Kimi Raikkonen's F1 career may have come to an end, but the Finn's involvement in motorsport will continue this year as he takes up the mantle of running a factory motocross team. Taking part in MXGP, the Motocross Grand Prix Championship run by FIM, the Kawasaki Racing Team represents the Japanese manufacturer's factory entry. For 2022, Raikkonen will take over the reins as team boss, alongside past motocross GP winner Antti Pyrhonen.
A private entry becomes a factory effort
While both have been involved in the series for 10 years as IceOne Racing, 2022 is the first year that Raikkonen will take over the running of a factory entry after Kawasaki came on board with full support from the parent company in Japan. "It's no secret that, for me, one of my great passions in life for many years has been motocross, but this team is not what you might call a hobby," Raikkonen said in his new role as Team Principal for KRT MXGP. "It's very serious, very focused and we aspire to be the best we possibly can. "Now I have retired from racing I will be able to spend more time on this project; not on the daily issues but more from a strategic point of view using my experience of how teams work and what creates success on the world stage. "Everyone, including myself, is delighted that Kawasaki has chosen us to be the factory team. "I know that the chance of success is always greater with direct factory support so this translates into a great opportunity for us as the new Kawasaki Racing Team in MXGP."
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