"There is too much politics"

Former F1 driver and 2007 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen thinks there is too much politics in F1; that is an understatement from the Finn, and he could not be more right. Just as there is a coming sense of excitement, F1 wants to shoot itself in the collective foot. Whether it was battles between the FIA and FOTA or Max Mosley speaking as if he is still the FIA president, the dog eat dog world of Formula One could not be more cannibalistic and blind to the outside world. Instead of focusing on the new teams, car launches and testing we may be forced to watch for more updates on hearings, lawyers pontificating, etc.

Meanwhile, Kimi Raikkonen has removed himself from all of that and appears motivated about his opportunity in the World Rally Championship. In addition to not missing the politics of F1, he goes as far to say that a WRC title would mean more than his title in F1. On that point, I would agree with him again. Not to say that one has higher value over the other as they are different disciplines but for a driver to make the switch to WRC or vice-versa and win a title would be an achievement of two lifetimes in this modern era of specialization.

Although there was plenty to criticize Raikkonen for in my opinion, one thing I always appreciated about him is that he says what he believes to be the truth and does not play many games. You were not going to get politics from Raikkonen. I suppose with all wranglings of F1 out of his hair for at least a year we actually might see a more vocal and less enigmatic Raikkonen. It would not be a surprise to many people if he never comes back; and I would not miss him one bit. I would be too busy appreciating his skills in the WRC.