Kimi Raikkonen has announced that she will be withdrawing from Formula 1 at the end of the season. The Finn claims he made the decision last winter.
The Finn, world champion 2007, Ferrari’s youngest world champion, announced his decision on Instagram.
“That’s it. It will be my last season in Formula 1,” he said.
“It was a decision I made last winter. It was not an easy decision, but after this season it is time for something new.
“Even if the season is still running, I would like to thank my family, all my teams, everyone who was involved in my racing career, and above all all the great fans who have supported me all along.
“Formula 1 may be over for me, but there is a lot more in life that I want to experience and enjoy. See you after all of this!
“Sincerely, Kimi.”
His decision comes at a time when there is intense speculation about Alfa Romeo’s line-up for 2022, with several drivers associated with the Italian team including Valtteri Bottas and Mick Schumacher.
Raikkonen, currently the most experienced driver in the field with 341 Grand Prix starts, will leave the sport after 19 record seasons in which he has won 21 races, a world championship and the hearts and admiration of millions of fans worldwide.
In 2001 he made his debut at Sauber and helped the Swiss designer to finish fourth in the championship, before moving to McLaren and Ferrari.
After a two-year hiatus in 2010 and 2011, he returned to the sport with Lotus before returning to Ferrari. He then returned to Hinwil to compete for three more seasons with Alfa Romeo. This closes the circle of an amazing career.
F1 won’t be the same without him.
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