Kimi Raikkonen in Formula 1: Now That's Entertainment!

 

 

 

 

Formula 1 Fan knows the most experienced driver in the paddock this year, the Finn and former World Champion is also the longest running driver all-time in F1.  I don't have to tell any Formula 1 Fan that Kimi wears his considerably volatile emotions on his sleeve either. He's responsible for some of F1's most colorful commentary, some incredible highs and so, so lows. This year may be the Finn's last and he does not disappoint in his continuing presence with the Alfa Romeo team or former Sauber Motorsport team.

 

 

During several occasions, while listening and watching F1TV, F1's sanctioned video stream, I am drawn to Kimi's onboards for entertainment, wit and wisdom. And don't forget scathing criticism for decisions made and mistakes. 

 

 

 

During a recent red flag situation where the race is stopped for a messy collision or conditions deteriorating, all cars are directed into the pit lane where instead of pulling into their individual pit stalls, the cars que up in pit lane with the Safety car and the car in Position 1 at the pit exit. Teams are scrambling to get tyre warmers ( yes, in Formula 1 they're tyres) onto the tires er I mean tyres and keep critical temperatures up. And on Alfa Romeo F1's team radio:

 

 

Kimi:    Get the tyre warmers onto these tyres!

 

 

Team: Yes, they are coming

Kimi: Get them here, hurry up!

 

Team:    They're coming

Kimi:    DONT TELL ME THEYRE COMING! GET THEM OUT HERE!!

 

 

Here are a couple colorful quotes,

 the Finn told Hungarian magazine Vezess: “I haven’t read my contract because it’s worth zero as far as I’m concerned.

 “When we first talked to Alfa Romeo-Sauber, I told them that if they complain about anything, if they whine, I’m not here anymore!

The Iceman Ices the competition! 

 

 

Major props to F1 for the product they sell in F1TV. A season is some $70 USD but with the Covid season, I am purchasing monthly. For one month, at $10, I get all sessions of the Grand Prix weekend, there are 5- Free Practice 1 and Free Practice 2 which are on Fridays. Free Practice 3 and Qualifying on Saturday and the race on Sunday. In addition to F1, there is GP2 and GP3 series racing on most weekends, and I get all of those races which are frequently a 2-race weekend for GP2. 

I have the option to watch the races live, which means getting up early (1 or 2 a.m.) on select days, or just watch the replay in my pajamas with my coffee in the morning here. The interaction with the stream is quite wide as well. I can click on each driver's icon during any of these sessions and get their in-car camera footage. So, for instance, if Charl Leclerc makes a fantastic pass, I can go back a few minutes in the race and watch his in-car and watch the situation, the set up, the conversations with the pit wall, every scrap of action!

Probably my favorite aspect of the the F1TV membership is the other content they make available from a study of many historic and popular races/driver achievements through the years to an amazing documentary called "Race to Perfection" which really got my skin tingling over footage I'd never seen and interviews with people who were there when groundbreaking events took place over the years.

 

 

Finally one of my favorite features you can watch are collections of radio transmissions during recent races hovering around pivotal moments during the races. "Inside Tracks" takes you onboard with the car, you hear the driver talking to the team and you see what he's seeing and having to react to. It is often laced with insider techy stuff like operating modes and programmed settings on the steering wheel which manages multiple systems during the race. The Pit wall bosses have all the telemetry of the car's performance as well as tire temperatures and psi, to other teams radio transmissions and frequently the conversation is about strategy. Any way it is excellent but listen close to the audio at the beginning of each of these episodes.

 

 

You'll hear Kimi being Kimi featured front and center during a chaotic moment during a race where the Finn screams into the mic, first in impatience at a driver in a car in front of him swerving to prevent his passing, then when he locks up the brakes and skids into the back of the other car a lusty scream of dismay followed immediately by another scream of rage. Hilariously, he had to hold the mic button open during the whole thing. 

 

 

It goes, " AAAH!  OOHH! What the F%^**!!"

 

 

Viva Kimi Raikkonen!

Vive F1!!

Kimi won his World Driver's Championship with Ferrari in 2007 narrowly beating Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso

 

 

-katykarter