Räikkönen: “It’s a rude awakening for everyone, not just F1”

The word of Kimi Räikkönen (Alfa Romeo) in the media is golden because it is rare. So when the 40-year-old Finn agrees to debate at length with AUTOhebdo during quarantine, we read it! 

If the interview can be found in its entirety in issue 2260, on sale on newsstands again Tuesday April 14 and still available in digital version, we offer you a large extract just to make your mouth water. 

What type of confined person are you? Worried, who is permanently connected to the news channels, or rather fatalistic?

I don't watch the television news too much, I don't read the newspapers too much either, but I check the news on my phone during the day to keep informed of the spread of the Coronavirus. I'm not obsessed with that, if that's what you're thinking. Besides, even if I wanted to watch more news or read more newspapers, I wouldn't be able to, the children are taking up my time. It's a full-time job. In the evening, I take a look at the TV. It's pretty terrifying everything that's happening and no one wants to catch this virus, but the worst thing would be to let yourself panic. We must do what we are told: stay at home!

To be quick tomorrow, we must take it slowly today. #StayAtHome pic.twitter.com/KVDt9AJiSl

- Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN (@alfaromeoracing) April 1, 2020

How do you stay in shape? Do you have a home gym?

Yes, I set up a small room for myself, but there is enough space around the house to allow me to do my daily exercises. As it is well away from everything, I can also continue doing my motocross! So it's not a problem. I do more or less what I do in pre-season or between races. It hasn't really changed.

Are you in regular contact with your engineers?

I had quite a few the week after returning from Australia, but now that the factory is closed and we are on "summer vacation" until mid-April, there is no need . We reviewed everything after the winter tests, and since then we have unfortunately not had the opportunity to ride. We send each other messages to check on each other, but nothing related to work.

Did you accept the decision not to race in Melbourne?

There was no other solution. I simply regret that in view of what was happening in Europe, it was more than likely that such a scenario would occur. No doubt the decision could have been made earlier. All the people in the paddock, and that's a lot of people, were traveling from Europe and there was a good chance that someone would be infected in an airport, on a plane or elsewhere. That's what happened.

We shouldn't have gone, but the decision wasn't ours. We, drivers, follow what the FIA ​​and the F1 decide. If there's a race, we go. Even late, it was better to cancel rather than take risks for F1 staff and spectators.

For F1, which often lives in its bubble, isn't this pandemic a rude awakening?

This is a rude awakening for everyone, not just F1! What happens happens... For the moment, the most important thing is that people stay healthy but, once the pandemic is over, the time for questions will come. I hope that something positive will eventually emerge from all of this, but for now we can only endure and protect ourselves.