After twenty years it’s over for Kimi
It’s over for the oldest F1 driver at the moment. Kimi Räikkönen announced yesterday that he will retire from F1 after 20 years. He will finish this season and then make room at Alfa Romeo for another driver. The successor of the 41-year-old world champion (in 2007) is not yet known, but there are rumors about the Dutchman Nyck de Vries.
Kimi Raikkonen retires
“This is it,” Raikkönen wrote on Instagram, “this will be my last season in Formula 1. This is a decision I made last winter. It was not an easy decision but after this season it is time for new things. Even though the season is still on, I want to thank my family, all my teams, everyone involved in my racing career and especially the amazing fans who have cheered for me all along. Formula 1 may be coming to an end for me, but there is a lot more in life that I want to experience and enjoy.”
The next steps for Kimi Räikkönen
The Finn is not yet saying anything about what he wants to do after F1. He is a man of many interests and talents – even if he doesn’t always show it. Kimi, for example, has a karaoke bar in Helsinki and released his own Haiku collection three years ago. He is also not averse to a party. When he temporarily retired from F1 in 2009, he took up rallying and briefly appeared in NASCAR. Who knows what he will do now.
Will Nyck de Vries take over his seat?
The name of Nyck de Vries buzzing about the internet as a replacement for Kimi at the Alfa Romeo team. De Vries is world champion in Formula 2 and in Formula E at Mercedes. The switch would be in line with the rumor that Alfa Romeo wants to switch to Mercedes engines, because De Vries is affiliated with the brand with the star. Other experts believe that the Dutchman will replace Russell at Williams, because Russell will replace Bottas.
