be no pain of giving up.- That's for sure. The decision to terminate was not really about anything but that I could no longer cope with this same day and other travel.
Home conditions clearly overcome this, Räikkönen says.At home in Switzerland, wife Minttu and small children Robin and Rianna are waiting for Räikkönen