On Wednesday, Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen decided to call it quits with Formula 1 after the end of the 2021 season. As the curtain goes down on the incredible career that spanned over 19 years, we revisit the story that changed the Finnish driver’s career forever.
On a hot autumn day in Mugello, Tuscany in 2000, Ferrari, McLaren and Sauber opted to use the facility for Testing. The 3-day testing in September was Sauber’s chance to shine among the top dogs in F1.
This was to be the Iceman Kimi Raikkonen’s first Formula 1 experience. The 20-year-old Finn had to be fetched by a Sauber Mechanic as Kimi was too young to drive legally in Italy. Raikkonen was a young kid, with a limited command of English as Peter Sauber gave him a shot.
Over the course of 3 days, Kimi not only shocked the Sauber executives but the legendary Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher and ended up earning himself a Formula 1 seat for the next season.
How it came about and how it was kept under the wraps?
Raikkonen’s managers David and Steve Robertson were heavily impressed with Kimi’s abilities behind the wheel. They had enough faith in the young Finn that they decided to contact Formula 1 teams.
The duo ended up convincing Peter Sauber to pick Kimi for the 3-day testing at Tuscany. As a result, Raikkonen was called up for a face to face. Raikkonen was competing in karts just 12 months before the testing. As a result, there was scepticism about the whole ordeal.
Sauber wanted to keep the test a secret. They did not want to draw any attention to a young 20-year-old who was testing out a Formula 1 car, to keep the rival teams away as Kimi had no contract.
As a result, the team used the code name “Eskimo”. Everyone involved in the testing was also on a need-to-know basis to avoid any leakage of the story. His name ‘Eskimo’ came as the sponsors who paid for the testing were an ice cream company from Scandanavia.
Kimi Raikkonen’s performance at the 3 day testing
Sauber driver Pedro Diniz was given the responsibility for setting up Kimi’s car. As Pedro himself was testing at the time, comparisons were being drawn among the two drivers. They both had the same set of cars and configurations.
Raikkonen did 27 laps compared to Diniz’s 78. Kimi was also 2.4s slower in his fastest lap as compared to Pedro. But on Day 2, in just his 6th lap, Raikkonen went half a second faster than Diniz. His lap times were exceptional for a driver his age and experience.
Kimi used to watch Michael Schumacher go around the circuit in his downtime and as it turned out, Schumacher also noticed Finn’s racing. Schumacher knocked on Jacky Eeckelaert’s door after Day 1 and praised the 20-year-old Kimi.
Kimi’s demeanour and approach to the racing impressed the Sauber team. His to the point answers, no out of place comments and seriousness towards racing contributed towards his selection at the Sauber F1 team.
The post Formula 1: The 3-day testing in Mugello that changed Kimi Raikkonen’s career appeared first on The12thMan.
