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Kimi Raikkonen hasn't had the greatest year behind the wheel of his F2014, registering just 53 points to date as teammate Fernando Alonso has clocked up 157.
But don't go thinking the 2007 world champ has lost his touch behind the wheel. Earlier this week, Top Gear hung out at Ferrari's Fiorano test track with Kimi, and was treated to a shotgun lap as the notoriously taciturn Finn chucked an F12 Berlinetta around the greasy circuit. Mostly sideways.
Sublime doesn't even begin to cover it. If you reckon F1 drivers today are simply button-pushers rather than proper drivers, have a good long watch of the video and prepare to quickly reconsider. This is proper helmsmithery: traction control off, right foot pinned, drifting the 740bhp, rear-drive V12 in the flippant manner that us normal humans might pilot a bumper car after a couple of glasses of mulled wine.
We shouldn't be surprised. After all, Kimi is every bit as proficient at rallying as circuit racing, competing in the WRC between 2009 and 2011. And, of course, he's Finnish. Finns learn sideways before they learn to walk.
Whichever way, it's all a trifle humbling. Trust us, there's nothing quite like wincing alongside a deceptively small Finnish man as he holds a legendarily spiky supercar at the very edge of sideways with just one hand resting lazily on the wheel - all the while chatting amiably about the limitations of road tyres - to make one very, very aware how entirely rubbish one is at driving.
At the F12 isn't even Kimi's company car. No, the snow-loving Finn has an FF on his driveway: more practical all year round, y'see.
"But most of the time in Italy," he tells us. "Someone drives me. Easiest that way."
A bit less embarrassing for us mere mortals, at least.
Written By:- Sam Philip
More of this article on the Top gear website
