RAIKKONEN INTERVIEW (Having Fun): Feb !8, 2008

(from autosport)


World champion Kimi Raikkonen says he is enjoying Formula One more than ever at the moment, but has warned that he will quit the sport as soon as it stops being fun.

The Finn claims that his title success with Ferrari has heightened the enjoyment he gets out of Grand Prix racing.

But, although openly setting his sights on more wins and titles, Raikkonen says that the deciding factor on the length of the time he remains on F1 will be based on personal satisfaction rather than on-track achievements.

"I definitely don't want to become the oldest driver in F1, I'll stop before that," Raikkonen said in a television interview with Sky Italia.

"I want to get good results and win as many races and championships as possible. I haven't set out to beat the record of other drivers nor to stay in F1 more than anyone else.

"I'll do this while it's a good experience that I enjoy. The day I stop enjoying it, I quit."

Raikkonen said that he was happier at Ferrari than he has been at any other time of his F1 career.

"When I was a kid I would watch the Grands Prix. Everyone dreamt of becoming a race driver, while I only started thinking about it when I was 18 or 19. Only at that age I seriously started thinking about this job.

"Before then I would change ideas from one second to the next, dreaming of becoming this or that guy, in other sports too.

"Now Formula One is my job and it's also what I love doing. Now I'm enjoying it more than ever because I won. I like driving and racing. Obviously, in F1 you don't get to do only wonderful things, but that's part of the game."

And talking about whether he rues the misfortune that meant his efforts at McLaren were never rewarded with a world title, Raikkonen responded: "Sometimes luck hasn't been on my side, but there were many other reasons too.

"Things could have gone differently some years ago, but at least I won last year. Besides, when you lose you always learn something. It isn't the most pleasant way to learn, but from a certain point of view it helps.

"Now I'm happy and I don't think much about luck. If you work hard, you can get what you want."