Raikkonen takes on team boss role for works Kawasaki MXGP team!

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Kimi Raikkonen's leisurely retirement from motorsport is already over, with the former F1 driver announced as the surprise new team principal for Kawasaki's works MXGP motocross team.

A self-professed fan of motocross who owns several bikes and rides in his spare time, Raikkonen will helm Kawasaki's factory efforts in motocross' premiere championship organized by the FIM.

"It’s no secret that, for me, one of my great passions in life for many years has been motocross," said the Iceman who retired from F1 last month after 349 Grand Prix starts.

"But this team is not what you might call a hobby; it’s very serious, very focused and we aspire to be the best we possibly can."

Read also: Raikkonen happy to leave F1's 'fake things and bullshit' behind

While Raikkonen has been named as team principal for Kawasaki Team Green, the day to day running of the MXGP outfit will be handled by fellow Finn Antti Pyrhonen.

"Now that I have retired from racing I will be able to spend more time on this project," added the 2007 F1 world champion. "Not on the daily issues but more from a strategic point of view using my experience of how teams work and what creates success on the world stage."

2015 MXGP World Champion Romain Febvre and Briton Ben Watson will be the team's riders this year.

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.