Kimi Raikkonen Swaps His Job Hat And Becomes A Firefighter For A Day

Kimi Räikkönen switched the roaring engines of a Formula One (F1) car for the blaring sirens of a fire truck with Mohd Uzair bin Abdullah - a veteran with Malaysia’s Fire and Rescue Department - in a unique Shell V-Power Job Swap ahead of the Malaysian Grand Prix which takes place later today.

Through the Shell V-Power Job Swap, Kimi ‘The Ice Man’ Raikkonen had the unique opportunity to become a fireman for a day. Warming up for the race in Sepang, the F1 ace took the wheel of an 18-tonne fire truck at a specially constructed track in Senawang, Malaysia earlier in the week.

Kimi, who normally races at speeds of up to 300km/h, faced a test slightly off his usual track. His Job Swap included manoeuvring the 8.5metre fire truck around a custom-built obstacle course, a target practice with the fire hose, and finishing with placing the fire ladder. Kimi was able to learn about the preparation and skills required by firemen to help them save lives.

With protection at the core of his job, Uzair who has rescued over 100 people and extinguished more than 450 fires, had the opportunity to feel the adrenaline rush of an F1 racer. Kimi took Uzair on a range of test laps and precision driving exercises, before handing over the wheel to Uzair.

Kimi added, “Whilst I never thought our jobs had any similarities, today I have learnt that protection and performance are important in both of our worlds.”