Could this F1 champion’s son be a future Ferrari driver?

Kimi Raikkonen and Sebastian Vettel at the Bahrain GP in 2015 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Could this F1 champion’s son be a future Ferrari driver?

One F1 champion's son is on the rise

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Friday 9 January 2026 21:57

The son of an F1 champion has been tipped by David Coulthard to one day race in Formula 1.

Since leaving the sport at the end of the 2021 season, 2007 world champion Kimi Raikkonen has kept a low profile, although made a public appearance at the 2025 Italian Grand Prix which he attended with his family - including son Robin Raikkonen.

Robin's karting achievements have gradually gained attention – a natural consequence being the son of an F1 world champion – and have been publicised on social media via his @aceraikkonen Instagram account, where the 10-year-old has been pictured on the podium at karting events in Wohlen and Jesolo.

Article continues under video

Raikkonen Jr has already competed across the globe, notably against karting drivers significantly older than him at the Bira Circuit International Pattaya in Thailand, where he started P2, but got pushed wide and instead finished in eighth.

The youngster is clearly having a lot of fun karting, and could be seen in a recent social media post drifting on a frozen lake in Finland, enjoying the winter break.

During a recent appearance on The Red Flags podcast, former F1 star Coulthard was asked to rank the sport's champions, and when he contemplated Raikkonen's career he also touched on the potential of his son Robin.

“[Kimi was] just a great talent, just a super fast, natural talent, so respect to that," Coulthard said.

“And his son is coming up through the ranks and karting, so I would not be surprised to see Kimi back, reluctantly, in the paddock, because probably his son will be in Formula 1."

Robin Raikkonen: A future F1 star?

Coulthard also revealed that the Raikkonen family moved to Italy, the home of motorsport giants and Kimi's former team Ferrari.

“I saw him [Kimi] in Monza this year, he turned up with the family and he’s moved to Italy," Coulthard explained.

"He’s basically living there, so his son is at the track all the time…to really guide them through you need to be on track all of the time, which is financially not viable for the majority of people, right?”

Speaking in an interview with F1 at Monza in 2024, Raikkonen also provided insight into his son's karting career, and said: "We moved to Italy, I’ve been a mechanic for Robin [as he settles into karting], Rianna is doing gymnastics, and we have a small one [Grace], so a busy family life! But it’s been great.”

When asked about Robin's karting, he added: "Ah, he’s enjoying. Everything is going nicely. We’ll see. If something comes or not, who knows? But he’s having fun – that’s the main thing.”

Comparisons to his father will be only natural throughout young Robin's career, particularly when it comes to racing for a certain team in red.

Raikkonen remains Ferrari's most recent world drivers' champion, winning the title during his first season with the Scuderia in 2007, but was fired from the team in 2009.

In 2014, however, Raikkonen returned to Maranello alongside Fernando Alonso, but would only go on to win one more race with the team at the 2018 United States Grand Prix.

Prophesising a Ferrari future for a 10-year-old in karts does feel rather premature; but the youngster certainly knows all the right people and is competing in all the right places to ascend the F1 feeder series ladder.

F1 Ferrari David Coulthard Kimi Raikkonen