“This is it!” – The Iceman Kimi Raikkonen to retire from Formula 1 after this season

“This is it!” – The end of an era as Kimi Raikkonen announces retirement at the end of the 2021 season.

The Grand Old Man of Formula. The Ice Man. Kimi Raikkonen.

After enthralling Formula 1 fans for two decades, Kimi Raikkonen has decided to call it a day. The next few races with Alfa Romeo will be the last for the champion with Ferrari.

Raikkonen’s no-nonsense persona on and off the track will be missed by his huge global fanbase. He is expected to be replaced at Alfa Romeo by fellow Finn Valtteri Bottas.

Kimi Raikkonen statement confirming retirement

This is it!. This will be my last season in Formula 1.

“This is a decision I did during 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 all of you great fans that have been rooting for me all this time. Formula 1 might come to an end for me but there is a lot more in life that I want to experience and enjoy. See you around after all of this!

“At the end of 2009, I still enjoyed the racing, but the rest of it not. If you asked me that day, I wasn’t planning to come back, but things changed in two years and I raced in some other categories and ended up racing against the other people and I noticed how much I enjoyed it.

“So then obviously there was the option to come back and I ended up coming back, but for sure without the two years, I wouldn’t be here today. It depends on many things, obviously, from different years and teams and the people that you work with if you have fun or not.”

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