From world champion and F1-star into rally rookie - there you have the biggest crossover of the year.”He doesn't give extra comments" says Marcus Grönholm.
The myth around Räikkönen tells that he is a lazy party-boy who doesn't spit in the glass, is media-shy and far from a sunbeam in PR-events.
In Rally Sweden the F1-star copied Greta Garbo's style in an almost spooky way and he put his cap over his eyes over and over again when the photographers were crowding around his car.
You can almost talk about a nightmare situation for the international media.
While other drivers were eating sandwiches, drinking coffee and chatting with the media Räikkönen chose to hide in his car, talk on the phone and dismiss the media completely.
And because his door stayed closed Kaj Lindström had to take the 'media-punches' outside the car.
Marcus Grönholm:
– Kimi is smart when he runs away from the reporters, says Marcus Grönholm.
– To be honest all there is to it is that a name that big has started to drive rally. It's only positive although he steals the attention from others.
But Räikkönen is incredibly media-shy?
– Yeah, he is a bit media-shy. He is a great guy who doesn't want to talk with the media, Grönholm told Sportbladet.
Do you know Kimi?
– Yeah, a bit. We sat on Sågen's terrasse last summer drinking beer. He is really okay. Privately when he is in the gang he is really open and in fact really talkative.
Oh, so we have to offer him beer so that he would talk to us?
Grönholm laughs.
When Sportsbladet got a moment with Kimi in the chaotic battlefield of reporters, Räikkönen revealed that he might stay in rally permanently.
Kaj Lindström:
– The bloke knows how to drive rally and he is a great talent. The challenge is not driving the car, it's learning to trust blindly in my notes and drive according to them.
In spite of his hiding from the media Kimi Räikkönen has with his own starshine exploded into WRC.
Not because of his positions but he is the hottest driver in rally at the moment.
Source: Sportbladet
Courtesy: Nicole Planet-F1
