F1 Throwback: When Kimi Raikkonen Crashed on the LAST Lap From the Lead to Break Everyone’s Hearts

During his lengthy tenure in Formula One, Kimi Raikkonen has seen his fair share of close calls over the years. On example is the 2003 season, where he lost the title to Michael Schumacher by a mere two points. However, the 2005 European Grand Prix to the close call to a whole new level, as he lost the race on the final lap and nearly gave Jenson Button a heart attack.

The race at the Nurburgring bore witness to a dramatic finish as Raikkonen spun out of the lead owing to a suspension failure. To make matters more difficult, the Renault of Fernando Alonso was rapidly catching him and his tyres were fading. Truthfully, that race was Raikkonen’s to lose, as he had led for a while, despite Alonso having fresher tyres.

Unfortunately, the Finn made a mistake whilst lapping the Sauber of Jacques Villeneuve. Kimi Raikkonen had an enormous lock-up and flat-spotted his front-right tyre, which had completed half-distance.

Under normal circumstances, he would have dived int the pit lane for a fresh set of rubber. The bad news was that in 2005, drivers were not allowed to change tyres so Kimi had to grin and bear it for the rest of the race.

Admittedly, it didn’t affect his lap times too badly initially, but the problems began as the laps dwindled steadily and Alonso was looming closer and closer.

Disaster and heartbreak for Kimi Raikkonen

Heading into the final lap, just 1.5 seconds separated the McLaren and the Renault, and everything was set up for a last lap showdown. Unfortunately, fans were denied the last gasp battle, as the tyre vibrations became so severe that the suspension tore, itself apart, sending Kimi spinning out of the race. As he careened toward the barrier, he just about managed to avoid pile-driving into an unsuspecting Jenson Button in the BAR Honda.