Former F1 driver Jenson Button has revealed a hilarious story from his days of partying with Kimi Raikkonen. Both Button and Raikkonen are former world champions and despite never racing as teammates, shared a great friendship and often socialized together away from the paddock.
Button retired from the sport in 2017 but Raikkonen continued up until 2021, bowing out at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix having notched just 10 points for Alfa Romeo over the course of the season.
However, in a stellar career spanning two decades, he also drove for Sauber, McLaren, Ferrari, and Lotus – winning his sole world title with the Scuderia in 2007, dramatically edging out then rookie Lewis Hamilton on the final race of the season.
Overall, he started a huge 343 races, wining 23 times, and notching 103 podium finishes.
‘The Iceman’ will however, be continuing in motorsport after being confirmed as the new Team Principal for the Kawasaki MXGP outfit.
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The Finn was perceived as a quiet man within F1, often giving little away in on-screen interviews, but away from the track there were multiple stories of him being more exuberant when the cameras were elsewhere.
And at the season-finale at the Yas Marina Button, now working as a pundit for Sky Sports, told a humorous story about a night out with his friend.
“We didn’t really talk in the paddock, but when you went outside the paddock, when the sun went down, things changed,” explained Button, who like Raikkonen is 42.
“The only story I can really remember with Kimi, because most of them are a blur, we were out until like 3am in London and I had a house at that point.
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“And I was like ‘I’m tired, I’m out of here’. Got in the cab, get home, walk in my house, and Kimi is sat in my living room, alone, I have no idea how he got there.”
Raikkonen was recently labeled a big loss to the sport by former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone, who admired his straight-talking style with journalists.
“There aren’t any Kimis today really, I don’t think. That’s the problem,” said Ecclestone.
“They’ve all become very, very much [like] a robot, listening and doing what they’re told, rather than doing what they think is the right thing to do.”
