Nico Rosberg and Martin Brundle agree that Kimi Raikkonen can now ‘pass on the torch’ to F1’s new ‘Iceman’

Follow us on Google Discover

Kimi Raikkonen is one of the most unique characters in the history of Formula 1. He was loved by many fans for his brutal monosyllabic honesty.

Raikkonen was also one of the best drivers of his generation and remains Ferrari’s last world champion. In all, he won 21 Grands Prix, and he’s one of only seven drivers to score more than 100 podiums.

The Finn retired at the end of the 2021 season after three years at Alfa Romeo. It was his second stint in the sport after initially walking away in 2009.

Raikkonen was nicknamed ‘The Iceman’ because of his resistance to pressure. And speaking on Sky Sports’ Italian Grand Prix qualifying broadcast, Nico Rosberg and Martin Brundle agreed that one current driver shares that trait.

Nico Rosberg says Oscar Piastri is the next Kimi Raikkonen

Oscar Piastri carries a 34-point championship lead into Monza after his seventh win of the season. Teammate Lando Norris’ retirement has put him in a wonderful position in the title race.

However, Ralf Schumacher has said the pressure is off Norris and has now transferred to Piastri. Given that it’s just his third season, the Australian could perhaps be forgiven for tensing up in these circumstances.

But Rosberg says Piastri maintains the same demeanour at all times. He’s hardly made any mistakes all season, which will breed confidence on his side of the garage.

“He would deserve the old Kimi Raikkonen nickname – the Iceman,” said Rosberg. “He could pass on the torch to Oscar Piastri!”

“It’s always the same performance, whether it’s pressure, no pressure, winning, not winning, it’s just always the same.”

Brundle says some of Piastri’s interview answers are sometimes reminiscent of Raikkonen: “They’re quite similar. They wouldn’t use three words when two will do.”

Oscar Piastri could have criticised McLaren over controversial call, but he stayed quiet

Piastri is said to be obsessed with studying data, another layer of his clinical approach to his racing. Rosberg himself identified this as a weapon in his Mercedes battles with Lewis Hamilton.

Many have predicted that Piastri and Norris will fall out given what’s at stake. But both have always been quick to defuse any potential tension.

For instance, at the Hungarian GP, Norris was behind Piastri but dug out a victory using an alternative one-stop strategy. This was a departure from typical F1 tactics.

Some team bosses think Piastri had the right to be upset, having lost out on a win through no fault of his own. But whether or not he was aggrieved in private, he kept the team united with a diplomatic tone in the media.