Top Gear Producer Recalls 'Bollocking' Kimi Raikkonen Over Wet Laps

Former Top Gear executive producer Andy Wilman has revealed the story of the day he lost his temper and 'bollocked' 2007 Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen during a rain-soaked filming session for the show's iconic 'Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car' segment. The incident highlights the amusing clash between the famously stoic 'Iceman' and a determined TV producer trying to get a better lap time out of a Suzuki Liana.

Why it matters:

The anecdote offers a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the personality of one of F1's most beloved and enigmatic drivers. Raikkonen's no-nonsense, minimalist communication style became legendary, and this story perfectly encapsulates the challenges and humor of interacting with him outside the intense pressure of a race weekend. It also sheds light on how the popular Top Gear segment, which later featured nearly every major F1 star, was almost never intended for racing drivers at all.

The details:

• A Wet and Uninspired Session: Raikkonen appeared on the show during his comeback with Lotus. On a rainy day at the Dunsfold Aerodrome track, he completed a few laps in the Suzuki Liana but was unsatisfied with the conditions and retired to his motorhome, declaring he had done enough.
• The Confrontation: Wilman followed him into the warm motorhome, finding Raikkonen fully stretched out in a La-Z-Boy chair. Wilman pleaded that the track was drying and that his initial lap time "wasn't brilliant," insisting the F1 champion could go faster.
• Raikkonen's Reluctance: The Finn, with "hugely bad grace," got up to look out the window only to flatly disagree, stating, "No, it isn't" drying out. This prompted Wilman to lose his cool.
• The 'Bollocking': "I lost it with him a bit, and bollocked him, like, 'There’s so many people here waiting to see you make a comeback, and that’ll be on you if you don’t do something!'", Wilman recalled on the Midweek F1 podcast, immediately afterward thinking, "What have I done?"
• The Result: The tactic worked. Raikkonen eventually went back out, completed a couple more laps, and improved his time, clocking a 1:46.1 in the very wet conditions, which placed him 12th on the final F1 guest leaderboard for the Liana.

The big picture:

This incident was only possible because of a last-minute cancellation years earlier that changed the segment's format entirely. The original plan was to avoid motorsport guests, fearing they would be "boring" and would dominate the leaderboard. However, when scheduled guest Davina McCall canceled one morning, the desperate production team called 1996 World Champion Damon Hill, who lived nearby. The thunderous audience reception for Hill made the producers realize their mistake, with presenter Richard Hammond remarking, "At times, we are thick!" This happy accident opened the door for a who's who of F1, including Lewis Hamilton, Sebastian Vettel, and Daniel Ricciardo, to take on the challenge.

Between the lines:

The story is a classic example of Kimi Raikkonen being Kimi Raikkonen. His pragmatic, almost transactional approach—bad weather equals suboptimal laps equals not worth the effort—clashed with the entertainment needs of a television show. Wilman's frustration stemmed from knowing the incredible talent sitting in the chair was not being showcased, a sentiment shared by the waiting crew and fans. The fact that a simple, direct (if heated) appeal to Raikkonen's sense of duty to those fans ultimately worked speaks volumes about the driver's character beneath the icy exterior.