Kimi Raikkonen tastes world championship success in post-F1 role

Kimi Raikkonen's Kawasaki Racing Team's Romain Febvre clinched the Motocross world championship in Australia last weekend, his first title as a team principal.

Raikkonen retired from F1 after the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix following a long career in which he claimed the 2007 drivers' title, which to this day remains Ferrari's last. 

In 2022, Raikkonen was named as team boss of KRT, with Febvre heading to Darwin, Australia 47 points ahead of his nearest challenger, taking fourth in the first race of the season finale.

However, adverse weather meant race two was cancelled, handing Febvre his second FIM World MXGP Motocross Championship - and the first for KRT, and Raikkonen as a team principal. 

"Having raced in and won the Formula 1 World Championship, I understand how Romain must feel at this moment," he explained.

"I want to add my sincere congratulations to him, the Team, Kawasaki and also all the Kawasaki fans globally. We came into this project seeking to win and, as a team, that is what we have achieved. 

"This has been the goal for me and Antti since the day we started - Mission Accomplished! Our thanks go to Romain, Pauls [Jonass] and Mathis [Valin] for their dedication and commitment. 

"After celebrating, we will focus on repeating our success in MXGP in 2026 and also capturing the MX2 title as well."

The Finn has kept a largely low profile since retiring, spending time with his young family, but has made his NASCAR Cup debut at Watkins Glen in 2022, and raced again at the Circuit of the Americas in 2023.