Watch: When Kimi Raikkonen was hilariously drunk during the FIA end of season gala
During the FIA-hosted end-of-season gala in 2018, former Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen appeared intoxicated as he stole the show with his usual antics. The Finnish driver, who is widely known for being a man of few words, chatted throughout the evening with multiple guests. Moreover, when he was called on the stage, the driver captured the limelight with his animated gestures.
Raikkonen was invited to the FIA gala in 2018 as he secured P3 in the drivers championship with Ferrari. The event, hosted in Paris, saw the presence of many notable figures from the racing world. However, the Finnish driver stole the limelight at the prize-giving ceremony.
Dressed in a black suit, he was seated at the table with Ferrari teammate Sebastian Vettel. Kimi appeared intoxicated throughout the evening. As a man who is rarely seen speaking in public, the driver chatted with everyone he saw at the gala. The 45-year-old was seen engaged in a conversation with Vettel as well.
As the Finnish driver stepped up on the stage to collect his P3 trophy alongside Vettel, the former made hilarious animated gestures. The video of 'drunk Kimi' is still popular amongst the F1 fraternity as the FIA gala seemingly unveiled a fun side of Kimi.
Kimi Raikkonen's F1 career spanned from 2001 to 2021 where he drove for Sauber, McLaren, Ferrari, Lotus, and Alfa Romeo. He won his maiden championship in 2007 before closing the curtains on his professional career with the Italian team.
The 45-year-old won 21 races and accumulated 1873 points with 18 pole positions and 46 fastest laps. After a final stint with Ferrari, he quit F1 in 2021 to enjoy his retirement life.
Kimi Raikkonen's car number to be used again in F1
Rookie racing driver Jack Doohan signed with Alpine to replace Esteban Ocon for the 2025 F1 season. He chose no. 7 for himself, the same number Kimi Raikkonen used during his career in the sport. Doohan submitted a request that was upheld by F1.
While Jack initially wanted to drive with no. 12, the number was secured by his rookie counterpart Andrea Kimi Antonelli, who is set to debut for Mercedes next year. Doohan wishes to continue Raikkonen's legacy as he called him an idol and inspiration.
“I really wanted to go with a number that I raced with before. Something that had meaning for me. I raced with number seven in 2019. And also one of my idols, a super special person and driver, Kimi Raikkonen, also drove with that number," said Doohan (via Crash.net).
Meanwhile, Ocon signed with Haas for the upcoming season after a fallout with Alpine. The French driver was further denied a farewell as Doohan replaced him for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2024. He finished P15 and grabbed zero points.