This weekend Kimi Räikkönen will drive only his second tarmac rally in WRC. It raises the expectations when this surface is more familiar to the track-driver than snow and gravel is.
Would it help if all WRC-rallies would be on tarmac?
– I don't know. This rally is a completely different thing than the rally in Bulgaria. It was new for everybody. Here those others have been pushing these stages for many years and it gives them a huge advantage. But of course it's easier for me when we drive on tarmac.
– Tarmac is an easier surface because I immediately get a betten hang of it. Of course you learn that when you have drove on tracks all your life but even if this is rally it has nothing to do with driving on the track. It's just easier to get the feeling, Räikkönen told Turun Sanomat.
The speciality of Germany Rally is the 48 km long stage on concrete.
– We broke three tyres there when we made notes but they were civilian car tyres. In rally there won't be that kind of danger because the tyres are so hard. It isn't bumpy but it's really slippery so you can't afford to make any mistakes there because the concrete 'things' are so close.
Sebastien Loeb is the king of tarmac rallies.
– He drives well. He has been track-racing and is a Le Mans -driver. Loeb was fast on tarmac right from the beginning at it took time for him to learn to be fast on snow and gravel too, Räikkönen reminded.
Source: Turun Sanomat
Courtesy: Nicole
