Axl Rose was recently interviewed by the Finnish broadcast ahead of the 2023 Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, where the singer talked about the F1 racer he asked to sign an autograph.
The interviewer initially told the rocker:
“It’s known that you’re an F1 fan and especially a Kimi Räikkönen fan.”
Rose replied, confirming her:
“Ah yes, absolutely!”
Rose And Räikkönen’s Interaction
The host continued, sharing a story she had heard:
“I heard a story that Kimi came to ask you for an autograph, but you said no, you wanted to have his autograph… why Kimi?”
The GNR frontman clarified his relationship with the driver:
“I’ve just been a fan of his for a while, you know, always watching back in the day, so… we get along really well.”
Rose’s Excitement And Predictions For The Race
When the host then asked how much he was enjoying Formula 1 in Las Vegas, Axl responded by saying:
“It’s really exciting and really wild, everything they’ve put into making this happen.”
A follow-up question noted:
“What do you think is going to happen in the race?”
The singer didn’t want to comment as he said:
“Don’t know! I’m looking forward to a very exciting race.”
The History Of Räikkönen And Rose’s Friendship
Räikkönen, who was thanked by Rose in his band’s ‘Chinese Democracy’ album, acknowledged their friendship dating back to his time with McLaren Mercedes. When questioned about the reason behind Rose’s gratitude, Kimi responded back in 2009:
“I don’t really know, you should ask him that! But we do know each other very well; we have met several times through the years. The first time we met was years ago, at one of the F1 races I competed in. Afterwards, he came to Finland once, and we met again. I wouldn’t say I have the heart of a rock fan, but I do like his music.”
Besides Axl, Rod Stewart, U2, Thirty Seconds To Mars, and Journey, as well as celebrities like LeBron James, Brad Pitt, Shaquille O’Neal, Rihanna, Heidi Klum, Gordon Ramsey, Justin Bieber, Paris Hilton, and Mickey Rourke, attended the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Las Vegas.
They watched the 192-mile race, which Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing won. Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc and Red Bull’s Sergio Pérez came in second and third. Räikkönen left Formula 1 in 2021.
You can watch the interview below.
