F1 Throwback: The Kimi Raikkonen Dolphin Controversy and The Cool Way he Dealt With It

Alfa Romeo driver Kimi Raikkonen may have matured a lot since his F1 debut in 2001, but the progress was quite slow. The Finn is quite fond of alcohol, and has been notorious for wild acts whenever he has knocked back a few too many drinks.

One notable incident occurred in 2004 when he was caught by the paparazzi in an embarrassing position. Needless to say, he was forced to convey an apology after being spotted socialising with a singer and then passed out in a heap on top of an inflatable dolphin outside a nightclub in Gran Caneria.

However, his apology was a typical Kimi Raikkonen response, “I’m sorry. I had a few drinks and danced, why not?”. It was one of several such incidents involving Raikkonen during a colourful and successful career.

Tis wouldn’t be the first time he engaged in some wild activities, on one occasion he was reportedly participating in a powerboat race while clad in a gorilla suit. Another incident was when he took part in a snowmobile race under the name, James Hunt. Also, in 2005 he was spotted on a yacht in Monaco after he retired from the race. He even fell headfirst in the yacht while being drunk, fortunately suffering no injuries.

The dolphin incident was actually revealed by a motorhome manager, who admitted that once he had a few beers, he was a completely different animal.

Of course, since becoming a family man, he has mellowed out a bit, but he still ensures that he enjoys himself during his F1 tenure.