Kimi Raikkonen is a Finnish racing driver who competed in F1 for over two decades.
Known for his laid-back personality, blunt honesty, and impressive driving skills, Raikkonen has amassed a legion of fans who affectionately refer to him as “The Iceman“.
Throughout his career, he has raced for top teams such as Ferrari, McLaren, and Lotus, earning a reputation as one of the most talented and successful drivers in the sport.
Raikkonen’s impressive record includes 21 Grand Prix wins, one World Championship title, and a fiercely loyal fan base that follows his every move both on and off the track.
There is a rumour that is floating around regarding how Kimi reacted to news of his Ferrari deal.
According to PlanetF1, when Kimi learnt of the completion of his deal to Ferrari, he took the unexpected step of throwing his phone into the sea.
Did Kimi really throw his phone into the sea?
Why did he do this? Simple, he was just not keen on receiving and responding to a series of congratulatory messages for his new Ferrari deal.
However, treat this as a rumour which has slowly garnered pace on social media over the years to become one of F1’s urban legends.
The behaviour is perhaps in line with Kimi’s no-nonsense attitude.
The Finnish driver was known to be a private person who ensured that he kept his personal life out of the media spotlight.
While he has been known to show his emotions on occasion, such as when he won his first race with Ferrari in 2007, he is not typically known for dramatic displays of anger or frustration.
Although there are no interviews or empirical evidence to confirm the validity of Kimi’s decision to throw his phone into the water, the growth of this urban legend is still worth exploring.
Knowing Kimi, fans are unlikely to ever truly get to the bottom of the truth.
However, it makes for a riveting story and we can look to piece together other bits of information we know through interviews to determine whether Kimi could’ve really taken such a step.
Kimi not a fan of social media
Raikkonen was known not to be a big fan of social media. He has stated that he doesn’t enjoy using social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram and prefers to keep his private life separate from his public persona.
Given the magnitude of the Ferrari deal and the hoards of supporters the team enjoys, it is possible that his phone already started buzzing with plenty of messages when the deal was confirmed.
Speaking about social media, Kimi spoke about his personal preferences in 2017.
“I’m not a big fan of social media, so I don’t really look at it that much. I think that’s better for me,” Kimi said.
While Raikkonen may not enjoy social media, he has never indicated that he would go so far as to throw his phone into the sea to avoid congratulatory messages. In fact, he has often expressed his appreciation for the support of his fans and colleagues throughout his career.
When did the rumour originate?
The rumour originated in 2014 when Raikkonen rejoined Ferrari after a four-year absence. Reports claimed that he had thrown his phone into the sea to avoid the influx of congratulatory messages from his friends and colleagues in the racing world.
The rumour gained traction after Raikkonen himself admitted to not being a fan of social media, as he prefers to keep his private life separate from his public persona. However, he never explicitly confirmed or denied throwing his phone into the sea to avoid messages.
While rumours and unverified information may circulate online, it’s important to rely on official sources and credible reporting when seeking information about public figures.