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Will this be Kimi Raikkonen's final season as a Formula 1 driver?
We've heard it all before, and not just once. Will this be Kimi Raikkonen's final season in Formula 1? Nothing has been confirmed from either himself or Alfa Romeo Racing, but one thing is for sure: the Iceman will love (sarcasm!) the constant questioning from the media until there's an announcement either way.
The former World Champion will be 41 before the Formula 1 circus reaches Abu Dhabi for the conclusion of the 2020 F1 season. In the UK back in 1979, a litre of fuel cost 22p, the average house price in London was £23,493 and Video Killed the Radio Star was number one. Jody Scheckter became world champion and Nelson Piquet had only raced in five Grands Prix.
Helping out
With this longevity, Raikkonen has paved the way for the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Sebastian Vettel giving them both inspiration to keep battling against the up and coming stars. In recent weeks, Hamilton has joked about how he should pay Raikkonen to continue in the sport because otherwise the Brit would be the oldest on the grid.
But most of his help and support is currently being thrown in Antonio Giovinazzi's direction. Without a doubt, Giovinazzi is benefiting from having such an experianced teammate next to him. The young Italian didn't get off to the best of starts in 2019, but he improved significantly on the other side of the summer break. Some help and advice from Raikkonen? Maybe.
Fred Vasseur and the rest of his team will be well aware Raikkonen is potentially holding up another young driver, but will should persuade Raikkonen to stay for at least another year. His experiance, knowledge and mentality can only be benefial to them.
2021...
Formula 1 will be hit with a rule and regulation overhaul ahead of the 2021 season. As the sport opens up a new chapter, Raikkonen may well feel as if it's the right time to walk away from the cockpit. He also has a young son who has recently started karting.
When Raikkonen was alongside Sebastian Vettel at Ferrari, we all thought he would retire as soon as the Italian team opted for someone else. But nope. And Raikkonen has so-far enjoyed his adventure back at where he started his F1 career. At least until something is confirmed, we must enjoy the classic Kimi moments on the circuit and in the press conferences. Giovinazzi and co may also ask some questions of their own to learn any tips from the 2007 champion.