He falls over fences. He smokes allegedly meeting with the Lotus engineers. A healthy thirst for party insiders say it in the Formula 1 paddock. But experts estimate something else: The Finn is reliably good in the race. Sun ex-BMW Motorsport Director Gerhard Berger says ironically. "I would put Raikkonen after a night of drinking in my car because he will still be faster than most other drivers."
The race in Budapest Berger is right. Raikkonen was second just behind winner Lewis Hamilton is fifth with 116 points in the championship standings . But even more pure than the result says the trend for the world championship in 2007. This season, Five times Kimi went into the last eight races on the podium, including three times in the last four races. In Budapest, he was clearly faster than championship leader Fernando Alonso. The first victory of Raikkonen's only a matter of time. He has lost virtually none of his speed after he had disappeared two years in the World Rally Championship this season, only his love of Formula 1 was discovered.
Raikkonen himself only new cars with new technology, Pirelli tires instead of tires from Bridgestone, with completely different handling characteristics, especially Michael Schumacher who stole the first two years of his comeback to the nerve - it all looks the cool Finn is not dramatic: to drive, "the cars they are similar, as always, tires and tire at the end. "
"Would you like to go for me?"
His nickname "Iceman" is no accident. So says his ex-team boss Peter Sauber: ". Kimi left after about a year and in the direction of McLaren-Mercedes. "Dear Mr Clean", Kimi wrote in his note, "I thank you for giving me the chance given to race in Formula 1. But with McLaren-Mercedes, I have a chance to win races."
Peter Sauber did not know then whether he should smile or moan. After all, twelve million euros, four trucks and an interest-free loan for the new wind tunnel, it was Mercedes worth buying the then 21-year-olds from the current contract, the Swiss team.
McLaren boss Ron Dennis was also to experience a different kind of Raikkonen. His compatriot Mika Hakkinen, McLaren driver in 2001 and tortured by thoughts resignation, had dragged Kimi to the team Party in Montreal, to present him to Dennis as his potential successor. "Would you like to go for me?" Dennis asked the young Finns. Raikkonen said something unexpectedly clever, given the superiority of Ferrari back- "Mr. Dennis, would it not be better to sit in a red car to win?" That makes an impression.
"I was never loses anything from the rest"
Dennis was also the one who missed the young driver's image. He stuck Raikkonen, who was cool especially for young fans as a young musician of the XL-generation, an "Iceman" sticker on the helmet. Räikkönen confirmed: "I was never loses anything from the rest." The staff of the medical department of McLaren-Mercedes can attest to that. They brought in a race measuring electrodes to him. The result: Raikkonen's pulse jumped in situations not even in the height that even seasoned pilots were forced to sweat in the neck. Not with dangerous overtaking maneuvers. Not even if it crashes.
Raikkonen would never tell on its own, that his voice quiet beep comes from a bicycle accident in his childhood. If you ask him, but after that, he tells the story. Kimi was five years old when he slipped from the pedals to the neck and slammed on the fork. From the severe bruising to his vocal cords have never quite recovered.
Raikkonen spoke as a child so little that his parents worried he sent to the child therapist. The therapist sent Kimi after half a day back home, With a letter with it. "Your son is above average intelligence. This could be the reason why he chooses to remain silent." A difficult coordination exercise, needed for the adult average of three hours, had solved the age of six in twenty minutes. This had convinced the therapist.
Raikkonen wants but once and for all dispel the stereotype that Finns go to laugh only in the basement. "Everyone has emotions, but each can be different to that when I drive, I am very focused, emotions are as out of place.. For this one has not got any time. " One must often respond faster than you can feel. "A Formula 1 driver usually analyzed only certain situations when they are already long gone. The reflexes and instincts have to be right. This is that I'm not a guy who likes to show what goes on in one."
In fact, he never shows it in public. He is, after all the "Iceman".