Raikkonen to Depart Ferrari at End of 2018

Ferrari
By Joey Barnes, Editor-in-Chief

Ferrari has confirmed that Kimi Raikkonen will step down from his current role following the 2018 Formula 1 season.

In the midst of his second stint with the Maranello-based squad, the 38-year-old Finn has endured a fair amount of difficulties, having scored zero wins and 23 podiums in 93 races over that span. However, this season has seen a resurgence of sorts with nine podiums through the first 14 events, including a pole and runner-up finish in the most recent round – the Italian Grand Prix – at Monza.

Raikkonen’s only world title came in 2007 during his first stint with the team – coincidentally the last time Ferrari had a driver claim the championship – and lasted through the end of 2009.

“During these years, Kimi’s contribution to the Team, both as a driver and on account of his human qualities, has been fundamental,” Ferrari said via team statement. “He played a decisive role in the team’s growth and was, at the same time, always a great team player.

“As a World Champion for Scuderia Ferrari, he will always be part of the Team’s history and family. We thank Kimi for all of this and wish him and his family a prosperous future.”

About Joey Barnes 624 Articles
Joey Barnes is the Founder of Motorsports Tribune, an outlet that began with the goal of helping aspiring journalists break into and grow the industry. A regular on the racing scene since 2013, the journey for Joey started by covering a Grand-Am event at Circuit of The Americas in his home state of Texas. He has since primarily focused on the IndyCar Series, with appearances in the garages of NASCAR, paddocks of Formula 1, IMSA and World Endurance Championship, while also occasionally engulfing clouds of dust at the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals and select Supercross rounds. With previous stops at Autoweek, IndyCar.com, Motorsport.com and RACER, among others, Joey evolved from the singular task as a freelance writer to advanced roles behind the copy desk and alongside some of the best editorial teams in the business. Recognized as a multi-time award winner by the National Motorsports Press Association, Joey currently resides in Dallas-Fort Worth with his trusty four-legged canine companion, Rocket.