Early career
At age quaternion, Räikkönen said to his mother, ''"I will be world champion one day. I don't know in which sport, but I will be."'' He experienced an extended line of profits inside karting from the age of x, including placing 2nd in the 1999 European FormulThe Super A championship. He as well competed that month in a Formula Ford Euro Ventral suction cup, & per age of twenty, he got won the Formula Renault Winter series, winning the 1st 4 races of the month. Inside 2000, he dominated the British Renault Championship, where he won seven of decade cases. Fallowing racing around the Formulthe Renault series late in 2000, Räikkönen got won an astounding Long dozen of Xxiii cases -- a 56% win rate.

Entry into F1
Peter Sauber was so impressed that he gave a Finn a end line text sustaining the Sauber Formula One team around September of 2000. Fallowing farther tests around Jerez and Barcelona, Sauber signed Räikkönen for the 2001 season. Nonetheless, a bit of critics (including FIA president Max Mosley) voiced concerns over granting an F1 extremely license to such an inexperient driver, with exclusively Xxiii racing cases to his credit; he was notwithstanding granted the extremely license, & silenced his critics by scoring the championship point inside Australia, his maiden grand prix. Räikkönen was asleep Xx proceedings prior to his number one F1 GP, however could't remember what he dreamt astir. (He loves to sleep - & then very much then that he needs to become woken higher prior to qualifying and races.)

Far from either existence a hazard that a bit of humans potential him to exist as, Räikkönen was super calm, cool, & conniving within his race strategy - prompting previous critics to nickname him "the iceman". His more nicknames include Kimppa, Räikkä & Kimster (utilized by his mechanics). He experienced the firm debut season, proving he was indeed quick for the heavy period of Formula A single. He finished a season by using four points-scoring ends, with eight ends in the top eight. Completing a season sustaining Niner points, Räikkönen, along by using mate & fellow prospect Nick Heidfeld (12 points), helped Team Sauber to its greatest ever symptom: quaternary place in the builder championship.

McLaren
Räikkönen, yearn rumoured to exist as linked to the first Ferrari deal, instead sufficiently impressed McLaren, earning a race seat in Ron Dennis's team for 2002, replacing double-world champion (and fellow Finn) Mika Häkkinen.

Räikkönen scored a third-place soapbox finish around his number 1 race by using McLaren, the 2002 Australian Grand Prix. Although McLaren suffered several Mercedes engine failures in 2002, he however managed to score Twenty-quadruplet points & four ambo, & held his have to mate David Coulthard. Räikkönen come about winning his 1st grand prix within France, but spin in oil spilled on the Magny-Cours circuit with the handful of laps to last, settling for 2nd place. the lot told, he finished a year around sixth place, perfect behind his mate around fifth; together, it enabled McLaren to a firm third place in the builder chase.

2003
Räikkönen began a 2003 campaign inside outstanding fashion, reaching a dais in 5 away from a 1st six races. He won his number one race in a period of this span, the 2003 Malaysian Grand Prix, and thought he got won within Brazil as well, only to become demoted to 2nd place in the wake up of the rain-drenched, red-flagged race. He besides come highly roughly winning a famed street circuit of Monaco, but misused by to a lesser degree a second to (future mate) Juan Pablo Montoya. A 2003 year would prove to exist as a nearest campaign within years, by owning Räikkönen however mathematically alive at a final race. However 2003 would non become his month, when he settled for 2nd place to Michael Schumacher. Likewise, McLaren narrowly misused 2nd place in the builder championship, finishing the scrimpy deuce points behind Williams.

2004
A 2004 season began in quite depressing fashion for two Räikkönen & McLaren, when he sole claimed one point through the foremost 4 races. His McLaren suffered perennial breakdowns, allowing for him to complete upright 2 of the foremost seven cases. Toward a middle of the year, though, McLaren switched to their recently MP4-19B chassis & got manufactured the unfair recovery by prevent of the season. Räikkönen scored his third ever pole position at McLaren's home grand prix at Silverstone, and he as well claimed his 2nd ever triumph inside Belgium. He ended the season a respectable seventh, by having 45 points & quaternary rostrum.

Despite a disappointment of a 2004 year, Räikkönen is however seen when one of the rising stars of the sport, along using Renault's Fernando Alonso, Sauber's Felipe Massa, and 2005 McLaren teammate Montoya. Numerous pundits expect 2005 to become filled using swell around-track battles from either the renascent squad in Woking. Ross Brawn still fondly refers to Räikkönen as a driver whom Ferrari can assume later.

In July 31, 2004, at 24 years aged, Räikkönen married 22-month-old Jenni Dahlman, 2000 Miss Scandinavia.

Within early November 2004, Räikkönen announced his intention to produce the racing team using his manager Steve Robertson, to be entitled Räikkönen Robertson Racing, which would compete in Formula 3 in 2005.

2005
Fallowing a slightly lacklustre beginning to the 2005 year, Räikkönen hit back sustaining tierce sequentially poles at San Marino, Barcelonthe & Monte Carlo, sustaining an nigh certain win existence denied at Imola when a driveshaft failure and so winning the Spanish Grand Prix with a big margin. Räikkönen so won a prestigous Monaco Grand Prix, putting him within Twenty-two points of leader Fernando Alonso.

At a European Grand Prix Räikkönen flat-spotted his right front tyre when overtaking Jacques Villeneuve. the sequent vibrations induced his suspension to fail piece he lead on a final lap, sending him into the tyre wall & handing a farther decade points to his challenger Alonso. Opinion is divided when to whether he should keep around persevered on the track or even like pitted for the tyre vary & the comparatively safe third place.

Alonso's number one major mistake of a 2005 year handed a lead (& yet the win) of the American Grand Prix to Räikkönen. A as punishment weekend saw a Michelin teams, including McLaren, withdraw from either a United States Grand Prix due to safety concerns.

At a French Grand Prix Räikkönen suffered a ten-place grid-penalty ensuing the replacement of his newly specification Mercedes Benz engine which failed within Friday practice. When Alonso's qualifying lap was estimated to exist as brilliant Räikkönen's was potentially better, he experienced enough Tertiary (demoted to Thirteenth) using the important fuel bucket. Räikkönen yet finished Second behind Fernando Alonso.

a week down the road at the British Grand Prix Räikkönen suffered a second Mercedes engine failure due to an oil leak, his 2d place qualifying place became Twelfth. He claimed Third place in the race.

In the German Grand Prix Räikkönen, was comfortably leading getting dominated totally through the weekend, suffered the fluid mechanics failure (it has likewise been [http://www.f1racing.net/en/news.php?newsID=93770 reported] that the failure stand been due to a "fluid leak triggered by human error, a pressure relief valve had apparently not been re-fastened properly after a check."), handing triumph & the farther X points to Alonso. It was his third retirement when leading the race this season. In 100% Leash occasions, it was championship rival Fernando Alonso, world health organization took benefit to win.

Significantly, at a opening of the Hungarian Grand Prix, though saying he was very comfortable at McLaren, Räikkönen [http://www.itv-f1.com/News_Article.aspx?PO_ID=33631 raised] a possibility that he can leave McLaren whilst his contract expires around 2006 in case dependableness issues are non solved. He told the press conference "We need to work in a better way just to make sure that the car is very reliable." He yet went in to choose the checkered flag by owning a convincing triumph on top Michael Schumacher.

Räikkönen likewise achieved an telling statistic at a Hungarian Grand Prix by managing to win the race from either the virtually all handicapped qualifying position, with experienced to wash his qualifying rerun number one on the notoriously dusty & colly track due to his early retirement a week earliest at Hockenheim. There is no more driver got antecedently managed this exploit under the controversial grid qualification rules which significantly penalises victims world health organization retire from either a race.

Räikkönen became a number 1 ever winner of a Turkish Grand Prix, held at the Istanbul Otodrom in August 21 2005. 2 weeks late at a Italian Grand Prix, Kimi Räikkönen's pole position instance wwhen taken from either him as he received the 10-position grid penalty for an additional engine vary. Upright how else telling this lap was lone revealed in a period of the race, after it turned out that he experienced Pentad laps of fuel to a higher degree Montoya & Sextet to a higher degree Alonso when you took qualifying - & however managed to outpace the children. Good whenever it seemed rather McLaren experienced pulled off a strategical coup sustaining Kimi in a a single-prevent strategy, his tyre delaminated (something which affected Montoya, as well, towards a prevent & virtually experienced him returning the race to Alonso), & he was forced to choose an additional prevent to vary the left-tail tyre. He dropped down to Twelfth. He recovered, however spun his car fallowing pushing as well protective chasing a Third set driver. He finally finished 4th. It stand been the likely Second place finish, behind mate Juan Pablo Montoythe, or even super even a triumph, experienced it non for the cases that were diagnostic of the problems he's endured across this year.

the Belgian Grand Prix at Spa Francorchamps was a drama filled weekend due unpredictable atmospheric condition. Räikkönen proven 2nd behind team mate Juan Pablo Montoya to win an a lot McLaren front row. A race began by having not dry track conditions from either morning rain. Initially Juan Pablo maintained the lead, by using Räikkönen behind, a race continued this way for a short when. In lap Eleven Giancarlo Fisichella crashed heavy at a noted 290km/h Eau Rouge. When under safety car, Montoya pitted prior to Räikkönen world health organization held higher a cars behind him. Nonetheless this disadvantaged non simply himself however as well victims behind him due to the fact that he waited as well yearn, letting people world health organization hadn't pitted to benefit track position. This maneuver was in the future banned per FIA.

Räikkönen get into 2nd positiin when Toyota fitted dry tyres on Ralf Schumacher's car which turned intent on become altogether unsuitable to the track conditions. At this point Räikkönen reduced Montoya's lead & in time claimed a race lead when a final pit blocks. The certain McLaren of these-2 was denied by Antonio Pizzonia world health organization crashed into Montoya piece attempting to unlap himself sustaining Terzetto laps to last. Pizzonia was late fined for the accident. A extraordinary race ended sustaining Räikkönen ingesting his Sixth chequered flag of the year & rival Alonso finishing inside P2.

within a next-to-last race of a month at the Suzuka circuit in Japan, Raikkonen produced arguably the better cause of his career, ingesting triumph fallowing starting Seventeenth on the grid. A win was secured while he overtook Renault driver Giancarlo Fisichella on the final lap. This memorable cause brought tears to the eyes of McLaren stamp Ron Dennis.

Exponent of Räikkönen argue that he has been a better driver of the 2005 year. Virtually doubtless forgoing a dependableness issues he would develop won a Drivers' Championship. Still virtually all commentators agree that Alonso fully deserves a title, dominating a early a portiin of the year patch McLaren struggled & camping systematically since so to capitalise on Räikkönen's problems. A Japanese & Chinese Grands Prix saw Alonso abandon a conservative style evident within Brazil whilst he was however chasing a championship title.

Formula One results

Grand Prix

2001: Australia 6th Malaysia DNF Brazil DNF San Marino DNF Spain 8th Austria 4th Monte Carlo 10th Canada 4th Europe 10th France 7th GB 5th Germany DNF Hungary 7th Belgium DNF Italy 7th USA DNF Japan DNF

2002: Australia 3rd Malaysia DNF Brazil DNF San Marino DNF Spain DNF Austria DNF Monte Carlo DNF Canada 4th Europe 3rd GB DNF France 2nd Germany DNF Hungary 4th Belgium DNF Italy DNF USA DNF Japan 3rd

2003: Australia 3rd Malaysia 1st Brazil 2nd San Marino 2nd Spain DNF Austria 2nd Monte Carlo 2nd Canada 6th Europe DNF France 4th GB 3rd Germany DNF Hungary 2nd Italy 4th USA 2nd Japan 2nd

2004: Australia DNF Malaysia DNF Bahrain DNF San Marino 8th Spain 11th Monte Carlo DNF Europe DNF Canada 5th USA 6th France 7th GB 2nd Germany DNF Hungary DNF Belgium 1st Italy DNF China 3rd Japan 6th Brazil 2nd

2005: Australia 8th Malaysia 9th Bahrain 3rd San Marino DNF Spain 1st Monte Carlo 1st Europe DNF Canada 1st US DNS France 2nd GB 3rd Hungary 1st Turkey 1st Italy 4th Belgium 1st Brazil 2nd Japan 1st China 2nd

Championship qualifications

2001: Ninth, Nine points, Nought wins, Cypher poles, Cypher fastest laps (Sauber Petronas) 2002: Sixth, Xxiv points, Cipher wins, Cipher poles, Single fastest lap (West McLaren Mercedes) 200Iii: 2d, 9I points, 1 win, Ii poles, 3 fastest laps (West McLaren Mercedes) 2004: Seventh, 45 points, Single win, Unity pole, I fastest lap (West McLaren Mercedes) 200Fin: Second, 112 points, Heptad wins, 5 poles, Ten fastest laps (Team McLaren Mercedes)

Formula One Records
For a 2005 year, Kimi holds the joint record of Septet wins within one year forgoing winning the Globe Title, divided up by having little joe period World Champion Alain Prost, who at a start placed the record witharound 1984 & matched it in 1988.

In the 2005 year, he besides equalled Michael Schumacher's record of 10 fastest race laps inside the year, placed inside 2004.