Kimi Antonelli is not the only person with his first name to make it in Formula 1 – and, several years on from the ‘other’ Kimi racing in the sport, the youngster has revealed what happened when he met his famous namesake, Kimi Raikkonen.
It was back in 2001 – five years before Antonelli had even been born – that Raikkonen made his F1 debut with the Sauber team, the Finn impressing enough to earn himself a drive with McLaren before switching to Ferrari in 2007, a move that saw Raikkonen score what would be his sole World Championship.
In an extensive career that ran up until his retirement at the end of 2021, the driver known as ‘the Iceman’ took 21 wins, 18 pole positions and 103 podiums, as well as becoming something of an icon thanks to his cool persona.
While Antonelli was still very young when Raikkonen last raced in F1, the 18-year-old quickly understood how the veteran racer had earned his famous nickname when the two Kimis met for the first time.
Raikkonen won the World Championship during his first season as a Ferrari driver in 2007
“I met him when I was quite little – I think it was 2018,” Antonelli recalled. “He was doing the Monza GP.
“And, you know, the first time I met him I understood why they call him the Iceman, to be honest, because I remember going to him super excited and he had completely no reaction! But I think he’s such a cool dude.”
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While their introduction was only brief, Antonelli admitted that he would be happy to have the opportunity to speak further with Raikkonen and gain an insight into the Finnish driver’s vast experience.
“I never really got the chance to properly have a chat with him, but [it’s] definitely something I would like to do,” the Mercedes rookie said.
Antonelli – racing in his debut F1 campaign for Mercedes – had not yet been born when Raikkonen arrived in the sport
“It would be cool also to have some advice about racing, for sure, because he has done a lot in the sport, so [that’s] definitely something I would like to do in the future.”
Coincidentally, Antonelli’s contract to race for the Silver Arrows in 2025 was announced on the same day that Raikkonen made an appearance in the F1 paddock at the 2024 Italian Grand Prix, with the latter welcoming his namesake’s arrival.
There are some comparisons between the two Kimis, with each making their debuts at a young age off the back of a promising junior career.
Raikkonen, however, was only the 40th youngest driver to arrive into F1 at the age of 21 years, four months and 15 days, while Antonelli became the third youngest-ever when he debuted on the grid aged 18 years, six months and 19 days at this year’s Australian Grand Prix, with only Max Verstappen and Lance Stroll younger in their respective first races.
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