Kimi Raikkonen: Angry with the Media

I have recently been pondering the brash actions of Kimi Raikkonen.

Recently, he has received some harsh words in regards to his actions against a photographer and an overzealous fan seeking an autograph.  His actions in each situation range from unkind to selfish and dismissive.

I have little interest in trying to determine how justified his actions were, but rather, I wanted to try to figure out why he acted in the way he did.

But first, some background in case one has forgotten or missed these events.

At Silverstone, while preparing for the start of the British Grand Prix, a photographer positioned himself over Kimi Raikkonen’s gear for a close up shot.  Kimi, needing access to his equipment, shoved over the photographer and went about his business.

The second incident occurred when a mother approached Kimi for an autograph with her child in tow.  Kimi walked by without acknowledging the woman, causing her to knock over the child. 

Both the woman and Kimi walked away from the child until Kimi appeared to motion to the woman that the child needed her mother.

Perhaps Kimi acted within his rights, and perhaps he didn’t. He clearly had little interest in apologizing in both cases.  A better question is, why did he act in such a manner?

The typical response to Kimi’s behavior is that he is simply a quiet person who doesn’t like the celebrity status that comes with being a Formula One driver.  I, for one, have little doubt that this is a largely true statement. 

Kimi has made comments on his personal life being just that, personal.  He even said similar words about Max Mosley’s actions during the heat of the scandal. 

However, both of Kimi's actions took place in front of video cameras and on a race track.  Kimi might love his privacy, but he is surely aware when video cameras are rolling.

Another common explanation of his actions is that he is not interested in F1 any more.  I find it hard to believe that a man uninterested in F1 would want access to his racing gear, or want to keep up with a member of his Ferrari team when presented with an autograph.

If he was so upset or unsatisfied, one would think he would welcome these chances to slack off.  Instead, we see him acting like a man who holds seven fastest laps this season; focusing while on the race track and during the race weekend.

Thus, one might be left to consider what it could be that is bothering him, and I am proposing the following:

Each Formula 1 driver is a talented and driven athlete.  Certainly, some are more driven than others, and some are more naturally talented.  But talent, work ethic, and a little luck is what earns these drivers their seats.  If a driver is not hungry for victory or if their relative talent is too low, they are quickly dropped from the series.

I therefore propose that each driver is a genius.  Not in the sense of Einstein, Newton, or Hawking.  Nor a literary genius like Tolkien or an artist like van Gogh.  Rather they are exceptionally talented in the art of driving a car.

Each driver can feel a car out, determine its strengths and weaknesses, and try to get the most out of the vehicle.  Furthermore, in order to drive a car as close to the limit as possible, the driver must be able to grasp the physics of the car’s behavior.

I doubt many of them think about it in a mathematical way, but rather while turning or braking their head and stomach tells them how close they are, and how much more they can accomplish if they are brave enough.

There is an inherent intelligence in these actions.  They have a self awareness and the ability to quickly think through the outcomes.  After some experience, drivers know how to set up a car, and know what will and will not work.

In other words, Formula 1 drivers are fairly smart people.  You shouldn’t turn to them for stock market advice, but their ability to observe what is around them and see what is happening should not be underestimated. 

Most drivers should be expected to be logical and even-handed.   Well, usually only the latter when they lay their egos aside, but I digress.

And this is where I think Kimi Raikkonen runs into trouble.  During an interview, a driver is typically asked a question along the lines of “Why didn’t you qualify on the front row?” or “how did you pull away from Lewis Hamilton during the second stint?” 

The answer to either question is almost the same, even though the situation is very different; “Well I drove as best I could and it was (or wasn’t) enough.”

If Kimi wanted to, he could throw in comments about having a better or worse setup.  Or perhaps he got lucky with a safety car period or unlucky with a punctured tire.  But the problem I think he has is that a large portion of the questions he is asked are redundant. 

I have heard questions about fuel levels posed many different ways.  A driver would grow tired of dodging that question a few times a weekend.

Questions that might seem less boring such as, “When you increased the car’s downforce, you seemed to experience more tire wear during the middle of the run. 

Why is that?” are mostly unanswerable, either because the driver doesn’t fully understand why or because the driver (and team) want to protect the knowledge they might have.

The good questions that do get asked and publicity tasks that a driver might see as worthwhile are few and far between.

Kimi might be willing to suffer the celebrity spot light for a chance to drive in Formula 1, but when he sees the media wanting his opinion on something as predictable as clockwork on top of his loss of privacy, he likely doesn’t want to deal with it.

But I said all drivers are pretty sharp men; am I suggesting that the other drivers are unaware of the mundane interactions they must suffer with the media?  Not in the slightest! 

I fully believe every driver is aware of his situation, but that the other drivers are willing to put on the face the media wants to see.  When Alonso explains his car’s setup without revealing anything and in the vaguest of details, but with enthusiasm; he is jumping through hoops to keep those around him happy. 

Lewis Hamilton puts on a show for the press with Britain’s rabid media.  Kimi’s problem is that he simply won’t do the dance.

Maybe he doesn’t want to play the games because it requires effort, or maybe he doesn’t because he so rarely gets to say or do something interesting under the media’s watchful eye.  But the point stands that he doesn’t enjoy the mundane parts of the F1 circus.

He is fed up with the way the media treat him during the race weekend just as much, or more, than his loss of privacy, and these recent events are signs of the frustration that he and all Formula 1 drivers have to deal with.

To be clear, I am not ridiculing other drivers for putting on the show that the media often demands, but I do want it to be known that they are putting on a show that they all see through. 

Both Kimi and the other drivers are interacting with the media in the way that they believe best serves their ends, and I find no fault in the drivers for choosing one path or another.

However, I believe the roots of his actions are based in the poor standards and often poor performance of the media.  They make his job more boring and rarely offer insight.

As a further insult, Kimi sees the media occasionally bumbling around and interfering with his ability to win races, and distracting him in between practice and qualifying.  He might wish he were so lucky as to stop at sharing his night life!

To be sure, Kimi isn’t trying to lecture the media on its practices.  He doesn’t strike many as the type who wants to deliver a message, even more so if the message requires effort for a typically laid-back man to deliver. 

He doesn’t expect the media to change its ways; he just wants the simple and obvious questions and all the dead-end interactions to stop coming his way.

Kimi doesn’t see himself as someone who signed up to do public relations.  He might want to look good, but he doesn’t want to pose for the cameras. 

Kimi has a contract to race Ferraris.  Before that, he raced McLarens.  He sees that as his job and his passion.