Kimi Räikkönen to Sit Out Italian Grand Prix Due to COVID-19

There will be no return to Formula 1 at the Italian Grand Prix held in the Autodromo Nazionale Monza for Kimi Räikkönen as the COVID-19 infection continues to force the Finn to sit out another Grand Prix weekend.

Räikkönen, who became a very popular driver in Italy after he claimed the 2007 Driver’s Championship title as a Scuderia Ferrari driver, will not get a last chance to race in a Grand Prix weekend at Monza ahead of his planned retirement at the end of the season.

Räikkönen’s team Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN confirmed that the Finn is still in quarantine ahead of this weekend’s competition in Italy. Räikkönen tested positive for COVID-19 before the Dutch Grand Prix last week and he went home after the positive test result. The same reason keeps him away for another race and he will be replaced again by the reserve driver Robert Kubica.

” Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN can confirm that reserve driver, Robert Kubica, will continue to deputise for Kimi Räikkönen at this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix,” said a statement from Alfa Romeo. “Kimi missed last week’s race in Zandvoort after testing positive to Covid-19 and has not yet been cleared for a return to racing.

“As per health authority requirements, he is still isolating in his home. Robert, who performed admirably in the Netherlands after stepping in at short notice before FP3, will return to the car alongside Antonio Giovinazzi.”

At Zandvoort, Kubica ran his first F1 race since the end of 2019. Where he finished fifteenth and after the Italian Grand Prix, there are eight races of the 2021 Formula 1 season remaining.

Credit: Florent Gooden / DPPI