Showdown in Lapland - Nico vs. Keke in a Family Duel

Source: nicorosbergtv

Cold ride to Robertson

29.1.2010 22:46:53

Kimi Räikkönen’s manager Steve Robertson arrived from his home Dubai, which had 28 degrees of heat, to the arctic cold Lapland. He got a cold ride also from his protégé’s initial difficulties in Lapland-rally.

What did it feel like when you heard that Kimi had driven out?

- We have to remember that this is Kimi’s first day in his rally-career. When you go to an entirely new class – like from F1 to rally – everyone certainly understand better after this how different it is – from driving style onwards.

- Kimi knows how much work it is to understand notes and make them in the best way. It’s a map where he now navigates. He has all the experience from F1 but it doesn’t help when you must suddenly do notes to places which experienced drivers have gone through already thousands times. It is not easy when there is no baseline to compare with.

- Kimi is certainly a natural talent in every way but it takes its time that he starts to understand the rally-world completely. And it doesn’t help that he’s a F1 champion. That’s why he is all the time in the spotlight and he can’t hide anywhere when he’s trying to adapt to these challenges. Kimi needs time but let’s wait when he adjusts his own things. I’m certain that he will become super-competitive by the middle of the season and he is an entirely different Kimi than he is now, Robertson assured

But what if these kind of crashes happen again?

- Everything doesn’t always to according to plans. It’s not easy for Kimi, but the learning phase has to be gone through. But it’s certain that this kind of set-back does not make Kimi any less determined about the fact that he will become very competitive also in WRC-rally, Robertson concluded.

Source: Turun Sanomat
Courtesy: Leijona Planet-F1

THIS IS HOW ROVANIEMI's FROST BITES THE RALLY CARS

One of the concerns on Friday in Arctic Lapland -rally might be the freezing of breather pipes.

The breather is a pipe divisioning the pressure and it freezes easily.

The Arctic-rally will be held in -20 degrees. The breather pipes have to be clean in cold conditions so that dirt won't freeze in them because otherwise you are facing a retirement.

In cold temperatures also the oil in the suspension become stiff and the car is harder to drive than normally.

Freezing problems might not be a problem when driving flat out during stages but they can occur when driving in a slower pace to other places.

- Once the car is warmed up it also stays warm during cold temperatures because everything is in movement and the catalysts and turbos bring heat, the experienced co-driver Jarmo Lehtinen tells MTV3.

- You need some cooling during stages because the engine is too hot. Then when you move from a stage to another you have to cover up the grids so that the engine doesn't freeze, Lehtinen continues.

Rally-drivers don't need any extra heating inside the car because the floor is so hot but they have to get the moist out of the car.

- A big problem in the winter is the windows fogging up. You have to have windshields that you can heat up and all your heating devices have to be in order so that the moist doesn't stay inside the car. Otherwise it won't go well because you can't see anything, Lehtinen knows.

Source: MTV3 – Jani Merimaa, Rovaniemi
Courtesy: Nicole