A Farranfore woman is such a fan of Formula One that she flew halfway around the world to see her hero race for the very last time.

Finish legend Kimi Räikkönen, the 2007 World Drivers' Champion, retired from Grand Prix Racing after Sunday’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

North Carolina-based Karen McCarthy has followed the Finn’s 20 year career in the World Championship.

The enigmatic Räikkönen started F1 racing in 2001 with the Sauber team. He has raced for the world’s best teams, including McLaren and two stints with Ferrari, the first between 2007 and 2009 when he won the world title for the famed Italian team.

He earned a cult following for his lack of interest in post event press conferences which often resulted in hilarious one liner responses while his radio conversations with his team chiefs were littered with expletives and a 'leave me alone’ attitude.

Karen and her husband Richard Hull have attended 60 of his record-breaking 349 Formula One races all over the world.

They even followed him on his 2010 farewell tour, after which he raced in other forms of motorsport, before making a dramatic u-turn and returning to Formula One in 2012 with Lotus.

“Hard to put the last few days in words. So grateful to have been able to be here, but also completely heartbroken having to say goodbye to Kimi,” she said.

“I could never have imagined when I became a fan of his 20 years ago that it would shape my life the way it has or that I would have attended 17% of his 349 F1 starts. What an adventure it’s been. He’ll always be my hero.”

Karen and Richard run a motorsport electronics firm in Charlotte, North Carolina. Despite the long-haul flight from the USA to Abu Dhabi the pair were determined not to miss Räikkönen’s final race. They got more than they bargained for as the 2021 world title was decided in controversial and dramatic circumstances between Max Verstappen, who took his first World Championship, and seven time champion Lewis Hamilton.

“I am so grateful for all the life-long friends we’ve made along the way, but I’m mostly grateful for my very understanding and patient husband. In our 15 years together, I’ve dragged him to F1 races for pretty much all of our holidays. Now Rich finally gets to take a break from F1 as well,” she added.

“We are still digesting the whole weekend to be honest! So lucky to have been able to be there. The atmosphere on Sunday was just incredible. Not the result we wanted, or the way the championship should have been won, but can’t deny that Max deserved it. Both of them did - they were both just on another level this year.”