People know I prefer Formula 1's driver Kimi Raikkonen much more than others, but they do not know why. The answer is simple: he's fast.
I first saw him in a live telecast race back in the year 2003. If I'm not mistaken, it's the race in Malaysia. At that time, he was at a tail of someone, and trying to make a move to overtake the driver in front of him. Of course it was not an easy task. No one will ever give up a position easily. Although at that time I didnt know anything about F1, I think each position might earn you some points, and that will decide whether you'll be the champion or not at the end of the racing season. Anyway, he waited for some time to get the chance-tailing behind a driver and can't make a move is so frustrating, even for the viewers! He finally made the move-swift and steadily after tailgating in a lap. It's such a relief for me after he had passed! That's the first time I feel the excitement of watching motor racing. I ended up watching the remaining race. He eventually won that race, which was his maiden race.
I only started to watch the race 'actively' in the year 2004. It's because that was the year where all of F1 races were broadcasted live in a local tv station. During the previous year, there was no live telecasting of the races in the local tv station, hence, I kindda forgot about it. And I don't know how, the sports sudddenly become well known. There were many news and adverts about it. So, the feeling came back to me. I started to find out more about the sport-the teams, drivers, rules.
Since then until year 2007, I watched almost all of the races, watched how those drivers drive, particularly Kimi. Thus, I've seen more of him, probably know a liltle bit of him. I can't say I've known him excatly, as I didn't know him in a way. The Kimi I know is from the newspapers, live telecast, and internet. The real Kimi? Haven't have a chance to do so. I think he's a person who wouldn't give up easily, and that's why he always push hard-a term he likes to use whenever the interviewers' asked him how his race was. This was shown when he was driving the cars which was not fast enough. He always push as hard as he can, but without a winning car, he really couldn't do much to win.
5 years in McLaren, he was twice the bridesmaid, once to Michael Schumacher, and another time to Fernando Alonso. If it's not the techical failures he always had during the grand prixes, he would now have won 3 driver's championship. But he's not whinning either, even he's not winning in Ferrari now. Whenever he was retired from a race, he wouldn't pin point to others. But he will admit if he had done something stupid during the race. The point is, he's a cool guy, without much tempers on and off the race track, hence the nickname The Iceman. He always thinks positively and he wouldn't care much on other businesses, except those things he likes: motor racing, rally, ice hockey, snow baording, etc. And he wouldn't care what people have to say about him.
It is an undeniable fact that he is fast on track. I think it's an inborn love interest. Those other activities he like most also require fast speed. It feels great to see him on track, always trying to be fast-in opening race, in overtaking, in a lap and in finishing a race. To date, Kimi had 35 fastest laps record, 3 times greater than Alonso. Though Alonso had won 2 back to back titles, Kimi is still the fastest man out there, but 'thanks' to his unreliable car, he couldn't beat Alonso on the championship titles.
I'm not trying to say that how great Kimi is compared to Alonso. Alsonso is the second driver I like most after Kimi. And they are friends too! It's just that Kimi too are great in some part of the racing. Based on their age, the time of their debuts and the achievement they have so far, they are the nearest to make comparison. It's like we are taking people in the same era to do comparison in some part of a same category. So, no insulting to anyone here.
And it's because of him, I got to know F1 and Finland!
*Picture toshow that Kimi & Alonso can get along
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