When Kimi was great

Kimi Raikkonen joined McLaren-Mercedes in 2002, and became a title contender by finishing runner-up in the championship to Michael Schumacher in 2003, and Fernando Alonso in 2005.

In 2005, Kimi was just brilliant, outshining his highly rated team-mate Montoya, and he won seven races just like Alonso but would have won more if not for a series of reliability issues, resulting in qualifying engine change penalties and retirement from the lead on three occasions.

Picture: Great 2005 Canadian Grand Prix win by Raikkonen, his 3rd in 4 Grand Prix, having also won at Monaco and Barcelona. In those days Ron Dennis thought Kimi was the best thing that could happen to his team, and he was right: Kimi was brilliant that year.