Kimi Räikkönen’s Open Letter to the Sauber F1 Team, Supporters, and the Whole F1 Community
To the entire Formula 1 community, the Sauber team, and the fans,
When I pause to consider the path that has molded my career, I am overcome with thankfulness. This sport has been my home from my first days in Formula 1 to my last laps, and it has been an amazing journey. I would want to express my sincere gratitude to the Sauber F1 Team, my supporters, and the entire F1 community for their unwavering support throughout the years.
I want to thank the Sauber team for having faith in me from the start. Sauber offered me my first chance when I entered Formula 1 in 2001, having just finished junior racing. Your confidence in me laid the groundwork for everything that came after. And it was like coming home when I rejoined the squad in my latter years. I will always be grateful for the chances and experiences we had together because of your unwavering commitment, diligence, and love of racing.
I can’t adequately thank my followers for their persistent support. Whether I won or lost, you supported me, appreciating my methods and accepting my uncomplicated outlook on life and racing. Even when the odds were stacked against me, your encouragement, messages, and faith in me kept me going. You are the lifeblood of this sport, and I am honored to have shared in your journey as you have shared in mine.
I want to express my gratitude to the teams, engineers, mechanics, journalists, and other drivers who have contributed to the success of Formula One. In addition to being a family, Formula 1 is a world of unrelenting competition. An incredible career has been shaped by the struggles on the track, the victories, and even the difficult periods.
Know that I leave the sport with nothing except wonderful memories and a great deal of appreciation. My life has revolved around racing, but what has really made it unique are the people and the emotion that surround it.
Many thanks to all of you.
Kimi Räikkönen