Kimi Antonelli recalls meeting Kimi Raikkonen: “I understood why he’s called ‘the Iceman'”. Kimi Antonelli recalls his first encounter with Kimi Raikkonen at Monza in 2018,.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli is not the only “Kimi” to have been part of the Formula 1 world. Five years before the Italian driver was born, in 2001, Kimi Raikkonen made his debut with the Sauber team. His talent did not go unnoticed, and he soon earned a seat at McLaren, later moving to Ferrari, where he won the World Championship title in 2007 at the end of a thrilling Formula 1 season. Up to date, the Finnish driver remains Ferrari’s last F1 world champion.

Kimi Raikkonen’s career continued until 2021, the year in which the “Iceman,” a nickname earned for his frosty and detached demeanor, announced his official retirement from racing in an Instagram post.

Andrea Kimi Antonelli – A curious passing of the torch
Andrea Kimi Antonelli fondly recalled his first encounter with the Finnish champion, which happened in 2018.

“I met him when I was still little, I think it was in 2018,” Kimi Antonelli said. “It was during the Monza GP. I remember that the first time I met him I immediately understood why they call him Iceman, to be honest, because I went up to him all excited and he had absolutely no reaction! But I think he’s really a super cool person.”

Kimi Antonelli also expressed his hope of one day having the opportunity to speak more in depth with Raikkonen and maybe receive some advice from a driver with such vast experience. “It would also be interesting to get some tips about the world of racing, because he really did a lot in his career, so it’s definitely something I’d like to do in the future.”

An interesting coincidence is that on the very day the young Italian driver’s deal with Mercedes for 2025 was announced, Kimi Raikkonen happened to be present in the Monza paddock with his family.

It’s funny to think how fate somehow brought together the paths of two such different drivers, but united by the name “Kimi” and their passion for racing. Raikkonen has already written unforgettable pages in the history of Formula 1, with his iconic team radio moments (“Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing”) and his aloof ways, while Antonelli is stepping into this world with determination and a desire to prove how much he matters. And who knows, maybe that conversation Andrea Kimi Antonelli dreams of having with Kimi Raikkonen will one day become reality.