Kimi Räikkönen Test Drives The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm He Helped Develop

Alfa Romeo Formula 1 driver Kimi Räikkönen was back behind the wheel of the brand’s road car he helped develop, the Giulia GTAm, to see if his work paid off.

The result, you won’t be surprised to hear, was a typically understated yes. Even when he’s selling his racing team’s road cars, Kimi is still the Iceman, after all.

“I really like it. We’re looking at a car that can be used on an everyday basis, but that can also be taken onto the track, one in which you can really enjoy yourself,” he said in a video released by Alfa Romeotoday.

The Giulia GTAm uses a tuned version of Alfa’s 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 to make 532 hp (540 PS/396 kW), while a carbon fiber hood, roof, front bumper, front wheel arches, rear-wheel arch inserts, and titanium exhaust all help lighten the car by 100 kg (220 lbs). The thing that most impressed Räikkönen, though, was the downforce.

“Of course, it’s better at high speeds in terms of balance,” said the former Formula 1 world champion. “It feels like I’m more loaded on the front to turn quicker. It’s fast, easy to drive, and handle.”

Of course, for someone who’s more used to a single-seat race car than a track day toy, the primary joy of the GTAm is its ability to also be used as a road car. “This is made for — we go out from here, we go to the beach, and then, okay, we come back and we’re going to do some laps. Let’s do it,” said Räikkönen.

Prices for the slightly less extreme Giulia GTA (in pictures below) start at €175,000 ($208,000 USD) in Italy, while the hardcore Giulia GTAm seen in the video above is priced from €180,000 ($214,000 USD).