Seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher heaped praise on fellow Ferrari and F1 legend Kimi Raikkonen.
Raikkonen and Schumacher are two of the greatest F1 drivers of all time. The latter has the most number of World Championships won by any driver (tied with Lewis Hamilton) whereas the Finn was Ferrari’s last ever World Champion.
Raikkonen has just one World Title to his name, but over the years he has been a part of some memorable on-track moments, and brilliant Championship fights. Schumacher, who won five Titles with Ferrari always new there was something special about Raikkonen.
Kimi Raikkonen has broken Michael Schumacher’s record of most laps raced in F1 history. 16,845 🏁 pic.twitter.com/3bjRjojFIL
— ESPN F1 (@ESPNF1) August 12, 2020
Back in 2007, he revealed two Kimi moments that will forever be etched in his memory. The first was his Championship win after crossing the finishing line in Brazil that year. The other moment was when he first saw a young Raikkonen arrive for testing for Sauber.
“The one when he crossed the finish line in Brasil to become world champion was for sure the stronger of both,” Schumacher said. “I mean, “strong” is even a weak word for it.”
Michael Schumacher asked Jean Todt to keep an eye on Kimi Raikkonen
“It was the unthinkable thing to do,” he continued. “And he did it, just like that. I do not know what he felt, but I definitely could not believe my eyes and felt more than happy. You can only shake your head in disbelief and congratulate Kimi to have made the impossible possible.”
Jean Todt played a huge role in leading Ferrari and Schumacher to all those years of success in the early 2000s. During a testing in Mugello, Schumacher talked about the moment he laid his eyes on a young Raikkonen.
Kimi Raikkonen picks out Michael Schumacher as his toughest opponent over the years.
“I raced against him many years, we had a lot of good fights.” #KiitosKimi #KeepFightingMichael #F1 pic.twitter.com/G9zzAOgqp6
— M. Schumacher Fans (@MSchumacherFans) December 11, 2021
The other moment I remember,” the former Ferrari driver added. “That cold late-season test-day in Mugello some years ago, when this young kid came up and drove a test for Sauber.
“The times he did were really impressive for a rookie he was. Well, the rookie became world champion. In a way, you could already see it then. Nice to know he did it with Ferrari. I am happy for him.”
Raikkonen brought his glittering 20 year F1 career to an end at the 2021 season finale. He ended his final race in Abu Dhabi with retirement.
