Kimi Raikkonen had a couple of quiet racing weekends in Zandvoort and Monza after testing positive for coronavirus at the Dutch Grand Prix on Friday. The Finn had to withdraw from both Grand Prix in compliance with the quarantine rules, as Alfa Romeo appointed Robert Kubica as an interim driver.
ADVERTISING
Article continues under this ad
Interestingly, hours before the positive test, Raikkonen had gone out for dinner with his F1 colleague and current Williams CEO Jost Capito.
As speculation about the dinner grew, which could possibly be the reason for Raikkonen’s brief absence from Formula 1, the German intervened to reveal why he was going out for dinner with the Ferrari world champion.
ADVERTISING
Article continues under this ad
What did the Williams boss say?
As reported by Motorsport, Capito openly admitted that he was the reason Raikkonen made his Formula 1 debut in 2001. Therefore, the duo has got along well since then.
Kimi Raikkonen from Finland and Ferrari looks on at the drivers press conference during the preview of the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Spa, Belgium. (Photo by Dan Istitene / Getty Images)
In addition, Raikkonen and Capito had apparently been planning this dinner for years and had finally got the chance to hold it in North Holland. Despite the fact that the iceman contracted COVID-19, Capito claimed they even adhered to social distancing norms.
“I brought Kimi to Formula 1 in 2001 and we’ve had a very good relationship ever since,” he reportedly told Sky. “We’ve been saying for years that we should meet for dinner. And we finally made it. We also kept social distancing at the table. “(Translated with Google Translate)
Capito’s reaction to Kimi Raikkonen’s positive test
The Williams CEO announced that he never went into quarantine after hearing about the Raikkonen News. Instead, he decided to head home even though he was in the middle of a racing weekend.
ADVERTISING
Article continues under this ad
“After Kimi tested positive, I wasn’t in quarantine as people said and I didn’t have to self-isolate,” he said. “But I said: ‘I’m going home’ so as not to endanger the team.
Formula 1 F1 – Monaco Grand Prix – Circuit de Monaco, Monte Carlo, Monaco – May 20, 2021 Williams Racing Chief Executive Officer Jost Capito at the FIA press conference FIA / Handout about REUTERS
“I watched the race from my own office, where I had radio communication and access to all data. It was just as effective as on the racetrack. Anyway, all tests were negative and everything was fine. I was happy to be able to return to Monza, ”added Capito.
ADVERTISING
Article continues under this ad
Overall, the two-week quarantine of the soon-to-be-retired Raikkonen is over and will most likely return to Sochi this weekend. Can the Finn secure a strong end to his 21-year racing career with the number of days in Formula 1? Well, we’ll know in time.
View history: Top 5 Williams F1 liveries of all time
The post Williams CEO reveals his special dinner with Kimi Raikkonen in Zandvoort first appeared on monter-une-startup.
