Ford, Citroen and FIA agreed to not homologate updated spec cars to save money.

Sure...

The Peugeot race suit with "Raikkonen" on it, is already being manufactured presumably?

Are you serious?! A Proton Satria S2000 close in performance to a Citroen C4 WRC? Kimi's going to put seconds over Heikki every kilometer, man. And that's if Heikki's doing the rally, as I thought the idea had been scrapped?



Now this is annoying. I want him in Le Mans this year!

Possibly one of the best pieces of news I have heard for quite a while.... However, I hope Kanks will not be used to save the current management of the WRC. There used to be a time when you did a job badly that you got fired... not when it comes to running a world championship it seems...

It will be very interesting to see what transpires...

Yes, Kimi to Le Mans!

I think the reason why Kimi to Le Mans through Peugeot is 'unlikely' is because he's a Red Bull driver. It might not be up to PSA whether he drives there, it's up to Red Bull. Even then the car to be used is in question, because Red Bull might have a link only with Citroen's WRC efforts, and not necessarily the rest of PSA/Peugeot.

Yep, sounds like it..

I was kidding. I was waiting for some rally fan to notice that.
The idea is still in the air.
Anyway, Kubica will definitely be in Rally Monte Carlo. He wasn't very impressive at Rallye du Var, but he can gain experience.

Kubi sure didn't want to come to Arctic Rally to meet Kimi.

Have read news since NY - still sounds like funeral, funny, but still funeral.

Did you see him play hockey in Switzerland? - I liked seeing him having fun. If this IS a funeral - he is the one enjoying it. As a fan I share his emotions.

Cannot wait till 28th of Jan, wish I was there to cheer him up!

Of course it is.

And preety much he is right.

All: can we please stick to Kimi and rallying in this thread, rather than reprise his time at Ferrari. Thanks very much.

In fact, I've read Kubica's interview where he said that he chatted a lot with Kimi about rally matters and how both of them would like to try rally.

The Monte is far more important than the Arctic Rally. I can see why Kubica would prefer to go there, if it was a choice. Besides, the Monte is more relevant for Renault in a marketing point of view.

@ you both, I said that as joke.

Has Kimi driven the car yet?

"Turun Sanomat 6.1 2010 20:47:44

Kimi Räikkönen's big WRC-adventure starts next week when the 30-year old Finnish driver pays a visit to Citroen's factory in France. Making the seat and the first trial with the Citroen C4 -shuttle built for Räikkönen is in the program.

Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström will drive their first rally with Citroen on January 28-30th in Rovaniemi when the duo participates as outsiders to the Arctic Lapland -rally. WRC-rally starts two weeks later in Sweden." posted earlier in the thread, with thanks to Wolfie.

Whether the "first trial" means a full test i'm not sure, but in any case its only 2 weeks tomorrow until the Arctic Lapland rally starts

I'm talking about rally career.

Kimi vs Who? Mr. Forest and Mr. Gravel? Can't remember any name. But yep, should be funny. For him.

Ken Block is the competitor to watch. Experienced rally racer, expert stuntman. Although the quality of american rally may be suspect for some, experience is experience. And, he wears a big hat, like Kimi.

To hell with this funeral thing, you'll get over it soon.


Anybody knows if in Arctic rally they have 2 days in the beginning of the weak to study the course?

ARCTIC LAPLAND RALLY 2010
PROGRAMME Wednesday 30.11.2009
Opening date for entries

Monday 18.1.2010
18.00 Closing date and time for entries

Friday 22.1.2010
Publication of the LIST OF ENTRIES and Rally Guide (www.arcticrally.fi)

Sunday 24.1.2010
14.00 Reconnaissance registration and collection of documents and material.
Rally H.Q, Hotel Rantasipi Pohjanhovi, Rovaniemi

Monday 25.1.2010
08.00 Opening date for reconnaissance

Thursday 28.1.2010
14.00 Opening time for Shakedown, Vennivaara (information in Rally Guide)
16.00 Start of scrutineering Rovaniemen Ammatillinen Aikuiskoulutuskeskus, Jänkätie 1, Rovaniemi
17.00 Ends of Reconnaissance registration and collection of documents and material.
18.00 Ends of reconnaissance
20.00 Ends of scrutineering
Closing time for shakedown
The first stewards’ meeting

Friday 29.1.2010
10.00 Pre-rally press conference, Hotel Rantasipi Pohjanhovi
11.00 Publication of start list for leg 1, Rally H.Q, Hotel Rantasipi Pohjanhovi
12.00 Start of the rally, Lordi square, Rovaniemi city center
14.26 Service A Mäntyvaara Trotting-track
19.05 Service B Mäntyvaara Trotting-track
19.48 Service C Mäntyvaara Trotting-track
20.53 Finish of the leg 1, Sampo Shopping center (Parc Fermé).
24.00 Publication of start list for leg 2, Rally H.Q, Hotel Rantasipi Pohjanhovi

Saturday 30.1.2010
08.00 Start of the leg 2, Sampo Shopping center (Parc Fermé)
8.15 Service D Mäntyvaara Trotting-track
12.14 Service E Mäntyvaara Trotting-track
16.43 Finish of the rally and prize giving, Lordi square, Rovaniemi city center
19.30 Publication of the provisional final classification



http://www.arcticrally.fi/english/arcticlaplandrally.html

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80847

Raikkonen completes first Citroen test







Woo! Go Kimi!

Bigger versions of those 5 photos at: http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/ralli/uutiset.s...2010/01/1033253

why so small?

Citroën! Red Bull! Where are the videos?

Don't tell me you didn't have a video camera there... not going to believe you


Citroën! Red Bull! Kimi!

I had berlingo for some time. Hated this car. But kimi makes it likeable;)

A Reminder:


http://forums.autosport.com/index.php?act=...mp;f=2&id=3

Finally Kimi gets a chance to test the car, his new helmet looks nice, and it seems like he has gotten a haircut.

Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GO Kimi !!!

If I ever had doubts wether Kimi can adjust to a rally driver or not, I think those will be shortly gone. The driving talent he has, and he looks very focused and on the game in those pictures. You know, his eyes may remind someone of Senna ;)

Kimi looks great.. He just has to drive well now..

Sorry, forgot to say - thanks a lot! ;)

I agree with that. As a sidenote, that was what Sergio Rinland also said. He was the chief designer for Sauber when Kimi was there.
Sergio Rinland: "I looked in his eyes and I thought 'I've seen this look before'. And I know where I saw that look before. And it gave me goosebumps when I remembered that look. It was Senna."

I guess Kimi still has it then Lets hope the "Senna look" also wields rally results

http://www.kimiraikkonen.com/

in development...

RED CHEEKS

Turun Sanomat 14.1 2010 19:30:09

F1-column 14.1.

During Ferrari's media happening in the Dolomites they work and keep the cheeks red while having fun in the snow in a less formal way than during the actual F1-season. At least the colour suits the Ferrari-theme well.

There was a lot of Spanish, Italian and Brazilian media, a few Brits and Germans - and one Finn.

The surprise was quite big when during the dinner on Wednesday Stefano Domenicali came to say hello and asked if I could write in Turun Sanomat that he is sure that Kimi Räikkönen will be fast also in the WRC-serie.

Domenicali told that he had called Räikkönen after his first Citroen-test and sensed his enthusiasm of this new challenge.

(Courtesy of Nicole)

Tommi Makkinen seems to want to manage Kimi to a world championship with the Super2000 car rule starting from next year, from this YLE article. At least, that's what I understand from google translate. Good to hear.

Wouldn't be surprised if Kimi had reception issues again

Man, Kimi looks evil on that website!

Kimi Räikkönen will have Dani Sordo as his team-mate in the Arctic Lapland Rally.

http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/ralli/uutiset.s...2010/01/1035103

Dani Sordo is Sébastien Loeb's team-mate in the Citroën Total World Rally Team but in this rally he will drive in the Citroën Junior Team.

I think Dani Sordo is the favourite to win the rally.



Kimi Räikkönen has apparently given his Fiat Abarth Grande Punto S2000 rally car to his brother Rami Räikkönen as a gift. The article says Kimi has given a rally car to his brother and proceeds to say that according to their information it is the Punto which Kimi used in the Rally Finland last Summer.

http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/ralli/uutiset.s...2010/01/1035051

The manager of the Arctic Lapland Rally has confirmed that Rami Räikkönen has spoken about taking part in the Arctic Lapland Rally. This would mean we would see both Kimi and Rami Räikkönen competing in the same rally even though with greatly different equipment.

Yeah, it appears that Dani Sordo will join Kimi in rally Arctic Lapland. Representing Citroen´s junior team...

Any ideas why the change to his programme?

Travelling because the team travels there anyway and takin´an opportunity to visit northern Finland?

To be a driver to compare how´s Kimi doing??

Naah, propably it is just cold smoked reindeer?? Maybe he favours it like I do??

Ideas?

Propably to practise driving on snow to score more points in WRC. It's good that Sordo comes, so that there is reasonable benchmark for Kimi!

To prepare for the Swedish rally they said.

Perhaps sarcasm is just not my thing...?

Yep, it is great that Sordo is out there also. But I could live with easier benchmark if it was my first WRC rally..

Moreover, there will be only two drivers in WRC class - Kimi and Dani.
Both having the same car.

I suspect not....

Most likely a test session for new parts on the works car for Sweden... Focus for Kimi is to therefore get used to the car he will use for the year...Sordo's focus will most likely be to test new parts, so their car's and focus will be different.

Kimi has to face the strongest opponents before too long anyway. Arctic rally is a good place to have the first measure, because it's the first time for Sordo there and not on the usual surface. I don't see sarcasm there Except that it's obviously not a holiday for Sordo.

Why should they test anything? They'll be driving last year's cars.