The battle to get Raikkonen on the F1 grid
As Kimi Raikkonen's career enters its twilight with a return to the now Alfa Romeo-branded Sauber team, it's easy to forget the storm a then 20-year-old driver caused when he first arrived in Formula 1. Those who guided his career recall that 2001 season
Kimi Raikkonen's career path has been unusual in many ways, but no element of his CV is as special as the jump he made from Formula Renault to Formula 1 in 2001 with just 23 car races under his belt.
Thanks to ever-stricter superlicence requirements, such a move has never been repeated. In 2000 the 20-year-old Raikkonen stormed to the Formula Renault UK title, under the guidance of his management team - the late David Robertson and his son, Steve.
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