Two hours prior to the start of the 2020 Australian Grand Prix, the decision not to go ahead came, resulting in the race being cancelled. It wasn’t an easy decision for F1, the FIA or the organisers and one that was made after nearly 12 hours of learning that a member of the McLaren team tested positive for Covid-19.
Now, just over two months after the event was cancelled, 2009 F1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen has revealed his thoughts about the cancellation and talks about how he is spending his time in lockdown.
2020 Australian Grand Prix cancellation
The weekend promised to be filled with exhilarating action and nail-biting excitement. However, the Covid-19 pandemic had other ideas, and upon McLaren withdrawing from the grand prix due to a member of the team testing positive, the whole weekend was scrapped.
A statement on the Australian Grand Prix website confirmed the cancellation of the weekend on the 13th of March, “Our first priority is the safety of everyone including attendees, our personnel, all event partners and members of the local community.”
Those who were supposed to be attending the Grand Prix are eligible for a full refund. And the Australian Grand Prix Corporation have announced that they will communicate more about when they’re able to safely reopen, although there will be no F1 race this year.
What has Kimi Raikkonen been up to?
Upon news of the cancellation, Kimi Raikkonen was reported to have got the first flight home.
Raikkonen spoke about how he is spending his time in lockdown. The Finnish driver spoke about how his children took up a lot of his time and energy, with the rest of the time spent staying fit and healthy, keeping up-to-date with the news, and relaxing.
“I don’t watch the news too much, I don’t read the newspapers too much either, but I check the news on my phone during the day to keep myself informed of the spread of the Coronavirus… the children monopolise me. It’s a full time job. In the evening, I watch the TV.”
Over a phone call, Kimi concluded that “We must do what we are told: stay at home!” No doubt, spending more time with his two children and wife is a joy for the Finnish family man.
Kimi’s Finnish home is in the beautiful capital of Finland, Helsinki, close to where he grew up as a child in Espoo, which is where the Nuuksio National Park is located. So, there are plenty of great local places the family can explore safely, by either foot or by driving (while using a car seat for three year old Rianna of course).
But that’s not the only way Raikkonen is keeping fit and healthy, he also has a small gym at home. The 40-year old F1 driver said that “I do more or less what I do in pre-season or between races. It hasn’t really changed.”
Kimi is also spending time supporting the Save the Children aid project to help the most vulnerable members who are hit hardest by the pandemic, including children in poor regions, crisis areas, and those in refugee camps.
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