He also talks about the F1 future of his son and the replacement for his Alfa Stelvio
![Kimi Raikkonen in front of the laptop](https://topgear.static-vds.nl/uploads/2021/09/kimi-raikkonen-voor-laptop.jpg)
Just before the madness in Zandvoort starts, Räikkönen drops the bomb this week: the most experienced F1 driver of all time is going to retire. After twenty years – with a little break in between – it’s time to do something different. TopGear had the chance to sit down with Kimi Räikkönen and chat about his plans for the future – if there are any.
TopGear: You are a man of many talents, you have a karaoke bar in Helsinki and previously released a Haiku bundle. What things do you want to pursue after your F1 career outside of racing?
Kimi Raikkonen: I do not know. I have no plans and I’ll see what happens in the future. I haven’t thought about it yet. I will definitely go on vacation first.
TG: When you switched to Alfa Romeo, you said in a press conference that you stay in F1 because you like it. Does your departure mean you have lost the fun of F1?
KR: I still like racing. Some days are more fun than others, but that’s generally the case with life. There are also bad days. I look forward to spending time at home and not living by a schedule.
TG: Will we see your son at the start in F1 in a while?
KR: Who knows. It’s impossible to say. He sometimes goes karting and sometimes motocross. Then he goes back to playing football or something else. Kids want this one day and something else the next. I hope he finds something he enjoys. Time will tell. I’m not going to push him in one direction.
TG: If you could pick a replacement for Alfa Romeo, who would it be?
KR: They must have found what they were looking for. It’s not my problem. Hopefully Antonio still has a spot. He wants to be here for the next fifty years.
TG: Do you regret not being able to drive the new F1 cars?
KR: No, luckily I was able to drive many different F1 cars. I don’t think they will be much different when it comes to driving. They may be a little slower, but if they take five seconds longer on a lap you don’t really notice it.
TG: Speaking of new cars… If you leave Alfa Romeo, you have to hand in your Stelvio. What will the next car be?
KR: No, I have a Fiat van and it’s okay.
TG: Is the van fast enough, or does speed not matter to you at all in a street car?
KR: I don’t need speed. Even now I just drive the diesel version of the Stelvio. I had to fight to get the slower version, even. I wanted the diesel.
TG: They wouldn’t give you the diesel?
KR: I had the Quadrifoglio before, but it was destroyed in a hail storm
TG: Maybe you parked it outside on purpose?
KR: No no no. I always park my cars outside. Luckily it was the only car outside.
TG: What will you miss most about interviews and press events?
KR: Nothing. I never liked them. We are always sent right here. Of course there were nice interviews and we did nice things. The drivers are here to race and there’s a lot more to it than just the driving. Just like any other sport, football and tennis too. It’s part of it, but it’s not the reason to do this sport.
TG: After all these years: does a new circuit on the calendar still make you happy, like now with Zandvoort?
KR: Yes, I’ve never been here. It’s good to be here, it’s a nice country. I lived here for about a year and a half and have fond memories of it. Circuit Zandvoort is a bit more old school-circuit. We’ll see how it feels tomorrow.
TG: When you lived here, you were of course allowed to taste our delicacies. What do you think of the food in the Netherlands?
KR: It’s been a long time since I lived here, I don’t quite remember. [Hij denkt eventjes goed na] Frituur, that’s a bit the same in Belgium and the Netherlands, isn’t it?
TG: Do you know the Frikandel Special?
KR: Yes Yes Yes. That one is very good.