Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Räikkönen has revealed what he did after receiving his first F1 salary.
Räikkönen, like many drivers of the sport, came from humble beginnings. He hardly had any luxuries of life, and his breakout moment came through his driving and racing abilities.
Speaking about his journey to becoming the man he is today, Räikkönen spoke about his early days in F1. He then revealed what he did with his first F1 salary.
“The moment I got my first Formula 1 salary – of course I had already made some money in the lower classes – I immediately bought some land at my parents’ house. We never had an indoor toilet in my youth, so we took care of that right away,” Räikkönen said.
“Without my parents, I would never have been here. I would never have gone karting or anything.
“They almost never had any money. They had to borrow a lot for the house, but they worked very hard. All the money that was there was spent on me and my brothers racing. Being able to travel through Finland to race, and later, of course, through Europe, which helped a lot,” the legend concluded.
Into the sunset?
The veteran driver is 41 years young, but is currently the senior-most driver on the grid. He is in the twilight of his career, and his future is up in the air heading into next season. His seat at Alfa Romeo is also a doubt, and people have speculated who would take it from him should he call it a day.
But Räikkönen is least bothered by such talk. He revealed that once he decides to quit, he will no longer pay attention to what happened in its aftermath or who succeeds him.
“If I decide to quit, I really don’t care who drives the car (laughs). That’s no longer my problem,” the former world champion said.
Whatever happens, Räikkönen has given us countless memorable moments over the years. Even if he leaves the sport when the next season begins, you can bet he will always be a key figure, helping it grow however he can.
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