Kimi Räikkönen and Lotus’s money dispute got a new anecdote.
Kimi Räikkönen and his hair in good condition in Hungary 2013. PDO
Kimi Räikkönen’s distaste for the Lotus team, which had problems with salary payments, in the 2013 season is a familiar story to F1 fans.
Former team manager Otmar Szafnauer told the High Performance Racing podcast about a new anecdote related to the topic.
The money dispute between Räikkönen and Lotus has been discussed many times. The team signed a performance-based contract with the Finn, who made his return to F1 racing. While Räikkönen drove excellently, the team had to climb. There wasn’t enough money.
The matter strained the relationship between Räikkönen and Lotus as the 2013 season progressed. In the end, when there was no money, Räikkönen missed the last races of the season. The official reason was back surgery and recovery from it, but as an open secret it was known that the decision was due to unpaid wages.
Szafnauer, who said in the podcast that he tried to attract Räikkönen to Force India for the 2012 season, says that he heard a rumor about Räikkönen’s interest in Lotus.
– Räikkönen had a sponsorship obligation with Rexona, the shampoo brand that sponsored Lotus. But before that, Räikkönen shaved his head bald, Szafnauer quips.
– I don’t know if that’s true. But if anyone, Kimi could have done that.
The former F1 journalist who runs the podcast agrees Jake Humphrey.
– If it were a myth, it would be a complete myth about Kimi Räikkö!
At least during the 2013 season, the hair did not leave Räikkönen’s head. It is certainly possible that Räikkönen shaved himself after he decided to sit out the season.
Instead, in both the McLaren and Ferrari years, Räikkönen appeared in the pits a couple of times with his hair completely shaved off.
Smoking
In the podcast, Humphrey, Szafnauer and Rob Smedley praise Räikkö profusely.
Smedley got to know Räikköen during the Finn’s years at Ferrari, when he worked Felipe Massa as a race engineer.
– Kimi was a really nice guy. Especially after a winning performance, Smedley recalls.
– Kimi just wanted to drive. He was not interested in anything else, not political wrangling and corporate shit, Smedley says.
Räikkönen made a special impression on the trio with his work ethic.
– He was really hard at work. Yes, it was said that he is hard to drink and party. Sure. But he works hard, takes care of his business and only celebrates afterwards. It was a way for him to release pressure, says Smedley.
Räikkönen was a megastar of his era, who still has a large fan base. The trio of the podcast ponders how big a superstar the Finn would be if he were involved in the current formulas.
– F1 drivers were not the kind of stars that everyone recognized on the street. But now with social media, a Netflix series and an F1 movie, these guys are mega-celebrities. I think Kimi would be the most interesting driver of all, Humphrey states, making the others nod.