“I’m not interested in what people think about me. I’m not Michael Schumacher.”– said the former F1 champion whose infamous statement we’re going to be looking at today. It’s the same driver who once threatened the Red Baron, Michael Schumacher, to grab the limelight. But what did the F1 champ say? Was the threat a real one or just a stunt to grab the limelight? Let’s figure it out.

Eddie Jordan, in his Formula for Success podcast, once mentioned how the Finnish drivers have always been so good as they’re used to driving on ice. Kimi Raikkonen is arguably one of the best Finnish drivers to race in Formula 1. And there was indeed something special about him. Raikkonen is still spoken very highly of by the F1 teams. Unfortunately, the Iceman only has 1 championship to show off for his incredible skills and career. 

On the other hand, Michael Schumacher is arguably the greatest F1 driver of all time with 7 championships and 91 wins. Yet Kimi Raikkonen once advised that Michael Schumacher isn’t better than him. During an interview in 2003, the Iceman was described as Michael Schumacher’s nightmare. And this statement came at a time when Schumacher had consecutively won 3 championships from 2000 to 2002 and would go on to win the 2003 and 2004 championships as well. 

Kimi Raikkonen was also featured on the cover of the F1 magazine along with the tag “Schumacher’s Nightmare”. However, the Iceman didn’t live up to his expectations, and it’s safe to say Schumacher sailed smoothly without any Raikkonen nightmares. So was it just a stunt to grab the limelight? Does look that way. 

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Nonetheless, Kimi Raikkonen is famous for keeping his statements brief. These brief statements are cherished fondly by the F1 fans now that Raikkonen is no longer racing in F1. Let’s look at some of his famous statements and radio messages.

Kimi Raikkonen and his famous one-liners 

Let’s start with the most infamous one, shall we? “Leave me alone, I know what I’m doing.”– Abu Dhabi 2012. The Iceman was given instructions about the gap to the drivers behind when he replied with this famous reply. Raikkonen was once asked about the most interesting and boring moment during the race weekend. To the most boring part, he replied, “Now.”

F1 drivers have loads of marketing responsibilities and have to speak highlighted of their sponsors. However, when Kimi Raikkonen was asked what makes TAG Heuer special, he replied “It’s okay.” A driver’s helmet is a way for the driver to express himself. Not for Kimi though, who said, “It protects my head.”

Watch this Story: From Drunk Gala to Dry Responses: Kimi Raikkonen’s Funniest Moments

What do you think about Kimi Raikkonen’s statement about Michael Schumacher?