Top Gear Producer Recalls Bollocking Kimi Raikkonen Over Lackluster Lap

A former Top Gear producer has revealed the day he "bollocked" Kimi Raikkonen for not putting in enough effort during his appearance on the BBC show. Andy Wilman, speaking on a podcast, described confronting the famously nonchalant 2007 F1 champion after he delivered underwhelming laps in the show's reasonably priced car on a wet day and then tried to call it quits early.

Why it matters:

The anecdote perfectly encapsulates the clash between meticulous TV production and Kimi Raikkonen's iconic, no-nonsense personality. It highlights the behind-the-scenes pressures of creating entertaining content, even with global superstars who famously operate on their own terms. For fans, it's a rare glimpse into a moment when the "Iceman" met a producer who refused to take "no" for an answer.

The details:

The incident occurred around 2012 when Raikkonen was celebrating his F1 return with Lotus. Scheduled to set a lap time at Dunsfold Aerodrome, the Finnish driver was unimpressive in the wet conditions.

• Producer Andy Wilman checked with the timer, who confirmed Raikkonen's times were "not great."
• Raikkonen, deciding he had done enough, retreated to his motorhome.
• Wilman found him fully stretched out in a recliner. When told the track was drying and he could go faster, Raikkonen simply replied, "No, I can't."
• After Raikkonen begrudgingly looked out the window and claimed it wasn't drying, Wilman snapped. He admitted to "losing it" and giving the driver a telling-off, reminding him of the fans waiting to see his comeback and placing the responsibility on him.
• The confrontation worked. Raikkonen got up, completed a couple more laps, and improved his time.

Between the lines:

This story is less about a producer's anger and more a testament to Raikkonen's unwavering character. His reluctance wasn't born of malice but of a pragmatic, almost stoic, assessment of the situation: it was wet, the car was slow, and more effort seemed pointless. Wilman's outburst, by his own admission, was born from the pressure to deliver good television for the show's massive audience. The resolution—Raikkonen complying but only after a direct challenge—is a classic Kimi moment, showcasing that he responds to bluntness with bluntness.