Raikkonen ‘wouldn’t change a thing’

While all eyes in Abu Dhabi will be on the headline drama of the title fight between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen this weekend, another world champion will be making his final appearance in a Formula One car.

Twenty years after making his F1 debut for Sauber at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix, Finnish driver Kimi Raikkonen will start his 349th and final race on Sunday but he says he "wouldn't change a thing" and has no regrets about stepping away.

"F1 takes up a lot of time but it has never been the main thing for me," the 2007 world champion told AFP.

"My life has always been outside. There are other more important things for me than F1. Today my schedule affects my whole family so I am looking forward to the day I have nothing planned and can do what they want."

Raikkonen also admits that he has not always been the best listener over the course of his career as he forged his own path.

"I think I was given a lot of advice but didn't listen. I always felt you had to live your life in the best way for yourself and not for others.

"At work, if I had an option, I wouldn't do most of what I'm asked, but with your life, how you live yor life... you live it for yourself. If you try to live it as someone else wants, you might do it for a year or two but it will not end up very nicely.

"I'm happy I lived my way. Good or bad, I can live with it because it's my decisions.

"I wouldn't change a thing."