Kimi's Column: MORE THAN ENOUGH OF CHALLENGES

Kimi Jordan Rally preview in Finnish

Okay, so I went to drive a NASCAR-test. It was completely super awesome. That serie is a completely different world and everything is new for us who are used to drive elsewhere. It's interesting and challenging to go there.

But now we are driving rally again. It is after all 'our thing' at the moment.

Jordan is one of the most trickiest gravel rallies. We were here last year so we have some kind of understanding over what we can expect this weekend. So far being in the same rally for the second time has helped us and it's 100% sure that we have an advantage of it in Jordan too.

I have a pleasant image from Portugal's gravel. Once we recovered from *** No swearing *** up the setups - the whole front of the car was too high - the car felt good in the final games.

It's going to be exciting to see how it goes now. This rally is as challenging as challenging can be. The roads are hard gravel and loose sand. The weather is quite warm too. You don't seem to find any focusing points from the terrain. Fortunately I have learned to make and understand notes better and better all the time. They are really important in this rally.

They have warfare going on nearby but it's peaceful in Jordan. We all wish that the rally could be pulled through without any incidents.

Our goal is once again to get through the route without making any bad blunders. Last time we came in 8th in Jordan. They were our first points.

We are now going there to see if we can improve our position. It's going to be a tough twist since the group is so even at this point.

Source: KIMIRAIKKONEN.COM

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen has the 6th position forked

Kimi Räikkönen was 8th in Sweden's rally, in Portugal he was 7th and now in Jordan after the first day the Finnish driver is impressively 6th.

Räikkönen's first day in Jordan went without any bigger problems. Kimi snatched a valuable scalp on Friday-afternoon when he left the experienced Matthew Wilson behind him by driving and came in 6th in the result sheet.

Räikkönen improved significantly his times in the afternoon when they took the stages for the second time.

– There wasn't any more effort than it was in the morning but the driving was better. In the afternoon we drove one crossroad long and lost a bit of time. But otherwise it went a lot better, Räikkönen said.

A year ago Räikkönen was 8th in Jordan and hence he achieved his career's first WRC-points.

Turun Sanomat, Kuollutmeri

TONI HEINONEN

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen returned back to rally

Kimi about the shakedown:

– It went quite well - at least in the beginning. Of course it's going to be a little difficult in the beginning because I haven't got to drive for some time, Räikkönen thought.

– The car feels just the same as it felt before. There's no difference, Räikkönen stated shortly in his own way.

Ford's and Citroen's drivers from the main team got to try out Michelin's new tyre that shouldn't break as easily as it has broken in the previous rallies. Räikkönen got finally to test the new rubbers in shakedown.

– I didn't notice any difference in the tyres. There are lots of stones on the road but so far no tyres have broken. Hopefully the difference to the last tyres is big, Räikkönen said.

– They haven't made any changes to the car because of the new tyres. I suppose they don't have to do that either, he continued.

– This year there will be less tactics because the race is only two days long. I'm second on the road on Friday so I have to put the foot to the pedal immediately so that I won't lose too much when thinking of the second day, Loeb planned.

– It was difficult to make the notes because the rented car felt like a truck, Loeb said.

Turun Sanomat, Dead Sea

TONI HEINONEN

Courtesy: Nicole

JORDAN RALLY WRC 2011 - PREVIEW KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN

All three crews – Petter Solberg/ Chris Patterson (Petter Solberg World Rally Team), Kimi Räikkönen/Kaj Lindström (Ice 1 Racing) and Peter van Merksteijn Jr./Eddy Chevailllier (Van Merksteijn Motorsport) – have different objectives but they share the same goal of wanting to make the most of the DS3 WRC’s strengths on the shores of the Dead Sea

Three weeks after the Rally of Portugal, the FIA World Rally Championship is striking out into new territory. As the Head of Citroën Racing Technologies Benoit Nogier points out:

“The calendar and the logistical constraints surrounding the journey to the Middle East have forced a fairly frantic pace upon us since we finished the Rally of Portugal. As soon as our DS3 WRCs got back to the factory, we stripped them down straight away in order to leave for Jordan in time.”

The tight schedule meant that there was no possibility to organise a test to prepare for the rally.

“We would have liked to have tested the new tyres that we will use in Jordan,” added Nogier. “Like the factory teams, we will benefit from an evolution of the Michelin Latitude Cross tyres, which have been designed to be stronger. This means that the shakedown will be vital for us in terms of gathering information. The drivers will need to adapt themselves very quickly to these new developments.”

Petter Solberg (Petter Solberg World Rally Team) has finished the first three events of this year in the points, but he has felt frustrated by not being as far up the order as he would have liked.

The Norwegian is hoping to turn the tide in Jordan and fight for his 14th victory at World Championship level. The 2003 World Champion, who has been the best performer since the start of the year thanks to 16 fastest stage times over the three rounds held so far, was on the podium in Jordan last year.

Petter, currently fifth in the World Championship rankings, will at least benefit from an advantageous road position on the first day.

Kimi Räikkönen (Ice 1 Racing) is taking part in the Jordan Rally for the second consecutive time. In 2010, the Finn scored his very first World Rally Championship points there after a mistake-free rally. This year, the Ice 1 Racing driver is going to try to get close to the fastest times again over the rapid desert stages. His first gravel rally driving the Citroën DS3 WRC ended up with an encouraging seventh overall in Portugal, so Kimi is now hoping to move gradually closer to the top five on merit.

Peter van Merksteijn Jr (Van Merksteijn Motorsport) got to know the team during his first rally with Citroën in Portugal, and his aim in Jordan is to continue his steep learning curve with the DS3 WRC.

On terrain that is totally different to the Algarve and brand new for the young Dutchman, he will have to avoid several deceptive hazards in order to continue building up vital knowledge. Once more he is able to rely upon the experience of his co-driver, Eddy Chevailler, to help him make progress on the demanding stages of the Jordan Rally.

Source: Red Bull Rallye

Kimi Jordan review in Finnish: THROUGH THE TOUGHEST WAY

If I were to use hockey-language then a monkey fell off my back when I crossed the finish line in Jordan rally. We finally did get there and it was cool that we opened our bag of points at the same time.

In icehockey Teemu and the gang say that the monkey is falling from the neck when they make a goal after a long time. Now I know myself what it feels like and also the relief after squeezing for a long time and getting the result you want, in this case getting to the finish line.

Kaitsu and I had good feelings on Saturday when we finished the rally without any own mistakes. It's the first step until we can set other goals.

Jordan was a hot place. But it was a surprise in itself that during the stages it was even 'cool' inside the car. The air changes well and while driving you don't even notice the heat. The sweat was flooding - but mainly only after the stages.

We drove my toughest rally and the longest SS that I have ever taken with a rallycar. 41,5 km twice. It was beforehand a stage where you were thinking 'does it ever stop'. But after the stage the feeling in the end was 'did it already stop'! Great stage!

This is a great job and when we reached this result you start of course waiting for better in the future. You really can't work on this alone. Kaitsu has taken care of the jobs with a 10. Thanks to him I have got so quickly into the rally-business. We both had good feelings when our third WRC-rally with this car fell into place like this.

The bosses looked like they were really satisfied with this race.

The car is strong. It's a winning car. I felt the whole weekend that I'm more and more used to the surface. I wait with a 10 to see how the next gravel rally goes. I'm sure that Jordan is a cool place but we have such a tight schedule during our trips that we don't have time to go to museums. But at least I had time to float in the Dead Sea. Quite an interesting experience. We left home right after the race.

Now it's a little rest and training. Next week we will go to Turkey and put a new worm to the hook again.

Courtesy: Nicole KROF

Kimi's co-driver: The man has done his home work

Kaj Lindström, co-driver of Kimi Räikkönen who finished in the points in Jordan Rally, thinks that the Citroen duo took giant leaps ahead during the weekend.

Lindströn told MTV3 that by getting to the finish line Räikkönen gained his most important experiences as a rally driver so far.

- The first goal has been achieved: a clean run to the finish line. Really important kilometres in terms of experience. The conditions were totally different than in any of the tests, said Lindström.

- During the race we fixed 6-7 turns in the notes so the man has done his home work pretty well. We're also starting to find a good set-up for the car.

The WRC series continues after two weeks in Turkey's Istanbul.

-We don't yet know what the roads are like there because it's a new rally. The grip should be a bit better there and it should suit Kimi better, said Lindström.

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Dracaena

Kimi onboard SS6 Rally Jordan

Source: YouTube @Anelise30

A good start for Ogier and Räikkönen in Jordan

The Citroën Junior Team is second at the end of the opening day of the Jordan Rally, thanks to the C4 WRC of Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia. Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström also overcame the first day’s challenges to end up in the top 10 overall.

The opening day’s action was the shortest of the entire rally with 95.70 competitive kilometres, and it provided competitors on the Jordan Rally with a good taste of what was to follow. But no driver was aiming to open up a gap, and neither did anybody want to inherit first place overnight because of the ‘road sweeper’ role that it would entail for day two.

From the first few kilometres, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia adopted a careful pace. “Maybe I was a bit too careful on the second stage,” said Ogier, who is currently third overall in the World Rally Championship standings. “Nobody is going at their hardest. There’s nothing to win today; it’s just a question of avoiding all the various traps and finding a good position for the rest of the rally.”

Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström continued their learning curve on roads that were particularly challenging, aiming to accumulate more experience in the car. “The start of the day was quite interesting but we are still here,” said Kimi. “We hit a rock and had a half spin. On a rally that is so specialised, it’s really important to cover all the stages.”

During midday service, the Citroën Junior Team changed the settings on the C4 WRC driven by the Finnish crew to make it easier to drive on the rock-strewn surface. “We saw how important it was to have experience on these roads” added Kimi. “ It was better in the afternoon and our times improved. Now we have to carry on like this over the next couple of days.”

Sébastien Ogier was fourth after the opening special stage and he held onto the place right up to the start of the final stage. The Frenchman finished the test without slowing down – unlike several other drivers – and inherited second place overall. “Our aim was to stay in front of Sebastien Loeb this evening,” he said. “We didn’t take many risks and everybody was just watching everyone else. Tomorrow, we’re going to do everything we can to stay at the front.”

Citroën Junior Team manager Benoit Nogier concluded : “Our goal was to maintain the form we showed in Mexico. Sébastien is continuing at his pace while keeping a comfortable safety margin. Tonight he’s second, not so far behind Latvala and just in front of Loeb. We didn’t operate any particular strategy. Kimi’s objective is to finish the rally without making mistakes. It’s important for him to gain experience. The Jordan Rally is a tricky event and our feeling for it is just beginning to come now. We simply need time. At the end of the first day, I’m very happy.”

Souce: RallyBuzz

RÄIKKÖNEN FOUND SOME SELF-CONFIDENCE

Kimi Räikkönen, who is competing in Citroen's junior team, is 10th and almost four minutes behind the lead after the opening day of the WRC rally in Jordan.

In the special stages he was at best 8th.

- In the morning we hit a rock once and that battered the steering a little bit and then we spinned once. At the day's service brake we adjusted the chassis a little bit because in the afternoon we got to drive on roads which were clean of small rocks. In the afternoon we had good grip and then the driving was easy and I found self-confidence for it.

- Friday's special stages ar a bit easier than the ones we drove now but making it to the finish line is still the only goal.

Janne Tuohino drove out on special stage 4. The car got stuck in a river and Tuohino and his co-driver Markku Tuohino went to collect it after Thursday's spesial stages.

On Friday the the race continues with six special stages, the toughest of which is the 41,45 km long Jordan River which is driven twice. There will most likely be tactics on Friday's last special stage since the ones driving for victory will surely not want to be first on the road on Saturday.

Source: Iltasanomat
Courtesy: Dracaena

Jordan Rally stage guides - Thursday

In contrast to most rounds of the World Championship, the Jordan Rally gets underway early, with a full day of competition on Thursday, when drivers would usually be tackling the pre-event Shakedown.

Day one in Jordan starts at 1100hrs, when the first car will drive over the start ramp amid the spectacular Roman ruins of Jerash. Ahead lie 95.70 competitive kilometres arranged over seven special stages.

In the morning, crews will tackle a loop of four consecutive stages in the countryside north of the Dead Sea Service Park, before heading back there for a 30-minute service. In the afternoon crews will repeat three of the stages before a 45-minute end of day service.

Here are our wrc.com stage notes for Thursday's stages. Under the summaries you'll find our list of essential website links to help you follow the rally via our live results service.

SS1: Rumman Forest. 15.34km
The start in Jerash has brought the picturesque northern forest stage of Rumman into play, and it’s the only new stage of this year's rally. Rumman (Arabic for pomegranate) is completely different to the other stages of the event, because it runs through a lush pine forest. It starts off with a downhill section on a chalk road which is covered in a fine dust for the first five kilometres. Soon after it levels off to become narrow and twisty as it snakes between the trees. Between 5km and 9km the gravel gets deeper, but the tight and technical character remains right until the end. In places this stage looks like one from Rally Cyprus.

SS2/SS5: Wadi Shueib. 8.65km
Run in the opposite direction in 2008, the event’s shortest stage runs along the side of a valley and will present a tough mental and physical challenge to the drivers as they pass through sea level towards the lowest point on earth. It’s not a place to make a mistake either, because almost the whole section has a steep drop on the right-hand side. There's lots of gravel pretty much everywhere, so the first cars will have a good deal of sweeping to do. The stage begins with a steep uphill section, and then follows the contours of the hillside before dropping down into the valley for the finish.

SS3/SS6: Mahes. 20.44km
This is the second longest stage of the rally and has some very big drops by the roadside in places. It starts tight and twisty with a steep climb along a high ridge with lots of gravel on the hard-packed surface. The narrow road snakes along the side of the hill with a big drop on the right. After about 4km it drops downhill, with lots of tight, cambered corners until it reaches the bottom of the valley at the midpoint. From there on it’s an undulating piece of road that is open and quick along the top of a ridge line. Sometimes it’s uphill, sometimes downhill but there’s always lots of gravel so it could be slippery. The stage ends alongside a huge dam.

SS4/SS7: Mount Nebo - 11.09km
A location famed by Biblical stories where Moses looked out over the Holy Land. It is now the location of an ancient church which attracts 100,000 visitors annually. The stage starts twisty and fast with a short downhill sequence of hairpins before crossing a concrete bridge with a harsh compression. From there it gets faster, with good grip and lots of good cuts to help the cars stay on the road at speed. There are a couple of blind crests at 2.4km and 4.6km. From 7km there’s a tight twisty downhill section and a lot more gravel on the road and some big rocks on the outside of the corners. There’s a quarry nearby and a lot of sand has been carried onto the stage. From the 7km point to the end the road is fast and scary - the road runs along the side of a hill with a big drop into a gorge on the right-hand side. It’s flowing and fast all the way to the end.

Source: WRC