Kimi Raikkonen's Broken Leg Joke That Made Arrivabene Panic

There is one moment Maurizio Arrivabene will never forget during his time as Ferrari team principal. It wasn't about race strategy or the battle with Mercedes, but a prank from Kimi Raikkonen that nearly made him call Ferrari president Sergio Marchionne in the middle of the night.

The bond between Arrivabene and Raikkonen was always warm. Since they first met in 2007, when Arrivabene was handling Marlboro's communications, the two clicked instantly. “Kimi is different from others. He needs to understand first, then he talks,” Arrivabene recalled. Although there were occasional disagreements, the former Scuderia boss always admired how quickly Raikkonen could move past problems.

The story was first told by Arrivabene in 2016, during a Ferrari fan event. On stage, the two exchanged stories and laughter. Arrivabene recounted the night he almost had a heart attack because of the Iceman's mischief.

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“I was at home, in Maranello, it was late. You know that feeling when you just want to lie on the sofa and say, ‘Finally, the day is over.’ Then I got a message from Kimi with a picture. I thought, ‘At this hour?’ I opened it, and there he was with his leg in a cast. And one word, because he rarely talks. It said ‘shit’ with an exclamation mark. My arms dropped. I cursed, then I was about to call the president to report it. But before I hit the call button, my phone rang. Kimi called and said, ‘Ah, ah. It was a joke!’”

Raikkonen confirmed the prank. “Yes, it's true. I was working with a company that makes leg braces. I took a photo and sent it on purpose. I had fun,” he said casually. Arrivabene could only shake his head, “But I didn't!”

This prank is one of many proofs that behind his cold image, Raikkonen has a unique sense of humor. Moments like this also show that the bond between a driver and a team principal isn't always about seriousness and formality. Even though Raikkonen has now retired from Formula 1, memories like this remain alive in the paddock.