COATES

Getting to the bottom of what really makes

Raikkonen tick

Kimi Raikkonen has been one of the most popular Formula 1 drivers of the past two decades. Amid the sport’s PR and politics his irreverent personality can be very appealing - and he is now the most experienced F1 driver ever, with 323 starts and counting.

Autosport has been vocal at times about Raikkonen not always delivering on the incredible ability he demonstrated early on in his career, particularly at McLaren. We stand by the argument that Ferrari kept him for too long – witness Charles Leclerc’s almost immediate, outstanding impact with the team – but there is also no doubt that the 2007 world champion still has plenty to offer a midfield squad.

Raikkonen’s experience can help Alfa Romeo try to get the best out of a less-than-perfect machine and, as he tells Alex Kalinauckas in an enlightening interview on page 16, that challenge is one of the things that has kept the 41-year-old interested in F1 for almost half his life.

Should Raikkonen have won more? Yes, probably, but he cares a lot less about that than many fans or observers. He has managed to get a work-life balance while operating at the highest level of his chosen profession. He works hard at the track, but he does not have an all-consuming intensity in the Michael Schumacher mould. That perhaps helps to explain both why he is ‘only’ a one-time world champion and why he is still in F1.

Kevin Turner Editor kevin.turner@autosport.com

NEXT WEEK 29 OCTOBER F1 back in Portugal Who will master the challenging Algarve Circuit?

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COVER IMAGES Alfa Romeo Racing

PIT & PADDOCK 4 Red Bull weighs up new Honda plan 7 BMW sports boss stands down 8 Coronavirus forces Rossi out 10 Foster wins on European debut 11 Portuguese GP preview 13 Opinion: Alex Kalinauckas 15 Feedback: your letters

INSIGHT 16 Raikkonen on his life in and out of F1 26 Kimi’s top 10 F1 drives

RACE CENTRE 32 Stars of the first Goodwood SpeedWeek 40 World of Sport: Bathurst 1000; Petit Le Mans; NASCAR Cup; Super Formula; WTCR; DTM; MotoGP

CLUB AUTOSPORT 62 Kirkistown finale abandoned mid-event 64 Dempsey returns to FF Festival 67 Vanwall to build continuation cars 69 Opinion: Marcus Pye 70 National reports: Silverstone;

Donington Park; Snetterton; Oulton Park; Knockhill

FINISHING STRAIGHT 78 What’s on this week 80 From the archive: 1987 Spanish GP 82 Autosport 70: Kimi snatches F1 title

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22 OCTOBER 2020 AUTOSPORT.COM 3