The pilot is in a hurry. “Come on, we don't have all day,” he says in that voice with which the same thing urges you to accelerate the step that talks about life. And the races. Kimi Raikkonen (Espoo, Finland; 40 years), the blue eyes, the unperturbed face - except when his children, Robin and Rianna, mint - are in Barcelona. The Montmeló circuit hosts the last preseason tests before the Formula 1 World Cup kicks off on March 15 in Australia. And he, world champion in 2007, today the most veteran of the contest, has the obligation to invest part of the afternoon to meet one of the main sponsors of his team, Alfa Romeo. Just because of that, he puts on and takes off his clothes without running a pair of Carrera sunglasses on the top floor of a shopping center from which he looks at the city at his feet.
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At the end of the event, the Finn has yet to devote a few extra minutes to three media. And he worries. He was never interested in everything that comes with being a pilot beyond the competition. “I like racing. Although there is much more than races in F1. If I didn't enjoy the races, I wouldn't be here, ”he concedes. In spite of everything, Raikkonen is always present in the media. "But I don't do anything to go out in the press!" He excuses himself. Be it by its character or by its eccentricities, Iceman (the ice man), is one of the most popular drivers of the grid. “Obviously, it makes me happy that there are followers who like me, there are also those who don't like me. But I just try to do the things that make me happy. As long as you do things that make you happy as a person that is all that matters. If you are happy that will help you in your work, be it driving a car or any other; It will help you in your daily life. If people like it, great; if they don't like it, well too. Each one is as it is. Besides, I never do anything to please anyone. I do what I think thinking about me. ”
In him, in his friends and in the laughter he would provoke, Kimi thought when he dressed up as a bear - his wife, Minttu, looked like a tamer of the circus - for the Alfa Romeo Christmas party. The occurrence appeared immediately in all media. “I'm sure there are a lot of things, so, in general, much more important to write about. But that's how the media works now unfortunately, ”he says. "I never intend to be in the news," he concludes. The scarce six minutes he dedicates to the interview - the Alfa Romeo press team helps him quickly finish the job - corroborates it.
His life - also his biorhythms - and his priorities changed five years ago, when his eldest son was born. “Fatherhood changes your schedules completely. Also, you worry much more. In the end, they are young children, they need you. And there are other new things that are suddenly more important in your life. Now the family is much more important than racing, even if you enjoy running. I miss them a lot when I'm out. That is surely the hardest part, being away from home so long. Because there is much more boredom behind F1 than it seems, ”he confesses, because he describes himself as a normal guy who has a completely normal life. Especially when the engines turn off.
Raikkonen always knew that he wanted to be a father. And it is clear that the change has been for good. “I enjoy paternity. The older they get, the more you have fun. I love spending time with them, it's very nice to see how they get older, ”he says. And, despite his decision to continue competing at 40, he adds: "For me it is important to try to be at home as long as I can and be involved in their childhood, spend time with them, play and help them."
He has also begun to convey his passion: just a few months ago he rode Robin in a kart - Aceman , he baptized him -, recorded a video, took some pictures and uploaded everything to social networks. As any parent would do in these times. Because at home Kimi is not Iceman . "Not at all. I think we are all different at work and in private life. We have a very basic life, ”he says.
That simplicity only breaks the competition. And the attempt to make the C39 a competitive car in its second year at home. “It works better than last year and that's good. Although, for now, it is impossible to predict where we will be this year. We will have a better idea after the first races. Seeking improvements for the car is a never ending story, ”he explains.
Asked about the feeling of unbeatable that radiates Mercedes, Raikkonen offers a much wider view of the World Cup. “I don't think they are invincible. They have lost careers, many, for years. It is true that in recent seasons they have been more often at the top of the championship. The regulations have changed and they have been more consistent lately and the fastest in most cases. So it doesn't seem like we're going to win them tomorrow, but winning isn't going to be an easy job for anyone either. ”
Although 12 years have passed, the Finn is still the last world champion with Ferrari today, a team he returned to in 2014 and with which he ran until 2018, when he finished third in the World Cup. “They need more speed, basically. And be more consistent. Only then can they turn the situation around and fight for the championship. They deserve it for all the history they have. I wish you the best, ”he says.
He never imagined that he would run until 40. But there he continues. "I don't feel as old as the figures say," he says. Although every day is a little less ice.
“For Alonso, the hard part will be finding a good place”
Nor does Kimi Raikkonen know if Fernando Alonso will return to Formula 1, nor does he want to answer for him when asked, but he knows that the most difficult thing for the Spaniard will be to find a wheel that satisfies his aspirations. Like Alonso, the Finn also left F1 for a while. And, in addition, he did it to run the world rally. “It's a different sport, more difficult, I think. But you learn a lot, ”he reflects. He came back. He did it with Lotus. And it was not bad at all. “Fernando is younger than me, and it doesn't matter if he has dedicated time to the Dakar or another discipline, the fact is that he has kept in touch with the car. In my case it was not difficult to return, but obviously this is a different issue. Finding a good place to return is surely the most complicated in formula 1, more than the piloting itself. ”
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