18.02.2019. Formula One Testing, Day One, Barcelona, Spain. Monday.
Photo credit should read: XPB/Press Association Images.
Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 Formula 1 World Champion and current Alfa Romeo driver, is now one of the sport’s veterans, but he recently opened up about his earlier years, revealing that his party lifestyle didn’t just coexist with racing — it may have actually helped him perform better.
Speaking on Formula 1’s Beyond The Grid podcast, the Finnish driver — famously nicknamed the “Iceman” — shared that his off-track partying wasn’t just exaggerated gossip, but something he embraced as part of his lifestyle.
“People often joked about it,” Räikkönen said, “but I think it’s more true than a joke. I usually drove better when I just lived freely and enjoyed myself between races, rather than when I tried to be too disciplined.”
Now 39, the Finn recalled one particularly wild period in 2013 after finishing second at the Bahrain Grand Prix, when he went on a 16-day partying spree and still managed to come back and claim another second place in Barcelona.
“That summer was mostly racing and partying,” he said. “It may have looked strange from the outside, but for me, it was totally normal.”
Räikkönen added that hangovers forced him to focus more on race day, which ironically improved his performance.
“You feel a bit uncertain, so you put in more focus and effort. And often, the results were better.”
When asked whether partying had ever negatively affected his career, he confidently replied, “Absolutely not.”
Despite his long career and years of experience, Räikkönen emphasized that he still finds joy in racing and is looking forward to his new journey with Alfa Romeo after parting ways with Ferrari.
“I wouldn’t still be here if I didn’t enjoy it,” he said. “The racing, the competition, and the constant challenge — that’s what I love. Even when things go wrong, that’s part of what makes it all worthwhile.”
After debuting in Formula 1 with Sauber in 2001, Räikkönen raced for McLaren, won his title with Ferrari in 2007, stepped away from F1 for two years to try rallying, and then returned to the grid with Lotus in 2012 before rejoining Ferrari.
Now, as he continues his career with Alfa Romeo, Räikkönen’s legacy as one of F1’s most unique and honest personalities remains intact — a man who always did things his own way, on and off the track.
