2007-03-18 F2007 (6) Kimi Raikkonen AUS - Albert Park 1 DB
On March 18th, 2007, Kimi Raikkonen won the Australian GP in his debut with Ferrari, racing the F2007.
Räikkönen was born in Espoo, Finland. By the age of twenty, he had won the British Formula Renault winter series of 1999, winning the first four races of the year. In 2000, he won seven out of ten events in the Formula Renault UK Championship. Combined, over these two series of Formula Renault, he won 13 out of 23 events – a 57% win rate. He debuted in F1 with Sauber in 2001. He built a solid career driving for McLaren from 2002-2006. He was 2nd in Drivers World Championship in 2003 behind Schumacher and in 2005 behind Alonso. In 2005, Räikkönen received the F1 Racing "Driver of the Year" accolade, and the Autosport "International Racing Driver of the Year" award.
2007 was one of the most epic year of F1. Raikkonen won in his debut with Ferrari in Australia, then won also in France, UK and Belgium. I was a fierce battle against the McLarens of Alonso and Hamilton
At the Chinese Grand Prix in Shanghai, Räikkönen took his fifth win of the season, that revived his title hopes before the last race of the season.
Räikkönen moved to seven and three points behind Hamilton and Alonso in the Drivers' Championship, respectively, going into the last race in Brazil, the first three-way title battle in the final race of the season since 1986.Räikkönen took the 2007 Formula One Drivers' title with victory in the Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos, in an incident-packed race. Massa had taken pole, followed by Hamilton, Räikkönen, and Alonso. At the start of the race Räikkönen passed Hamilton on the outside and lined up behind Massa. Alonso shortly afterwards passed Hamilton, who fell progressively down the order. Räikkönen eventually overtook Massa. Massa's strategy for the second round of pit stops ensured Räikkönen kept the lead. Räikkönen went on to take the chequered flag, which handed him the crown by a single point from Hamilton and Alonso. Championship leader Hamilton eventually finished the race in seventh place, while defending champion Alonso managed third.While Räikkönen had only one point more than Alonso and Hamilton at the end of the season, he had the most victories (six compared to four by each McLaren driver).
