"We talk about how fake this world has become": Fernando Alonso describes conversations with Kimi Raikkonen
Kimi Raikkonen's views about the world of F1 are very similar to Fernando Alonso, according to the latter. The double world champion described how he enjoys an off-track camaraderie with the Finn and the views the two had about the "fake" world of F1.
Speaking to Tom Clarkson on F1’s Beyond the Grid podcast, Alonso described his and Kimi Raikkonen’s views on the sport and said:
“We have all these facilities here, we have this easy life, we travel in good planes, we are in five-star hotels, we have all the help from everyone. On Sunday night, we are normal people. We tend to laugh, you know, about how fake this world becomes.”
The Alpine F1 driver said Kimi Raikkonen was one of the people he looked forward to meeting off-track and outside the paddock. The two world champions, who both joined the sport in 2001, have shared time both on and off the track for the better part of two decades.
Their combined opinion of the sport being fake at times doesn't come as a surprise, as both Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen hail from humble backgrounds, an increasingly rare occurrence in F1 these days.
Fernando Alonso reveals Kimi Raikkonen is one of the few drivers he interacts with off-track
On being asked if Kimi Raikkonen is one of the people he looks forward to meeting off-track, Alonso agreed and said:
“Yes, we meet sometimes in the airports, outside the paddock, in restaurants, partying sometimes. Outside the races, he is one of the guys, as I said, you can talk honestly about different topics and he is straight to the point. I share a lot of his ideas and his thoughts about Formula 1, and in a way, this world that we live here is like a bubble and not real life.”
True words by Fernando Alonso on Kimi Raikkonen
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Both Kimi Raikkonen and Alonso have raised the bar when it comes to their talent and racecraft. With the Finn retiring by the end of the 2021 season, the Spaniard will take over the mantle of the most senior driver on the grid, and one of the most experienced ones.
While Alonso was known for ending Michael Schumacher's domination in 2005, Kimi Raikkonen was one of the drivers that had caught the German's attention when he debuted with Sauber. Not since Raikkonen won the championship for them in 2007 has Ferrari managed to win another title.