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The Unknown Kimi Raikkonen
- Narrated by: Luke Thompson
- Length: 5 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Sports
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Summary
Kimi Räikkönen is the Finnish superstar Formula One driver with a reputation for being fast on the track and silent off it - until now!
In this superb and authorised portrait of Räikkönen, Kari Hotakainen gets to reveal the side of the man that few beyond his close family and friends have ever seen. Enigmatic and private, Ferrari’s former world champion driver rarely opens up to outsiders, but he granted Hotakainen exclusive access to his world and to his way of thinking. It ensures that this will be a book that will delight all fans of motorsport who have long revered the Finn.
The Unknown Kimi Räikkönen takes the listener into the heart of the action at grands prix around the world and behind the scenes as race strategies are planned and opens up the private side of his life that he normally guards so carefully.
With all the cult appeal of I Am Zlatan Ibrahimovic, the raw excitement of Formula One and the insight of the best biographies, this is an audiobook every sports fan will want to treasure.
Critic reviews
"I loved it. I thought it was fascinating - really, really interesting story that he's got to tell.... I've known him for years and I learned an awful lot." (Marc Priestley)
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What listeners say about The Unknown Kimi Raikkonen
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Norma Miles
- 12-04-19
Full throttle toward chaos.
Not a biography, the author states, as Kimi has lived only half of his life.
Not a biography, this reader states, just a randomly slung together procession of observations in which the author places himself more centre stage than his subject, constantly reminding us of his personal involvement with everyone he interviews. He has to leave the Ferrari paddock because he (foolishly) isn't wearing red, has to stay on Kimi's yacht because he can't get an hotel room with Kimi, and so on. Terribly constructed, the book moves erratically through incidents and time in a confusing fashion, spending even more words on the monitoring of Kimi's wife's heart rate, and speculation of that of his mother's, at the beginning of an F1 race than on Kimi and the race itself.
The whole book felt more like fictionalized supposition on the part of the author, combined with a lot of name dropping to give is verisimilitude.
This authorized biography could have - should have - been amazing, a near fairy tale story of how a young boy from a poor Finnish family managed to become a top driver in one of the most costly sports on earth. Kimi had never been to a a live Formula One meeting until he raced in one himself! What qualities did he display to be taken from comparative obscurity to tests for F1 racing, and the huge financial backing necessary? Whilst it is true that the man is more than just motor racing, that is the reason he is famous and why people want to read about him; so a substantial part of the book should surely be about his progress into the sport and his still ongoing successes within it? And his thoughts about why he is as he is as well as his more personal loves and ambitions. Not that they were there, either.
The main, perhaps only, thing I felt I learned from Hotakainen's very subjective book is that Kimi Raikkonen likes to sleep a lot. Not surprising if he has seen this book
6 people found this helpful
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- Susie
- 01-01-19
Disappointing and a tad confusing
As a Kimi fan I was looking forward to this, but was left disappointed. Didn’t learn anything new and hard to follow. Sometimes Kimi was speaking then on behalf of Kimi. Narrator 50/100.
3 people found this helpful
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- zoona
- 19-04-19
interesting facts - terrible writing
Quite painful to listen to, but interesting stories about Räikkönen.
A list of facts, written by somebody who is not a motorsport fan - but seemingly didn't get a motorsport fan to check terminology.
2 people found this helpful
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- SB Reviews
- 29-12-18
Little to it
Not that much about the man you don't already know from watching utube. I found it difficult to know when it was kimi or someone else recounting events compared with reading a book.
2 people found this helpful
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- T Bichard
- 02-02-22
Needed to know more
If the stories are true the man is even more interesting than he comes across within F1. A good listen and well read.
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- Ryan Kirby
- 17-06-21
a great perspective
really enjoyed it, read in a very interesting and different way, would recommend, Kimi is a great personality.
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- Orban Pal
- 16-12-20
Good book overall
The book was good but either the narrator was to silent or the app needs to be improved, never had anny issues with not hearing a book but this time whilst at work i had a hard time hearing it.
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- Anonymous User
- 11-12-20
Captivating
A fantastic production, that really brought the story to life. Highly recommended. Fantastic listening opportunity.
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- Dean Boddington
- 04-12-20
Loved it
Story is great and it’s amazing to understand how Kimi got to where he is, get a bit of insight into his childhood. I was a bit disappointed that he didn’t elaborate on what happened at the end of his Maclaren and first Ferrari stints (just to know how Ron Dennis was with the news really) I would’ve also liked more detail on what happened while in lotus. But other then that really enjoyed this
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- Mike Walker
- 07-08-20
Good book if your fascinated by the ice man
Good book, it jumps about a lot but is a great insight into Kimi
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- Bram
- 28-03-19
Surprised by the quality
I was interested in the story of Kimi but had no expectations and the book really surprised me! How it's told and how you get an inside of Kimi's career is amazing. Makes you understand the switch to Alfa Romeo even more!
2 people found this helpful
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- Árni Nybo Silvurstein
- 11-04-19
Insightful
There is much to learn about The Iceman. and the story isn't over yet. Hope he has a lot more to give.
1 person found this helpful