Prior to his announcement, Raikkonen had held a series of secret tests in the Sauber, required for him to attain an FIA Super Licence. It thus made his debut as unexpected as it was fascinating.
Indeed, though few will deny Sauber’s eponymous founder had been a shrewd spotter of talent over the previous decades, Raikkonen was not so much a risk but an entirely unknown quantity to anyone beyond a few key people. While eyebrows have been raised on numerous occasions over drivers who haven’t fulfilled the ‘unwritten’ criteria of experience for entering F1, arguably it is Kimi Raikkonen - at least in the modern age - who arrived in the top flight with the fewest credentials than any driver both before and after him. Never one to mince his words, Raikkonen’s dedication to the art of racing - coupled with his famed taciturn demeanor - has won him a legion of fans attracted by his no nonsense attitude, he will certainly be missed from the F1 paddock. Now one of F1’s most experienced and most successful competitors, Raiklkonen’s legendary status has been assured by his emergence in the sport from relative obscurity, his giant-killing performances with McLaren, title glory with Ferrari, his rallying-inspired hiatus, successful comeback with Lotus and return to the Scuderia. Kimi Raikkonen will no longer compete in Formula 1 after retiring at the end of the 2021 season.
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