Facts On Formula One World Champion Kimi Raikkonen

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Factbox on Finland's Kimi Raikkonen, who won the Formula One drivers' world championship with Ferrari in Brazil on Sunday.

Age: 28 (born on Oct. 17, 1979 in Espoo, Finland).

* Began go-karting aged 11 and entered the British Formula Renault series in 1999. He was champion the following year with seven wins from 10 races.

* Sauber signed him up as a Formula One driver at the end of 2000, despite his lack of experience. FIA president Max Mosley was one of the doubters, only reluctantly handing him a superlicence after Sauber pleaded his case.

* Raikkonen scored a point on his grand prix debut in Australia in 2001. By the end of that season he had scored nine points and been signed by McLaren as replacement for compatriot Mika Hakkinen.

* Dubbed the 'Ice Man' by McLaren team boss Ron Dennis for his calmness under pressure, he pushed Ferrari's Michael Schumacher all the way in 2003 but missed out on the championship by two points.

* The Finn was also runner-up to Renault's Fernando Alonso in the 2005 championship, winning as many races (seven) as his Spanish rival.

* Raikkonen joined Ferrari at the end of 2006 as replacement for retiring seven times world champion Michael Schumacher. He has won 14 races.

Web site: www.kimiraikkonen.com