A Legendary Rivalry - Michael Schumacher vs Kimi Raikkonen

[@BlondeWick]

One of the very few drivers in F1 history who's both universally respected and feared by his peers.

[@fiftyin07]

Michael always had a tremendous amount of respect for Kimi, even when he was a rookie with Sauber. He always knew just how good Kimi actually was. Game respects game.

[@ciaronsmith4995]

These two had huge amounts of respect for each other, as you said. MSC said Kimi would be a WDC within a few hours of testing at Mugello in 2000. They raced each other hard, but fair. Just like Mika/Michael. Kimi said MSC was his toughest opponent before he retired too.

[@berkhanogulcanakcay7336]

Fantastic. And I think they've never ever collided with each other.

[@MarkFelix15]

So poetic that in both of Schumi’s retirement races at Interlagos he had that exact same side by side battle at turn 1 with Kimi. Amazing.

[@paokun21]

This throwback is such a treat. I watched these two titans growing up. I was more of a Schumi fan when I first watched F1 in the late 90's but I always appreciated the blistering pace Kimi had and over time ended up as one of my all time favorites as well.

[@IanRB26]

Michael: Finally , my fierce Finn rival, Hakkinen, is retiring...I mean, going on sabbatical. Kimi: *Hello there!* Michael: *Aw shit , here we go again.*

[@fgtrhwu2]

I love that side by side comparison in Brazil. Kimi deserve to win at least 1 more title with Mclaren. Maybe in 2003 but definitely in 2005. Car was too unreliable unfortunately.

[@ciaronsmith4995]

I missed one big duel. Silverstone 2006. They went wheel to wheel!

[@DarthJF]

Back in 2000 when FIA thought Kimi lacked experience for F1 super license Michael saw him test for Sauber in Mugello and went "The kid is good, give him a license".

[@RANDOMZBOSSMAN1]

23 single seater races before F1 you’ll never see something like that again lol

[@ciaronsmith4995]

It's just incredible to even think about.@@RANDOMZBOSSMAN1

[@RANDOMZBOSSMAN1]

@@ciaronsmith4995 Never will happen again, he makes Max look like a seasoned vet when he got into F1 I think because we have had an influx of teens and 20year olds join the sport in the last 10 years people don’t realise just how young Kimi was comparatively and inexperienced he was coming into the sport he didn’t even have a full time super licence initially till he made the FIA look silly on his debut lol Alonso and Lewis came into the sport around the same age but both had far more experience with single seaters and even then they came into the sport very young you can still see all 3 prop up in various youngest driver to do records But 23 single seater races is *absurd*

[@khayasontsele8984]

Kimi’s peak as a driver was undermined by coinciding with Michael’s and Ferrari’s. What a great driver. A legend on and off the track

[@Yiannis2112]

Kimi’s peak as a driver was undermined by coinciding with McLaren's legendary unreliability

[@serbandrutza]

This was simply beautifull. Thanks Ciaron for this very well made short movie! I think that if Mclarren would have provided a much better car to Kimi, like they did for Hakinen, this movie would have been much longer and spectacular.

[@ciaronsmith4995]

I didnt't include everything, but some of the best passes I've ever seen happened between Kimi/Michael, so I consider it quite spectacular in terms of driving quality. They also fought for a title in the last race, which Hakkinen only did once with MSC as well. Despite having a very good car in 2000, Michael beat Mika with 1 race to go that year. Kimi had a far worse McLaren and took it to the final round in 2003, so we can assume Kimi would have definitely been a threat in 2002/2004 had McLaren provided adequate equipment.

[@serbandrutza]

That' s exactly what i was trying to say with my previous comment!

[@theelf152]

Absolutely love this. Look at 11:20 "Tell me another great golfer...."..."Would Nick Faldo go to Tiger Woods for advice" ??. This is precisely the point behind the F2008 changes at Ferrari. You cannot tell a Great Driver How he should drive a car or How that Car Should be set Up and that's exactly what they did !!. Kimi and Michael had Great respect for each other you can see it throughout the clip, but I remember Kimi not being very impressed about what was happening when he was interviewed.

[@culturedbrother]

Yeah, i know that Räikkönen and that McLaren = Epic Legend. But there is something about Räikkönen and Lotus that tingles my funny bone. Regardless, these 2 absolute GOATs of drivers and their rivarly will always be stuff of legends. This is probably one of the last rivarlies out there that match legendary status. In a way, Schumacher always seemed proud of Räikkönen, compared to any other driver probably. And when a 7 time WDC is proud of you (even before getting 1 WDC.....sadly, the only one but deserved at least 3 more) and respects you that much, then you know you are a legend yourself.

[@tristanwhite3472]

Michael Schumacher was so good round the Canadian GP.

[@jimcurt99]

Love Kimi- my favorite F1 driver ever- wish his cars had been more reliable :(

[@ilguerrierominecraftiano5716]

kimi was very unlucky in the 2002-2006 period, he could have won 2 more championship and also 2008 if Ferrari focused on him.

[@francescosalvato6612]

Thanks for the video 💪

[@technounion1892]

The most skilled driver off track vs. the most skilled driver on track.

[@mclarenguy22]

Ferocious rivals. After Schumacher retired in 2012 Bernie Ecclestone said his comeback was a mistake.

[@djchuhi]

Wow!!! As like your other compiled videos, loved this one too! Thanks yet again Ciaron for the video which turned the calendar by about 15-20 years! Two fantastic legends, very different characters and unique approach to racing, but they had enormous mutual respect and admiration. PS: you might as well add (if it makes sense) another video (kzbin.infoAb1ecndgDl4?si=KL_EWkGHQaNqmKkJ) where Kimi is in conversation with Mick and he says something to the effect he deeply missed Michael's presence around the paddock.

[@RuanPaulino100]

oh god u dunno how i miss these times...

[@-Iceman]

😢😓

[@billythekid-bestservant1]

Kimi will always be the coolest and GOAT of f1

[@energeticfra100]

both legends😇

[@petel7418]

0:33 that's Nico Rosberg(?) Isn't it. Or his twin brother.

[@rayusse]

Thx for this nice one Ciaron, i am researching Estoril 1988 full race ??? i find only shorts video of senna prost , also capelli senna , but not mansell senna...

[@khayasontsele8984]

Brilliant point by Michael about Kimi not asking for help, because of his status and ability. Very good point about Tiger Woods. What a high level of intelligence

[@extraordinarymika]

I love his driving skill kimi4ever.

[@RuanPaulino100]

legends

[@44Andre]

4:34 Nico Rosberg?

[@Yolocaust_]

0:59 why Toyota Outfit?

[@flipflop4396]

Thats when Michael won 2003 title and throw after party and got drunk...

[@75ncv4hu9tg7]

Even after Raikkonen's every other season being dreadful, he always rose up to the task. Questioning his motivation was just a ridiculous media narrative. You're suddenly lazy and unmotivated if you don't care marketing yourself to the media and you're giving a non caring laid back image of yourself. Although I do have to admit that Raikkonen was not living the life of a top athlete. He enjoyed his personal time like a normal human would, so in that sense I feel like he missed those little extra bits that for example Nico Rosberg was able to gain when he became obsessed with beating Hamilton in 2015 & 2016. Not sure at what cost that came to Rosberg's mental well being though. He must have been extremely burnt out to make the decision to retire after 2016. Even in 2009 after Raikkonen's Spa victory the whole broadcasting team with Eddie Jordan and DC were criticizing him for being so "unpassionate" and that in no way does he deserve to stay at Ferrari. Perhaps Eddie Jordan and DC are those drivers that would've been doing celebratory gymnastics on the podium after driving a shit box of a car for yet another year in your career in a team that's supposed to be competitive. Not to take anything away from Raikkonen's win in 2009 Spa, but clearly it's not something to be celebrated on the grand scale of the 2009 season. It was an awful season for Ferrari and they went massively downhill ever since they had obsessions of hiring Raikkonen and Alonso, and becoming more involved in the politics and sponsorship and marketing money. Something in there was and is just massively dysfunctional on the inside. Over the span of last 15 years they've went from being the best team on the grid to a laughingstock. The management smoking out their drivers and team principals has just always turned out horribly for them in the long run. And they made Vettel balding.

[@DarthJF]

The whole "does Kimi have motivation" narrative was invented by salty journalists who were mad that Kimi didn't want to answer their BS questions.

[@vikramnatarajan2857]

Kimi should have been a 4 time champion 03,05,08

[@alwinjomathew8274]

❤❤

[@tristanwhite3472]

Michael Schumacher shouldn’t of been allowed to keep that win in Mangy Cours 2002.

[@aaa-3444]

Just kimi and juan can beat michael at that time.if mclaren dont have reliabiliti problem maybe kimi can be champion 2003

[@JackIsRacing]

Although a good rivalry, and I adore both drivers, I’m not really sure I would call this legendary. It’s like Stewart v. Fittipaldi. It’s good, but it’s not the one that jumps to mind when I think ‘legendary.’ Happy to discuss

[@ciaronsmith4995]

It was a huge rivalry. Michael always said Kimi was the strongest of the young challengers in interviews and Kimi fought for the title in a final race showdown with MSC in 2003. On top of that, Kimi was the reason MSC decided to leave F1 the first time in 2007. Kimi was signed in 2005 alongside Michael (for 2007), but Michael didn't actually want to race against Kimi in 2007 so he left. From the battles on track, to the political battles off track, it's legendary to me. Countless moments - more than Alonso/Schumacher which is overrated because of the Imola battles (2005 would have been an afterthought had Kimi's car not broken down, and it's impossible to pass in Imola anyways unless the driver in front makes a huge mistake). Michael was there for Kimi's first podium, Kimi there for Michael's last and their driving styles also mirror each other. It's more memorable to me than MSC vs Alonso, as Kimi literally fought MSC for wins every single year from 2002-2006. Alonso only really fought MSC properly in the odd race before 2006.

[@servetkoseoglu1257]

@@ciaronsmith4995 Alonso only really fought MSC properly in the odd race before 2006..Lol..i would like to see Alonso racing against prime Msc(1996-2001) especially in wet weather.Msc is old school ruthless driver in master level.He could easily own Alonso.

[@francescosalvato6612]

​@@servetkoseoglu1257msc on the wet was a beast, i think he was impressive as Senna.

[@vukd9877]

Those two would be considered even better and would have more titles if there wasnt a guy called Fernando who beat them both :)

[@Sam-rl5hs]

That guy got an advantage because of the the new rules that were introduced by FIA in 2005

[@moreno1105]

Schumi Kimi and Seb ❤