Kimi Raikkonen has announced that he will retire from Formula 1 at the end of the 2021 campaign after 19 years in the sport.
The 2007 world champion will turn 42 before the end of the season, having competed for Alfa Romeo for the last two and a half years following his second exit from Ferrari.
Raikkonen made his debut at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix and has now racked up 341 race starts, a record, 21 victories and 103 podiums.
“This is it,” the Finn wrote on Instagram. “This will be my last season in Formula 1.
"This is a decision I did during last winter. It was not an easy decision but after this season it is time for new things. Even though the season is still on, I want to thank my family, all my teams, everyone involved in my racing career and especially all of you great fans that have been rooting for me all this time.
“Formula 1 might come to an end for me but there is a lot more in life that I want to experience and enjoy. See you around after all of this.”
Raikkonen started his career with Sauber, before moving to McLaren, and then onto Ferrari for his first spell, where he won his only championship on the final race of the season.
He spent two more years at Ferrari before leaving the sport to compete in the World Rally Championship, returning to F1 in 2012 with Lotus.
Raikkonen returned to Ferrari for the 2014 season after a few successful campaigns with Lotus, and remained with the Scuderia until 2018, when he moved to Alfa Romeo.
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