The currency of Formula 1 – much to Kimi’s bemusement – is rumour. Part of the reason why Kimi doesn’t always say very much is because he doesn’t like lying. “For now there’s really nothing and before I have anything 100 per cent confirmed, there’s no point in talking,” he points out with his characteristic honesty. Kimi Raikkonen’s diary for next year is blank… for the moment at least. But lots of things are possible, including life on Mars, and the truth of the matter is that nothing has been agreed for 2012. So Kimi prefers to maintain a dignified silence about the recent flurry of speculation that has linked him to various Formula 1 teams – although he admits that a move back is possible.
And this is just the normal world we’re talking about: imagine what it’s like in the rarefied atmosphere of Formula 1 where the air is as rendolent with self-absorption as it is with designer aftershave and there are more hidden agendas than in the cellar of a stationary shop. Let’s be honest: nobody is ever really interested in the weather or how your journey was.
The problem with polite conversation is that it’s meaningless. What is perceived to be a monosyllabic outlook on life (once prompting paddock magazine The Red Bulletin to produce a photo feature called ‘The 12 moods of Kimi Raikkonen’ – the catch being that all 12 photos were identical) is not even true: Kimi has plenty to say when he believes that there is something worthwhile to say or – more pertinently – something worthwhile to respond to. What could be more logical then that? But some people make the mistake of confusing a lack of communication with a lack of motivation when, in fact, the exact opposite is true. All he wants to do is win – in the most efficient way possible. In fact, he is one of the most straightforward yet misunderstood characters in motor racing. Kimi Räikkönen, despite a widespread reputation to the contrary, is not an enigma. Now, after all the endless speculation, you can hear it exclusively from the man himself: Kimi Räikkönen wants to return.
He left F1 at the end of 2009 to try his hand at rallying and even NASCAR trucks. Includes a great insight into the Iceman’s thoughts on a return to F1 and comments on his rallying, Nascar and LeMans experiences. Feature from F1 Racing magazine issue November 2011.
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