RAIKKONEN’S NEPHEW NOT LOOKING TO FUTURE DESPITE DEBUT CLASS WIN

Justus Raikkonen plans to copy his uncle Kimi’s approach to motorsport by having “fun”, insisting he’s not looking to the future despite his class victory on his home round of the World championship.

Raikkonen was 17 years, four months and 25 days when he started the highspeed gravel Rally Finland event for the first time last Thursday, but finished with a class win alongside co-driver Mikael Korhonen on the back of a mature and accomplished performance in a Peugeot 208 Rally4.

“I’m so excited, my first rally with this car,” Raikkonen said prior to his Rally Finland debut. “I hope I have fun because this is my first rally with this Rally4 car, a big opportunity.”

While Kimi Raikkonen crashed out of his first Rally Finland in 2009, Justus made it through to finish in 26th overall and win the RC4 division.

Asked whether he has called on his father Rami, a former driver, or his famous uncle for advice ahead of his debut, Justus kept his answer short – again in true Kimi style: “Not really,” he said. “I do my own thing and try to learn. I don’t want to look to the future. I want to go step by step.”