Kimi Raikkonen has become Finland’s third world champion by winning the Brazilian Grand Prix. He is the 28th F1 world champion in 58 years.
It comes after he finished runner-up in the 2003 championship (to Michael Schumacher) and in 2005 (to Fernando Alonso)
His triumph puts Finland up to fifth among the countries that have won the most championships. Finnish drivers have won four world championships, the others being Keke Rosberg in 1982 and Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999.
Countries’ championships
1. Britain 12 (Mike Hawthorn, Graham Hill (2), Jim Clark (2), John Surtees, Jackie Stewart (3), James Hunt, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill)
2. Brazil 8 (Emerson Fittipaldi (2), Nelson Piquet (3), Ayrton Senna (3))
3. Germany 7 (Michael Schumacher)
4. Argentina 5 (Juan Manuel Fangio)
=5. Australia 4 (Jack Brabham (3), Alan Jones)
=5. Austria 4 (Jochen Rindt, Niki Lauda (3))
=5. France 4 (Alain Prost)
=5. Finland 4 (Keke Rosberg, Mika Hakkinen (2), Kimi Raikkonen)
9. Italy 3 (Giuseppi Farina, Alberto Ascari (2))
=10. United States 2 (Phil Hill, Mario Andretti)
=10. Spain 2 (Fernando Alonso)
=12. New Zealand 1 (Denny Hulme)
=12. South Africa 1 (Jody Scheckter)
=12. Canada 1 (Jacques Villeneuve)
Photo: Ferrari media
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Tags: f1 / formula one / formula 1 / grand prix / motor sport
Magnus
21st October 2007, 18:33
What a race…
Hamilton made yet another dire rookie error and then his car trouble put the nail in the coffin.
I’d prefer if Alonso had won but Kimi is certainly a worthy champion too.
Congrats Kimi!
hobbitland
21st October 2007, 18:33
Well, serves McLaren right for the spy scandal. McLaren lost because they had two strong drivers talking points away from each other.
Alonso Follower
21st October 2007, 18:37
At last, this was my second bet… I think McLaren management (read Ron Dennis) have got what they deserve.
By the way, I feel sorry for the Britons. Their “golden weekend” (rugby and F1) has not materialized 8-)
KB
21st October 2007, 18:41
COULD WE HAVE LISTENED TO THEM IF IT HAD …..I THINK NOT
Ratboy
21st October 2007, 18:48
Yeah But tomorrows papers will be full how we were robbed at the rugby, and jean todt turning off Hamiltons Mclaren, ;)
safetylady
21st October 2007, 18:59
Well done to the most boring personality in formula one on winning this years drver championship.
I am so happy Judas (sorry, Alonso) did not win. Maybe he can now bog off back to Renault. He blames everone else but himself for his troubles. Maybe if he was not such an arrogant fool he waold still have respect from fans of formula one (by the way i am a Spaniard living in England so i am not an English person making racist comments. Our Spanish press said the English are racist, not so, they just dont like whingers!!!)
Hamilton is young and there are many years available to him to win a chmpionship if his team does not mess up the chances with crazy tyre decisions etc.
carlos
21st October 2007, 19:06
“Annus horribilis” for McLaren.
They had the best cars, the best drivers…and the worst way to solve the problems.
Very sad…
My congratulations to Kimi, a deserved triumph.
(Congratulations to Clairvoyant Bernie too)
Andrew
21st October 2007, 19:10
I am actually quite happy at the result. After the problems (real and imagined) that went on between the drivers I think F1 is better off by neither of them winning.
I did want Hamilton to win, but as long as Alonso didn’t win then things are OK.
Hopefully we get Jenson back next year.
Vertigo
21st October 2007, 19:13
Great win by Kimi, he deserves the championship.
The British papers will go mental trying to find a conspiracy now though.
Uk
21st October 2007, 19:14
I still remember Ron saying “our race wan aginst Alonso not against Kimi”, well thats a team leader and a good gestion for a team.
At least Mc Laren can blame on Alonso for their pathetic WC lost, he is the only responsable for it, for sure…..
Great Kimi you got it.
nellyweb
21st October 2007, 19:53
Well done Kimi! If the Mighty Mighty Hamilton wasn’t to win it then you were the best man to bring it home!
Roll on next year!
Uk
21st October 2007, 19:54
I still remember Ron saying “our race wan aginst Alonso not against Kimi”, well is that a “team” leader and a good gestion for a team, fighting againsta his driver???
At least Mc Laren can blame on Alonso for their pathetic WC lost, he is the one and only responsable for it, for sure…..
Great Kimi you got it.
KB
21st October 2007, 20:05
no room for cheats in the sport, imho justice has prevailed and Ferrari success continues. I am dying to laugh at the papers tomorrow! The media has alot of reasons to conjure up tonight!
steve b
21st October 2007, 20:09
Can someone explain Mclarens 3 stop strategy for Lewis? Despite his first lap mistake, he could have taken 5th place and clinched World Championship had hebeen fuelled to the end of the race at his second pit stop.
Andy J
21st October 2007, 20:19
Thank god Alonso didnt win…on that performance today, he didnt deserve it…
rusydi
21st October 2007, 20:31
Why wouldnt Alonso deserve it? Hamilton tried to overtake Alonso on the first lap when there was no need to and that off track excursion probably resulted in the gearbox problem? Alonso was overtaken by Kubica yes, but Kubica was same strategy as Hamilton, super light.Of course Hamilton will be blitzing thru the field when all u got to do is overtake Super Aguris, Honda, Strs, Red Bulls,Toyotas,Williams, and to a lesser extent BMW. All these cars are slower than the Mclaren. And thanks to Trulli splash n dash,he managed to get that 1 more pt to draw level with Alonso.
claz smith
21st October 2007, 20:36
Well done Kimi. I have been watching F1 for nearly 20 years and you deserve it for all the hard work you have put in over the last few years. You just get on with it mate, and keep out of all the trouble! Well done Lewis, you have stunned me this year. So sad to see so much negative commentary from new F1 fans dishing out wit and wisdom on the strength of a seasons watching.
Felipe
21st October 2007, 20:47
I don´t know how people can say that Raikkonen has a boring personality and does not talk as much as a champion should. He has an incredible personality, totally destroying the stupid image that sports champions don´t have vices (he drinks himself to near death all the time) and is incredibly arrogant, even more than Alonso, how is that not an interesting personality, an interesting person? There are photos of him wearing a gorilla costume in a sailboat competition, the guy is totally insane! He´s just not the kind of guy who keeps talking and says nothing, like all the others.
Wesley
21st October 2007, 20:48
CONGRATS TO THE ICEMAN !!!
It was a long shot but,that makes the victory so much sweeter!
openwheelfan
21st October 2007, 20:55
My congragulations to Kimi. He deseves it. He outdrove everyone. Lewis’s 2nd rookie mistake in as many races cost him the title. He let his emotions get the best of him again and it cost him. It shows the fact that Lewis needs to be mentored in how to follow race strategy. He did not have to race but he chose to. All his misfortunes in the race come from his anger with Alonso on the first lap. If he let Alonso go and stayed in P4 he would be world champ. Although Kimi is the quiet “ICEMAN” he will represent the sport very well. He is well liked by the press and fans alike.
The race was great but it leaves me wanting more!!
I CAN NOT WAIT FOR 2008!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JavierR
21st October 2007, 21:16
Sorry for Hamilton…
Perhaps,,, next year…
gking
21st October 2007, 21:37
Well done Kimi!
Being English, I wanted Lewis to win, however Kimi was the best driver, certainly in the 2nd half of the season.
Lewis is young and no-one expected him to do anywhere near this well in his first season, so he must be proud of his achievements so far, and, from what I have learnt about Lewis this season, I’m sure he will be. His time will come soon.
The media will probably try to say he was cheated, but if Lewis has accepted it, why can’t everyone else?
The thing I’m most happy about is that Alonso finished 3rd out of the 3 of them. I used to like him, but after this season, I can’t stand him.
Good luck next season Lewis!
mano99
21st October 2007, 22:02
Hi all,
a good lesson to Ron Dennis.
Contract a good pilot for 10 Milion and then leave it in the backstore… put a beginner in front and he fails under pressure… don’t have good technology, no problem, copy&paste it from Ferrari… Is Ron too much old, too much rich or only too much incomptetent?
gking
21st October 2007, 22:12
I’ve just heard that the BMW cars are being investigated for fuel irregularities. There is a possibility that they could get disqualified. That would move Lewis up to fifth – and give him the championship.
Keith Collantine (@keithcollantine)
21st October 2007, 22:43
Investigation could jeopardise Raikkonen’s title
Ratboy
21st October 2007, 22:43
Who would have thought it Kimi was almost not given his Super license when he started with sauber and now hes world champion,
also if BMW and Williams are thrown out then Lewis would have won his second title long after the race had finished,
JavierR
21st October 2007, 22:43
Why doesn’t Ecclestone give the prize diectly to Ham right now’
This is incredible!
Kimi has won in the race and Ham doesn’t know to be aunder pressure…
This is not a clean championship!
Will maFIA do win Ham?
Incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
oliver
21st October 2007, 22:47
Its not exactly over yet, BMW and Williams are under investigation…Dare I guess what the outcome may be?
Loki
21st October 2007, 22:54
Well, I was about to congratulate Kimi, but I’m holding fire until confirmation comes out.
it doesn’t surprise me that something else has come up – wouldn’t have ended without some off track drama the way it has gone sometime.
Wasn’t it at Interlagos in 2003 where Kimi had to succumb to a technicality when he thought he had won?
Anyhow, I was glad when Lewis Hamilton dropped back down to 18th – it made the race exciting because it actually looked at one point he could do it. I was holding my breath for the last 12 or so laps when I thought Rosberg and Kubica were about to take each other off at the Senna S.
And now this – if it turns out to be true, then they might as well have.
Im crossing fingers that nothing happens to Kimi’s title!
Evenstar Saima
22nd October 2007, 14:22
I’m so very happy. I never doubted Kimi and knew deep down inside he could do it. That’s all that matters to me. I couldn’t care less for what the FIA do next, they’ve already ruined the 2007 season. It’s done and dusted for me, and Kimi ended it in the most perfect fashion. A truly deserving champion of this season. But it’s just the official status he claims, which is great because he silences all his doubters – he ain’t no Stirling Moss.
But he’s been a champion through and through before.
Paul Sainsbury
22nd October 2007, 20:48
Magnus Says:
What a race…
Hamilton made yet another dire rookie error and then his car trouble put the nail in the coffin.
Um………..’Yet another rookie error’…..
Magnus, just exactly which championship have you been wathing this year? It sure isn’t the one I have seen.
AmericanTifosi
23rd October 2007, 1:01
KIMI!!!
Does anyone else think that Lewis damaged his car slamming the onto the kurbs a few laps after going off?