Sports Nicknames - The Ice Man, Old Dog, Old Cow

Kimi Raikkonen

Formula One is a brutal sport where the drivers have to be ruthless and aggressive as they compete to be the best. However, the sport has seen a few fairly calm-headed characters who have continued to retain their composure and hide their emotions, despite all that goes around. One name that comes to the mind instantly when we talk about calm-headed guys in formula 1 is Kimi Raikkonen. The Finnish driver competed in formula one for more than two decades and was famous for his quiet nature and poise. That's how he got his first nickname as well.



Start to the Career:

Kimi entered Formula One in 2001 as a regular driver for Sauber Petronas. In 2002, he joined McLaren-Mercedes and proved his mettle as he finished second to the all-time great Michael Schumacher in the 2003 Formula One Driver's Championship. In 2005, he once again finished second, but this time to Fernando Alonso. One of the reasons why he missed out on these two opportunities was that the cars he drove were not as reliable as the rest. Yet he remained fairly calm on all such dismal moments.


Nicknames:

The Ice Man:

Raikkonen was given the nickname "The Ice Man" by his McLaren team boss Ron Dennis. He worked closely with Raikkonen and never saw him lose his temper despite some distressing moments. Raikkonen always kept his emotions to himself and never allowed them to get to his head or influence his decision-making. Thus, he was a calm-headed driver who never showed any signs of panic under moments of great pressure and stress.

Moreover, Kimi was very precise and specific in his speech as well. Fans and media often found his remarks and statements catchy. This made him one of the most popular drivers in Formula One.

Later, when Kimi moved from McLaren to Ferrari, the nickname stayed with him. The Ice Man always remained ice cool and always seemed well in control of things. In the extravagant world of Formula One, the virtues of composure and poise are invaluable.

Old Dog:

In 2020, Kimi was competing in his 19th Formula One Season when a journalist asked him about an animal that he would have been, had he not been a human. Kimi Responded by Saying "Old Dog." The reason Kimi called himself an Old Dog was that he was over 40 and still going hard at the Formula One tracks.

Old Cow:

In the same interview, Kimi mentioned a special nickname that his kids had given him. Kimi shared that a friend had told his kids that Kimi was an "Old Cow." As a result, his kids began calling him the Old Cow, who still had hunger and utility. The nickname went viral over the internet.


World Championship:

The lack of reliable vehicles at McLaren forced a move to Ferrari in 2007. The move yielded instant results as Raikkonen won the 2007 Driver's Championship with Ferrari. This was Raikkonen's first and only Formula One Championship. Interestingly, Ferrari has not won a Championship since 2007 either. Thus, the Finnish driver was the last man to win a Formula 1 Championship for Ferrari.


Retirement:

The Ice Man finished his career with 21 GP Wins and 103 Podium Finishes. He retired at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix after a 20-season-long career that saw him become the only Formula One driver to win in V10, V8, and V6 turbo hybrid engine eras.

--

Click for more Sports Nicknames