The Kimi Interview:

Part One - Sneaking into the Paddock, Senna, and the No 12

Kimi at a Racetrack vs Kimi at Home

It's not easy to describe yourself in a few sentences when put on the spot, but Kimi already appreciates the difference between his competitive and non-competitive self.

"When I'm at the racetrack, I can just fully lock in," he says.

"I am fully determined, and passionate about this sport and what I do. When I drive, I am trying to do it by instinct.

"If I am doing an activity with my friends - paintballing or bowling - I focus and get very competitive, I will barely even talk to my friends in that moment!"

"But if I am at home, maybe even after a busy race weekend, I can just chill. I know how to keep myself calm and just do my own thing.

"Trying not to overthink and overstress everything puts you in a better mood and helps you get back focused."

A Sneaky First Paddock Experience

Many young drivers don't get the chance to experience an F1 paddock until they reach F3 or F2, but Kimi's first taste behind the scenes came when he was just seven years old.

Formal accreditation wasn't exactly involved, either...

"It was Hockenheim in 2014. I couldn't get into the paddock because I was too little," says Kimi, whose father Marco was racing in the Porsche Supercup series that weekend.

"My Dad decided to hide me inside a stack of tyres and wheel me through on a trolley. We put an umbrella on top to make me harder to see!

"I got through and into the pit lane, and my dad's friend got me a pass. I had a look around for an hour and it was such a cool experience - but we always laugh at the story of the trolley."

'Watching DVDs of Him Got My Attention'

Kimi's lifetime has coincided with so many F1 greats at the peak of their powers, but his racing hero is one of the legends of yesteryear.

"I always got really passionate when I saw videos of [Ayrton] Senna," he explains.

"Growing up I would watch all the DVDs of the seasons from the 1980s to the 2000s, and in one of them, I remember watching Ayrton and it really stood out.

"I know I was not lucky enough to watch him race, but when I watched all these videos I started to realise all these incredible races he has done.

"I watched the documentary and the recent series too. He is my idol because of who he was off the track as well as on it. An incredible driver, but a great person too.

"That inspired me, and to achieve even a little part of what he did in my career would be so cool."

What's in a Number?

Say hello to F1's new number 12. It's one that Kimi has been familiar with over the years and is special for numerous reasons.

"It is because of Ayrton," he says.

The Brazilian raced with the number 12 for three seasons with Lotus between 1985 and 1987, taking his first win in F1 in Portugal in 1985.

Senna's first title in 1988 came with the number 12 on the front of his McLaren.

"But it is also the number I first used in single seaters," continues Kimi.

"From F4 I started to use 12 straight away and it worked pretty well with that number. Hopefully I can carry that on in F1."

'Worked pretty well' is one way of putting it.

With the number 12 on the nose cone, Kimi won the Italian and German F4 titles in 2022, and the Formula Regional championships in Europe and the Middle East a year later.

"I was also 12 years old when I joined the Mercedes junior programme, so there is that too," he adds.

Kimi's Favourite Track

When it comes to favourite circuits, Kimi's preferences lie close to home.

"I really like Imola and Mugello, they are both great tracks," he says.

"Imola is about 30 minutes away from my home, and Mugello is about 50 minutes.

"I fell in love with Silverstone as well the first time I drove there. Going through Maggotts, Becketts, Chapel and Stowe was incredible in an F1 car - it left me speechless.

"Monaco is another one I really enjoyed last year in F2. The focus you need, especially on that single-lap pace, in incredible."

Stay tuned for part two of our first chat of the year with Kimi and find out more about his preparation for 2025 and his excitement for the season ahead.