Räikkönen author of the fastest lap in F1: “It doesn’t do much for me”

At almost 39 years old (he will celebrate his birthday on October 17), Kimi Räikkönen could have lost the burst of speed that made him so formidable in the 2000s. That's not knowing the Finn well! “The Iceman” (his nickname) managed to steal pole position from his teammate Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) Saturday afternoon at the Monza Autodrome (Italy).

Kimi Räikkönen never does anything like everyone else. So, in addition to becoming the oldest pole sitter in F1 since Nigel Mansell at the Australian Grand Prix in 1994, he also broke the record for the fastest lap at Monza, which is incidentally the fastest lap in the history of the discipline!

The record had been held since 2004 by Juan Pablo Montoya. At the time, the Colombian was playing in a Williams with BMW V10 engine. Suffice to say that it was screaming on the straights.

Juan Pablo Montoya completed this lap at an average speed of 262,242 km/h, which is already remarkable. Kimi Räikkönen, for his part, rode at exactly 263,587 km/h average, which is well beyond the speed limits, even in Italy.

The fastest lap in F1 history @ScuderiaFerrari #ItalianGP pic.twitter.com/p0ALZWMkBb

- Formula 1 (@ F1) September 1, 2018

Was the Finn going to be overjoyed to beat this symbolic record? We should also not hope that the 2007 world champion will change his character! He said a few sentences in the blasé tone that suits him perfectly. « It doesn't do much for me. It’s good for the numbers and the people looking at them. We've only done half the work. There is no better position possible for Sunday. »

It is Kimi Räikkönen's first pole at Monza in 12 years. Nothing to really move him. “It’s a special place, obviously, in front of all the fans. But it's no different from my other poles. It's a good day, I hope it will be the same on Sunday. »

About a possible fight between the two Ferrari when the lights go out, “Iceman” is not at all worried about it. “We can fight but we have to be careful with each other. I don't think any of us are going to take a stupid risk to damage our car and that of our teammate. »