Räikkönen: WRC remains my main focus

Former Formula One title winner Kimi Raikkonen says his first commitment remains to the World Rally Championship ahead of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut in Charlotte on 20 May

Räikkönen is in his second season in the WRC, driving a Citroën DS3 WRC for the Ice 1 Racing team. He says he feels his pace is improving all the time - which is why he won’t be distracted by taking part in the oval-based racing series in the United States.

“I wouldn’t be doing any of the racing if it clashed with anything which I’m doing in the WRC,” said the 31-year-old. “The races have been picked because they fit around the rallies I’m doing. It doesn’t matter where I am when I’m not on the rallies. The driving has been better and we’re pushing harder now. My only target really is to improve in the WRC.”

Räikkönen just missed out on equaling his best ever WRC result on the Jordan Rally last month, dropping from fifth to sixth when a puncture cost him time late in the event.

The Finn has impressed mightily on his first NASCAR tests, with superstar American racer and team owner Kyle Busch commenting: “He’s right there, he knows what he’s doing. Kimi is a race driver, so he knows how to drive race cars and drive them well.”

Busch is among America’s most successful NASCAR racers, but Räikkönen, who drove for the Citroën Junior Team last season, matched his pace at a recent test in North Carolina.

“I got into the truck and ran some lap times to see how I compared to where he was on tyres and stuff,” said Busch, “and we ran identical lap times.”

Räikkönen’s next WRC outing is on the Acropolis Rally of Greece, which runs from 16-19 June.

Source: WRC
Courtesy: Sleenster

Whitmarsh: "People do not realize how smart is Kimi"

Martin Whitmarsh maintains Kimi Raikkonen for extremely underestimated and explains how close this really the year at McLaren comeback by scraping

Kimi Räikkönen had in Formula 1 is always a reputation as a thoroughbred racer. For legend Stirling Moss was the Finn even the fastest man in the premier class. But there are critics who have long-standing McLaren drivers hold for simple and it has no technical skills let alone the potential to be a team to lead attest.

Wrongly, as McLaren team boss and Räikkönen connoisseur Martin Whitmarsh over says 'Motor Sport': "I'm Kimi fan and have it never made a secret I think it is a underrated drivers - underrated in the sense that everyone knows. how incredibly fast it is, but I think people do not realize is how smart he and how good the technical feedback, is that he can deliver a team. "

The Briton believes that Räikkönen in F1 has not fully exploited its potential: "He has a World Cup win, but I think he would have achieved more. " Whitmarsh makes no secret of the fact that he protege in the previous year to McLaren retrieve wanted many years his: "There was the year before serious negotiations, which were opened by me always. I got it I received and was very much interested I am. Personally agree with Kimi well-come and it would have been an interesting challenge to get him back. "

But what the big comeback with McLaren failed? "Our negotiations were very advanced," said Whitmarsh. "Ultimately he has not come back because I suddenly realized that Jenson could be available. I have made him an offer and Jenson has accepted this challenge, surprisingly. I am very happy about it."

Source: Motorsport-total
Courtesy: luieluv

What if Räikkönen replaces Kubica?

Would not be the Finn an excellent solution to overcome the absence of Robert Kubica?

Nick Heidfeld, Pedro de la Rosa, Vitantonio Liuzzi, Romain Grosjean or Bruno Senna ... The candidates to replace the injured Robert Kubica are numerous. What if at the end his name were Kimi Räikkönen?

Even if he’s just to begin a second season in the World Rally Championship in a Citroën WRC DS3 with his team ICE1 Racing, the Finn could be a serious candidate. According to Olivier Quesnel, the ex-driver of the Scuderia Ferrari must get a very appealing offer to encourage him to come back.

"If he wants to leave, I would not be able to say anything because he is a client” told RMC Sports’ Olivier Quesnel, the boss of Citroën Racing. “He rented us a car and is racing with his sponsors. He does what he wants. I suppose there may be considerable pressure from Bernie Ecclestone, the FIA and the entire environment of F1 who wish to see him back because he keeps being a landmark driver for the sport.” He also added, "If Kimi Räikkönen is receiving phone calls, they would have to be very convincing to get him back to F1.”

Tomorrow will be a decisive day. The shakedown of Rally of Sweden takes place on Thursday. It is still possible for Räikkönen, if Lotus Renault GP asks him, to join them at the Jerez circuit in Spain, where from Thursday the second round of the pre-season tests will take place. More information tomorrow, live from Karlstad.

Source: Autohebdo
Courtesy: Mar

Still no decision about Raikkonen's F1 future

Kimi Raikkonen has once again refused to shed any light on his plans for 2011.

It is expected that the 2007 world champion intends to stay at least another year in the world rally championship.

But Citroen recently announced that Sebastien Loeb and Sebastien Ogier are staying put, without mentioning the future of Finn Raikkonen, who has also been linked with a return to Formula One.

When asked on Thursday ahead of the Finnish rally if there is any news about his plans, the 30-year-old answered: "No, not yet. We have some decisions to make and I haven't done that yet.

"I can honestly say that I do not know," he added in a separate interview.

FIA president Jean Todt told Turun Sanomat newspaper that he respects Raikkonen's decision last year to move to rallying.

"When he wanted a new challenge, it was very courageous to pick rally. But F1 is a constant pressure so I can understand why Kimi wanted to do something else," said the Frenchman.

"What I can say is that if the reigning champion Jenson Button, or whoever wins this year's title should go to rallying, he would not be at the same level of Kimi in their first season," added Todt.
Both Raikkonen and Todt refused to comment on the Ferrari team orders scandal.

"I'm not in Formula One, so I don't care what's happening there," said the Finn.

And Todt added: "We will deal with it in due course, but I don't want to talk about F1 now."

Source: Motorsport
Courtesy:_TaniaS_

WRC 2010: Räikkönen gets ready for the Rally Bulgaria

The Citroen driver, Kimi Raikkonen, has not so far had a brilliant first participation in the World Rally Championship. However, everyone is aware that the Finn class would have no choice but to test for asphalt. Now almost reaching a few followed, with the Rally two weeks in Bulgaria and Spain in October, Kimi is doing a sort of preseason road.

The world waits to see the debut of the F1 World Champion in 2007 on asphalt, although it is to see the Bulgarian road conditions because this is the first edition of the race in the Balkan country. The reports speak of bad roads with asphalt torn or old, but it is clear that not look like much to a circuit, it is also clear that the Finnish worth much more about this area.

On the other hand, it seems that Sébastien Loeb is determined to make the road any way contrary to its partner brands. Because of his age, it seems quite clear that it has closed the road to F1, so this weekend has participated in the French GT3 Championship. The Frenchman was at the wheel of an F430 GT Pro team and it looks like, but this year decided not to participate in the Le Mans 24 H , could not say no to an offer to Maranello for World Cup resistance.

Source: auto-car-shop
Courtesy: luieluv

TURKEY! NEW HORIZON FOR KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN - PLUS 3 QUESTIONS...

Just 10 days after the finish of the Jordan Rally, the Citroën Junior Team goes to Turkey for the fourth round of the FIA World Rally Championship, and Red Bull backed Kimi Räikkönen/Kaj Lindström will drive his Citroën C4 WRC on this new event based close to Istanbul.

A few days after the Jordan Rally, the Citroën Junior Team embarks on one of the three brand new events scheduled for the 2010 season. Prior to Bulgaria and Alsace, the team will contest the all-new Rally Turkey, based in Pendik on the outskirts of Istanbul. The event will take place on two continents with a start ceremony outside the Hagia Sophia mosque and stages on the Asian side of the Bosphorus River.

In total, 12% of the 358.84 kilometres scheduled will be on asphalt. During the second day, the 18.17- kilometre Göçbeyli stage (SS10 and SS14) will feature 13.49 kilometres of asphalt. The final section of Bozhane (SS12 and SS16) is on asphalt as well, and parts of the Riva and Ballica stages are also run partly on sealed surfaces.

Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström scored their first WRC points in Jordan by finishing eighth overall. “It was important to get to the finish of this particularly difficult event,” said the former Grand Prix champion. “It was only my eighth-ever rally, but also the most difficult one I have seen so far.”

In Turkey, the Finnish crew will face another totally new route and surface. “I’ve no real idea of what to expect from the stages in Turkey. We’re going to need to do a lot of work during the recce in order to start off the rally well. Our goal is to be at the finish again, and to gradually reduce the gap to the other WRC drivers.”

Three questions to… Kimi Räikkönen

You scored your first points in the World Championship in Jordan. Is this a first objective achieved this season?

“My only aim on my third WRC event with the C4 was just to reach the finish in Jordan. We saw particularly difficult road conditions with very specialised stages, which were extremely slippery and had very few reference points. The first day was definitely the hardest one I have ever contested throughout my short career in rallying. So I was really pleased to get through all these hazards and not to make any big mistakes. We weren’t particularly quick but this is just a phase we have to go through in order to make progress.”

How do you see your progress at the wheel of the Citroen C4 WRC?

The terrain in Jordan was very difficult to Mexico. Over in Mexico, I felt quite confident. So I decided to push a little bit harder and then I went off. In Jordan, we decided to stay at a safe pace in order to be sure of getting to the finish. But I learn more about the Citroën C4 WRC and how to drive it with every kilometre. At the end of each stage, I have the feeling that I’ve learned a bit more. I’m beginning to feel more comfortable, and perhaps most importantly of all, I’m really enjoying myself in the WRC!”

These kilometers in Jordan they allow you to address the Rally of Turkey with more confidence?

“Once more, we’re going to be discovering a very different environment in Turkey. The experience is coming to us step by step, but each rally is new. Once more, the goal is to be there at the finish. We’ll see where we are at after the start of the rally and if we get the chance, we will try to reduce the gap to the leaders a bit.”

Source: Red Bull Rallye

TOP 10 - Kimi's legendary quotes

The world's most followed Finn Kimi Räikkönen was one of the most controversy drivers in the F1-circus because of his short and often witty comments. Among them are many humouristic and sarcastic comments. MTV3.fi made a compilation of Kimi's best cracks in the form of a TOP10-list.

Räikkönen has said many times that F1 would be a paradise without the media. You can easily understand this when reading the comments below. Maybe there is going to be a minor change in the rally world but it's useless to expect him to go wild.

Kimi's sarcastic side didn't necessarily open up to the media in F1.

When reporters asked what advice he gives to rookies Nico Rosberg and Scott Speed, Kimi said the following:
- I hope they are good in giving way.

Sometimes Kimi was so fed up with the same repetitive questions that he had a way to get out of those situations.

”What do you think is going to happen in the race tomorrow?" Kimi was asked in the press conference.
- What do you think is going to happen? Kimi threw back.

A similar thing happened after Monza qualification in 2008.

”Kimi, are you satisfied with the result?”
Do you think I am?

Sometimes Kimi was simply fed up with the reporters and their questions.

After Hockenheim qualification he was asked: How did the tyres feel like?

- There they are rolling, Kimi replied.

Why add anything more to that?

Räikkönen has told the media many, many times that he isn't interested in other drivers' blunders or thoughts. He has said a few sentences about F1-legend Michael Schumacherista though.

- I'm not interested in what people think about me. I am not Michael Schumacher, Kimi said when reporters asked for his reply to the critic he got for things happening off-track.

About Schumacher's role in Ferrari he said the following

- Well he isn't going to come to tell anything to us drivers. And I for one don't need his advice.

The world's most known Finn knew what to expect after he won the WDC in 2007. The media hunted him more than ever before.

- They have thrown a lot of s*hit on me but I guess I'll get even more of it now, Kimi said.

I guess Kimi didn't realise back then how right he was.

When there was a sea of reporters at Sauber's presentation event Kimi was exposed to millions of questions. Even back then Kimi preferred to keep most of the noise in his own stomach.

"The helmet has a special meaning for most drivers. How important is the helmet to you?"

- It protects my head, Kimi nailed it.

"Do you have any special rituals like most have when it comes to the helmet? Do you for example wipe the visor at the last moment?" a German reporterd asked without giving up.

- I wipe it so that I can see better, Räikkönen continued dedicated to his own style. You get what you ask for.

Kimi didn't seem to mind much about the spy-saga in McLaren. At least that's the impression one gets from MTV3's interview.

"What do you think the atmosphere in McLaren is at this point" Saari asked.

- Fu*cking good I bet, Kimi said with a sparkle in his eye.

Kimi's and other drivers comments differ like night and day.Lewis Hamilton was happy for his first GP-victory and said it felt better than sex. This is how Kimi replied when a reporter asked for his opinion on the matter.

- Maybe he has never had sex, Kimi wondered.

Yay Kimi, it's best to put things in the right order.

One of his most legendary comments came when asked about our beloved country. To be specific he was asked how we relax in Finland?

- Well, in summer we fish and f*uck in Finland. In winter... fishing is difficult.

If that quote didn't increase the tourism in Finland then what?

Martin Brundle reminded Kimi that he missed Schumacher's ceremony where Pele himself gave the German a trophy. Räikkönen cracked in a live interview about his whereabouts when Brundle asked him where he was.:

”I was having a s*hit.”

Brundle tried his best to correct the situation but the damage was already done.

Source: MTV3

Courtesy: Nicole and Kriss Planet-F1