Politics & Power Quote by Kimi Raikkonen

Kimi Raikkonen praising “the American spirit of racing” lands with extra charge because he’s Raikkonen: famously allergic to sentimentality, a man whose brand is functional honesty and minimal emotional packaging. When someone that dry says “I just love,” it’s not a Hallmark moment; it’s a calibrated signal that something cut through his usual indifference.

On the surface, he’s complimenting a national style. Underneath, he’s contrasting racing cultures. European motorsport, especially F1, can feel like a closed court: legacy teams, polished PR, politics you can smell through the TV. “American spirit” implies something less precious and more participatory, where the point isn’t aristocratic perfection but showing up, mixing it up, and letting the contest be loud. The phrase “get involved with that” matters: it’s about immersion, not observation. He isn’t admiring a spectacle; he’s endorsing a vibe you can enter.

There’s also a pragmatic celebrity subtext: this is the kind of praise that travels well across sponsors, broadcasters, and fans. Yet it doesn’t read as fully scripted because of who’s delivering it and how clunky the wording is. Raikkonen’s repetition (“just”) and plain language make the line feel like an unfiltered reaction rather than a marketing slogan.

Contextually, it fits his late-career move toward American series and audiences: a veteran reintroducing himself in a culture that values hard racing and personality over pedigree. It’s less “America rules” than “this is racing without the velvet rope.”