Age: 25

Date of Birth: 17^th October 1979

Nationality: Finnish

Place of Birth: Espoo, Finland

Residents: Switzerland

Status: Married to Jenni

Height: 1.75m

Weight: 62kg  

Teams: Sauber (2001) McLaren (2002 to present)

Grand Prix Debut: Australia 2001

2005 Car Number: 9

Last Season: seventh

Kimi Raikkonen entered Formula One in 2001 with Sauber. His move into Formula One was controversial because the young Finn had only ever completed in 23 car races before Peter Sauber had offered him a Formula One drive. But in the 23 car races he had done, he had become Champion in his first season in the British Formula Renault Championship he, had also had a successful career in Karting. His inexperience raised concern from many of the drivers and from FIA president Max Mosley. Raikkonen was given a provisional Super Licence that had to be reviewed after the San Marino Grand Prix.

In his Grand Prix debut he finished in the points. Raikkonen also finish in the points at the Austrian GP, the Canadian GP and the British GP. He finished the season on 9 points and helped Sauber to have their most successful season ever, finishing fourth in the Constructors Championship. His final achievement of his debut season was beating Juan Pablo Montoya, Fernando Alonso and Enrique Bernoldi for ‘F1 Racing’ magazines ‘Rookie of the Year Award.’

After an impressive rookie year, Raikkonen caught the eye of Ron Dennis and late in 2001 it was announced that Kimi Raikkonen was to replace fellow countryman, Mika Hakkinen at McLaren. Peter Sauber was livid and called Raikkonen ‘arrogant and egotistical.’  

In 2002 he drove for McLaren and in his debut for the team he had his first podium. In the French Grand Prix he missed out on his first victory, in the last few laps, while in the lead he slipped on oil spillage from Allan McNish stricken Toyota, Michael Schumacher got past him while he has getting his car back on the track.

In 2003 he won his first Grand Prix meaning he led the Championship, with a string of second places meant that he led the Championship up to the eighth round, when Michael Schumacher took the led but, from there the Finn was starting to slip back down the grid and was no match to Ferrari or even Williams so, he did not win another Grand Prix that season but, he was finishing regularly in the points, this meant that the championship when down to the wire. In last Grand Prix of the season, there was Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen battling for the championship, Kimi needed to win the race to become the youngest world champion ever but, the Ferrari of Rubens Barrichello was too strong and Kimi only managed to finish second. He lost the Drivers World Championship by two points.

In 2004 McLaren had an appalling start to the season.  Kimi only managed to win one Grand Prix and he had a few podiums.

In 2005 McLaren had greatly improved and he is now in with a chance of winning the Drivers World Championship but, the McLaren is still suffers with poor reliability meaning his championship rival Fernando Alonso has been able to win more Grand Prixs and run off with the championship. But, it is still mathematically possible for Raikkonen to win the World Championship.   

With only another two years on his contract with the unreliable McLaren. It looks like that Kimi might be tempted to move if he fails to win a title within the next two years.