Max Verstappen’s Monaco GP retirement sparks Kimi Raikkonen comparison

Max Verstappen’s early Monaco GP exit drew comparisons with Kimi Raikkonen’s iconic 2006 retirement

20 years separate these two moments, but following a disappointing 2026 Monaco Grand Prix for Max Verstappen, the Dutchman has been compared to the legendary Kimi Raikkonen.

In 2006, after his McLaren caught fire due to a heat shield failure at the Monte Carlo race, Raikkonen was watched by hundreds of thousands of people internationally as he waltzed away from the burning carcass of a car in full racing gear.

He was expected to return to his garage, but he was later seen in a hot tub where he relaxed with champagne and beer as the race continued in front of him.

Following today's race, Verstappen did the same thing. After his car struggled to even complete the first lap of the race in the principality, he left it in the garage and walked back to his boat. And the internet noticed immediately.

A fan account on X posted a side-by-side image of the two drivers: Raikkonen, shirtless and drink in hand, compared to Verstappen - barefoot on the teak deck of a boat. The post racked up over 108,000 views and 5300 likes within hours.

"Same level of aura. Hanging out in the yacht," one user wrote in response.

After qualifying P2 behind Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli, there was plenty of anticipation around what the Red Bull driver could do from the front row. After all, this was Verstappen's joint-best Saturday of the season. Unfortunately for the Milton Keynes outfit, this feeling was short-lived.

"I think already on the formation lap it wasn't particularly great," he said. "But then on the pre-start procedure the engine was already responding very weirdly. Normally, at one point, you find your RPM target, but the engine was basically not doing that. Then, when I dropped the clutch, it basically dropped dead. You only had the battery at one point helping me go forward, and yeah, after that the engine sounded really bad."

Verstappen barely moved from the grid when the lights were extinguished and just about managed to move to the side as the field stormed past up to Sainte Dévote. This was his second DNF of the season.

There are clear parallels with the Iceman. Verstappen is blunt, unbothered and comfortable in saying what he thinks. But the way he shrugged off what remained of the race was unmistakably Raikkonen in nature.

Meanwhile, Kimi Antonelli's record-breaking charge continued as he scored his fifth win in a row, unscathed by what was a penalty-ridden race.