Kimi Räikkönen

Räikkönen's team radio communications are the stuff of legend. 'Leave me alone, I know what I'm doing' became one of the most quoted lines in F1 history. He also famously answered a question about fuel strategy with 'yeah yeah yeah yeah' in a way that made it clear he had no interest in the conversation. His economy of words was not a media persona — everyone who worked with him reports it was exactly the same in private.

Between 2010 and 2011, when he stepped away from F1, Räikkönen didn't retire to a beach — he went and competed in the World Rally Championship. He entered events including the Rally of Finland and Rally Norway, finishing respectably against full-time rally professionals. He also competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series during this period. Most people take sabbaticals to rest; Räikkönen used his to compete in two other motorsport disciplines.

The FIA Prize Giving Gala is Formula 1's equivalent of an awards ceremony — drivers are expected to attend. Räikkönen found alternatives to attendance on multiple occasions. There are well-documented accounts of him socialising on a yacht in the harbour while the official event proceeded without him. The FIA eventually introduced rules making attendance more or less mandatory. Räikkönen complied minimally.

After retirement, Räikkönen launched a business selling ice cream in Finland. The brand reflects his personality perfectly — it exists, it does what it says, and it doesn't make a big deal about it. He's also invested in other Finnish businesses and maintains a low profile in the business world, much as he did in F1.

Räikkönen married Finnish fitness influencer and model Minttu Virtanen in 2016. They have three children. Minttu's social media presence is warm and family-focused — she has said that Kimi is more affectionate and communicative at home than his public image suggests, which has surprised many fans who assumed the silence was total.

Räikkönen is among the many F1 drivers who chose Swiss residency. He lives in Baar in the canton of Zug, one of Switzerland's lowest-tax cantons. He has never discussed his financial arrangements publicly, which is consistent with his broader communication philosophy of not discussing anything publicly.

Räikkönen brought his son Robin to a pre-race press conference, and video of the interaction showed Robin matching his father's monosyllabic energy perfectly. Fans found it magnificent. There are clips of Räikkönen's children on social media that suggest the family dynamic is exactly what you'd hope it would be.