Name: The Unknown Kimi Raikkonen
ISBN: 9781471177682

Kari Hotakainen

'I loved it. I thought it was fascinating - really, really interesting story that he's got to tell... I've known him for years and I learned an awful lot.' Marc Priestley? Kimi Räikkönen is the Finnish superstar Formula One driver with a reputation for being fast on the track and silent off it – until now! In this superb and authorised portrait of Räikkönen, Kari Hotakainen gets to reveal the side of the man that few beyond his close family and friends have ever seen. Enigmatic and private, Ferrari’s former world champion driver rarely opens up to outsiders, but he granted Hotakainen exclusive access to his world and to his way of thinking. It ensures that this will be a book that will delight all fans of motorsport, who have long revered the Finn. Including never-previously-seen photographs from his own collection, The Unknown Kimi Räikkönen takes the reader into the heart of the action at grands prix around the world, behind the scenes as race strategies are planned, and opens up the private side of his life that he normally guards so carefully. With all the cult appeal of I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the raw excitement of Formula One and the insight of the best biographies, this is a book every sports fan will want to treasure.

The Unknown Kimi Raikkonen

Such a comprehensive and understandable book detailing the famous Kimi Raikkonen, giving us insight to his personal life, behaviours and attributes without being overly invasive. Kari Hotakainen writes this book with such a skillful voice, I've never read a book like it. His words are playful and entertaining, whilst still being so informative and useful. 

We follow Raikkonen from his carting years, learning about how he was one of two sons to Masa Raikkonen, who was a mechanic. Seeing how he was born with a "spanner in his hands", we see how he takes off in karting, the pressures of money, the society of finland and ultimately how he landed himself a seat at Sauber Petronas. Racing for Sauber, he lands a deal with mclaren, and ferrari with breaks in between for rally racing, until he rejoins with lotus, and ultimately ends his career at ferrari at 2018. We see how young kimi raikkonen, shy and quiet as he was, loved a good party, how his first relationship crumbled (although kimi doesn't comment on this) and his second marriage flourished, (this he definately talks about). We see him as a family man; a man who loves his children above all, and who sees racing more as a hobby. A man who enjoys the racing more than the grandeur and the fame which he achieves. 

Such a face paced, well written book, with so many insightful interviews with many familiar names. 

surtified™

Such a comprehensive and understandable book detailing the famous Kimi Raikkonen, giving us insight to his personal life, behaviours and attributes without being overly invasive. Kari Hotakainen writes this book with such a skillful voice, I've never read a book like it. His words are playful and entertaining, whilst still being so informative and useful. 

We follow Raikkonen from his carting years, learning about how he was one of two sons to Masa Raikkonen, who was a mechanic. Seeing how he was born with a "spanner in his hands", we see how he takes off in karting, the pressures of money, the society of finland and ultimately how he landed himself a seat at Sauber Petronas. Racing for Sauber, he lands a deal with mclaren, and ferrari with breaks in between for rally racing, until he rejoins with lotus, and ultimately ends his career at ferrari at 2018. We see how young kimi raikkonen, shy and quiet as he was, loved a good party, how his first relationship crumbled (although kimi doesn't comment on this) and his second marriage flourished, (this he definately talks about). We see him as a family man; a man who loves his children above all, and who sees racing more as a hobby. A man who enjoys the racing more than the grandeur and the fame which he achieves. 

Such a face paced, well written book, with so many insightful interviews with many familiar names. 

nia( taylor‘s version)

Jolanda Schobers

Bryan Maniotakis

'I loved it. I thought it was fascinating - really, really interesting story that he's got to tell... I've known him for years and I learned an awful lot.' Marc Priestley? Kimi Räikkönen is the Finnish superstar Formula One driver with a reputation for being fast on the track and silent off it - until now! In this superb and authorised portrait of Räikkönen, Kari Hotakainen gets to reveal the side of the man that few beyond his close family and friends have ever seen. Enigmatic and private, Ferrari's former world champion driver rarely opens up to outsiders, but he granted Hotakainen exclusive access to his world and to his way of thinking. It ensures that this will be a book that will delight all fans of motorsport, who have long revered the Finn. Including never-previously-seen photographs from his own collection, The Unknown Kimi Räikkönen takes the reader into the heart of the action at grands prix around the world, behind the scenes as race strategies are planned, and opens up the private side of his life that he normally guards so carefully. With all the cult appeal of I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the raw excitement of Formula One and the insight of the best biographies, this is a book every sports fan will want to treasure.