Formula 1: Will 2020 be Kimi Raikkonen’s final season?

The 2020 Formula 1 season is a contract year for Kimi Raikkonen. Could it also be his final season of competition in the sport?

The summer of 2018 in Formula 1 centered primarily around two things. One, the world championship battle between Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton and Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel, two four-time champions at the time, and two, the future of Ferrari’s second seat.

For several months, a number contradicting reports came out, with some stating that Ferrari would sign Kimi Raikkonen to a contract extension and others stating that they would replace him with up and coming superstar Charles Leclerc. The thought was that if they opted for Leclerc, the 2007 world champion may end up retiring.

Ferrari did end up confirming in September of 2018 that Leclerc would replace Raikkonen beginning in the 2019 season after spending his rookie season driving for the Ferrari-powered Alfa Romeo Sauber team. But Raikkonen did not retire. Instead, he signed a two-year contract with Leclerc’s former team, now simply known as Alfa Romeo Racing.

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As a result, the 2020 season is set to be a contract year for Raikkonen, and already two years removed from the idea that he could be in his final season, that question again exists: will 2020 be his final year?

Raikkonen is the oldest driver currently competing in Formula 1, and by a huge gap. At 40 years of age, he is more than five years older than Hamilton, the second oldest driver. Hamilton is slated to turn 35 in January. Raikkonen has competed in Formula 1 since 2001, although he did not compete in the 2010 and 2011 seasons. As a result, the 2020 season is set to be his 18th overall and ninth consecutive season.

In 2020, Raikkonen is slated to break the all-time starts record. He just passed Fernando Alonso for second place on the all-time list with his 312th start in the 2019 season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at Yas Marina Circuit, and he trails Rubens Barrichello for the top spot by just 10 starts.

He is slated to break the record with his 323rd start in the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring in early July, and he is slated to end the season, the first 22-race season in Formula 1 history, with 334 starts.

Add another 22-race season, and all of a sudden he has competed in 356 races, which is more than 10% higher than the second place total of 322. Is it crazy to think that perhaps he won’t compete in 2021?

The 2021 season is set to feature an overhaul of rules and regulations, and there are hardly any drivers who have contracts to compete in 2021 as it stands right now, setting up what could be a Silly Season for the ages.

For Raikkonen, it’s clear that he has a passion for competing in Formula 1, regardless of what his media appearances may make it seem like. He wouldn’t have competed in 2019 if not, as he accepted a lesser ride after being replaced at Ferrari following his only winning season since 2013.

But he has stated multiple times in said media appearances that he probably won’t be competing long enough for this rules and regulations overhaul to affect him, most notably leading up to the 2018 Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit when he stated the following.

“It is in many years’ time anyhow and I doubt that I’ll be here so it doesn’t really bother me at all.”

It isn’t out of question that he could end up being affected by it since he hasn’t ruled out returning in 2021. But he would be slated to turn 42 before the 2021 season ends, and what are the odds that he lands a ride worth sticking around for following a two-year stint at the mid-pack team of Alfa Romeo Racing?

Raikkonen has been discussed as a possible replacement candidate for Vettel at Ferrari considering how paramount he was in developing the car for the team despite the fact that he won just one race in his second stint, a five-year stint, with the team. But there are several other possibilities for the Scuderia as well.

At the end of the day, it would surprise nobody if the Iceman walks away on his own terms after the 2020 season.

Will the 2020 Formula 1 season be Kimi Raikkonen’s final season in the sport, or will he return for what would be his 19th year in 2021?