“I hate Formula 1,” F1 pundit recalls Kimi Raikkonen’s shock comment at David Coulthard’s birthday party

Kimi Raikkonen retired from F1 at the end of the 2021 season.

“I hate Formula 1,” F1 pundit recalls Kimi Raikkonen’s shock comment at David Coulthard’s birthday party

Kimi Raikkonen and David Coulthard (Via: Imago)

Kimi Raikkonen was one of the most beloved characters in the F1 paddock. The fast-paced Finnish driver was not only known for his raw pace but also his straightforward personality. His epic one-liners always used to crack up the paddock, and one such incident was shared by the previous Ferrari and Williams team manager, Peter Windsor.

Kimi Raikkonen was a very lovable character in the F1 paddock, a driver the teams could not discount from winning. Moreover, his lack of care toward PR garnered him immense attention from the press. Subsequently, Peter Windsor also witnessed his quiet and reserved demeanor firsthand, he shared an incident with the ‘Iceman’ at David Coulthard‘s birthday bash a few years ago.

YouTube video

The F1 pundit on a live stream dwelled deeper on his interaction with Raikkonen.

FS Video

He[Kimi Raikkonen] had his elbows rested on this balcony, staring into space. I stood next to him and we both stared in silence at this scene, and then suddenly Kimi[Raikkonen] turned to me and said, ‘I hate Formula 1’, and then just walked away.

Peter Windsor said via his YouTube channel

Windsor saw the 44-year-old resting on a balcony and went toward him to check on him. After which Raikkonen, out of thin air, blurted out, ‘I hate Formula 1‘ and left the scene. This left the 72-year-old astounded as these were the only words spoken to him by a former world champion.

However, it seems that this would be a moment of Raikkonen trying to have fun as he became a world champion for Ferrari in 2007. Moreover, he is still the last driver to have claimed this feat with the Italian outfit, the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton would be aiming to change this in 2025.

Peter Windsor claims Charles Leclerc to be inferior to Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc have had careers studded with numerous achievements in various categories of racing. However, since 2021, the Dutchman has claimed three titles consecutively, while his counterpart still seems to struggle to get on the podium. This has urged Windsor to lament the Monegasque’s effort in comparison to Verstappen.

Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc
Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc (Image via IMAGO)

The 72-year-old deemed Leclerc’s efforts pale in front of the prolific Dutchman.

He[Charles Leclerc] hasn’t developed his talent as far as Max[Verstappen] has developed his talent.  And I think that can be seen in qualifying right now when he’s not doing as well as [Carlos]Sainz, let alone Max.
Peter Windsor said in his YouTube channel

Leclerc has had firm faith in the Scuderia but has only managed to score five wins so far. Whereas, in the same time frame, the Dutchman has scored an astonishing 57 wins. This has led the F1 expert to claim that the Monegasque is not as talented as the triple champion.

However, his subpar run of performances could be attributed to Ferrari’s lack of pace in comparison to Red Bull. Moreover, a fair chunk of the 2024 calendar is still to go and Leclerc may be able to salvage his season amid the reign of the Austrian giant.

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