Veikkaaja magazine: The training continues

From Veikkaaja magazine (paper edition)

By Janne Aittoniemi

This season will show if Kimi Räikkönen still has any real chances of rising up to the top in rally. The change of WRC-cars will help Räikkönen but how much?

"Short right 2 and left 2 and left 4 right 6" Kaj Lindström had time to say before it crashed.

"Are you okay? How the fuck did it hit the edge?" Räikkönen wondered a moment later.

It was an embarrasing crash in Catalynia Rally's super stage in October. The Citroen that started falling from the inside ditch went in such a bad shape that the duo weren't able to start the rally at all.

I'm sure Kimi Räikkönen doesn't want the membership card to the Roof Club this season. Last season he made big driver mistakes and many of them were in the same class as blunders in the junior class. He drove out in easy and slow-paced places. Räikkönen's small experience in rally became clearly visible.

"In rally mistakes come easily. They are part of this sport. Let's hope that this second season will be a bit easier and we can improve in every department", Lindström says.

Räikkönen who founded a racing team called ICE1RACING is continuing his career in the wonderous world of rally and nothing bad with that. He doesn't miss back to F1 although he drove a Ferrari 16 months ago and made more money in F1 than any other driver has ever made.

There is still attraction in Räikkönen's persona although he has put himself in a situation where he has to rent a car from Citroen in order to be able to continue rallying on top level. No other team or sponsor will pay Räikkönen millions anymore but he is still a star driver everywhere he is known.

"Kimi's value to the WRC-serie is spectacular. He has brought the serie really much more publicity", WRC-rally commission's chairman Jarmo Mahonen reminds.

Yet old F1-merits won't carry Kimi further anymore. He can improve his situation in WRC only by driving.

"I believe that Kimi will rise closer to the top this year. If he doesn't then Kimi has some soul searching to do", Mahonen says.

The new kind of WRC-cars could in fact carry Räikkönen closer to the top. At least in theory the difference between Räikkönen and the lead should grow smaller due to the new cars, because Loeb, Hirvonen and many others had immensly more experience of the earlier WRC-cars.

Although the cars have changed, the same men from last year continue this year too. The new Dutch junior drivers Dennis Kuipers and Peter van Merksteijn should not pose any threat to Räikkönen. The Mini-men who come in the spring, Kris Meeke and Dani Sordo, are faster than Räikkönen but their car might be slow and unreliable at first. I'm sure Räikkönen can fight for the last points at least.

"It's pretty much the same gang as last year too. However Ford have some new drivers and I'm looking with interest at especially Mads Östbergs performances. He seems like a pretty fast guy", Lindström thinks.

Räikkönen and Lindström start this season without any goals for positions.

"It might be boring to say this again but I don't think we should put up any other goals than improving from last year. There's no reason to start building up pressure that there would be a certain position we would be trying to get from each rally", Lindström said.

Last year Räikkönen got his best position from Turkey where he came in 5th. There Räikkönen got to drive on smooth and natural roads which he likes really much. The curly stages clearly fits him much less.

Räikkönen gave flashes of his talents in for example Fredriksberg's stage in Sweden and Suwayma's stage in Jordania. Short stages on tarmac usually suited Räikkönen well. He set his only fastest stage time in Trier's city-stage in Germany but the other drivers were already taking it safe trying to secure their own position.

"We also got those clean performances after which we could say that this stage went just as it was supposed to go. I remember especially Fredriksberg's stage in Sweden. It was a very difficult stage and we will drive it this year too", Lindström tells.

"We often noticed with Kimi that a stage that was beforehand known as difficult went better than the easier stages. When the concentration stays on a good level in driving, Kimi's way to handle a car is good also on difficult stages."

It's great for Räikkönen's sake that he gets to work with the same engineers and mechanics from Citroen he worked with last year.

"We have the same package we had last year too. We get all the maintenance and service from Citroen the same way and the same dudes will circle around the car", Lindström tells.

"The latest information is that the race engineer will also be the same as last year and Benoit Nogier will continue to be our boss. As a matter of fact pretty much nothing changes except that we won't be racing under Citroen's Junior team, we race under our own team's name."

Taking away top technology from the cars might improve Kimi's chances.

"It could be a good thing for Kimi. We go a bit backwards technology-wise and go back to for example stick gears. However I have heard some rumours from Ford that the new cars would even be faster than the old cars", Lindström tells.

He also reminds that changing from Pirelli to Michelin is a big question mark.

"Nobody knows yet for certain how well Michelin's tyres endure in racing situations and how many punctures there will be. Let's hope that the thing doesn't turn into such that by driving in the middle of the road without a puncture you will get the best result."

Citroen has promised Räikkönen as many testing days as he has WRC-starts meaning 10-12. One testing day every now and then isn't quite enough. Räikkönen has achieved his current basic level mainly with his talent but from now on he gets upwards only by studying things hard and and training.

This was written just before Rally Sweden.

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen gets a Citroen for 10 WRC-rallies

Kimi Räikkönen's contract that has been fine-tuned for a long time with Citroen's brand new DS3 WRC-car in WRC was finally ready to be published on Monday.

– We can confirm that Kimi has agreed upon 10 WRC-rallies with Citroen. Kimi decided that he wants to continue in rally and he wanted to continue in the best car. Although the WRC-cars will change Citroen still seems to be in the best positions, Räikkönen's manager Steve Robertson told Turun Sanomat.

Kaj Lindström will continue as Räikkönen's co-driver. Mark Arnall will still take care of his fitness.

– Of course Kimi's learning in rally continues this year also but it's not as difficult as it was the first season. The car is now different for everybody and it gives a little leverage in addition to the experience Kimi has gained when compared to the top lead. Of course the difference to Sebastien Loeb and other experienced drivers is undisputable, Robertson thinks.

Peter van Merksteijn junior has also made a 10 rally deal with Citroen like Räikkönen but the French team will only get 3 new cars to Sweden.

This year the junior-team's car is completely identical with the factory team because the machinery is completely renewed.

Why does Räikkönen have a contract with 10 instead of 13 rallies?

– Because Kimi's rallying experience is so small it can be better to drive additional tests with the new car while the others race in the long distance races, Robertson justified - but he left the possibility that Räikkönen would in the end drive the whole serie.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström in Rally della Lanterna 2010 for N1

Translation:

The French Team chose the Rally della Lanterna to let also Kimi making experience on tarmac. The Finnish driver, even in a relaxed environment like the park assistance of Genova, didn't want to leave his pedestal. He refused any contact with the mass media and he was reluctant in signing autographs o in taking a picture with his fans, forgetting that many were there also and above all for him.

For sure a not-world champion's behaviour from him, something that the Citroen team should stigmatize. To speak about the performance of the Finnish driver in this WRC season we have interviewed Kaj Lindstrom: "He has a lot of potential in rally also, and I believe that in the races on tarmac he will do much better. Kimi has big spaces of improvement, he has made just tenth races so far, we can't forget he is still in an apprenticeship level. He doesn't make many mistakes, for sure racing on the gravel is a big new thing for him, he has to find the right braking point and how to manage the car. This is the difficult side. But also understanding the notes and being able to be always at 100% are things that take some time. I believe that in Bulgaria we can reduce a lot the gap from the best ones."

Source: N1(RaiDue) Courtesy: _TaniaS_

One more point in the WRC for Kimi

Kimi does the little ant

In Portugal another point has arrived for Kimi Raikkonen, who finished in the top ten for the third time in a row (considering that in New Zeland he didn't race).

This time there is an all in all dignified tenth place after a honest race: "Kimi improves a lot in the second run of the stages - explains his co-driver Kaj Lindstrom - and above all is growing race after race. The store of experience so far accumulated in driving on gravel gave him the opportunity to improve in his driving. He's enjoying, he likes rallies and he has a good approach."

Now Kimi is going to race the Rally della Lanterna in Italy (11-12th June), to make experience for the next WRC race, Bulgaria on 9-11th July, first race on tarmac of the Championship. "On tarmac Kimi should definitely go better - says Lindstrom - because it's his natural ground, that on which he has always raced."

Source: Autosprint
Courtesy: TaniaS

Kimi's co-driver: Ville Peltonen* wouldn't do well in figure skating either

Kimi Räikkönen and his co-driver Kaj Lindström knew that Rally Portugal would be a difficult race. That's what it also became since Räikkönen, who finished tenth, ended up losing over 11 and a half minutes to his team mate Sebastien Ogier who won the race.

-We knew that there are two difficult rallies on the first half of the season, Jordan and this one. We got a point but there were chances for better if it wasn't for the tyre puncture on Sunday. Even before the rally the only plan was to just finish the race and gather experience. In that sense it went as expected. We didn't have any bigger goals for this race anyway, says Lindström.

In Rally Turkey in mid April Räikkönen finished promisingly at fifth place. Lindström points out that Räikkönen benefitted from the fact that the race set in Istanbul was a new experience for all the teams and drivers. Portugal's special stages are demanding for an unexperienced driver anyway.

-There's slippery, slow and technical roads here and a lot is happening all the time. Listening to the pace notes and other things are emphasized even more in a race like this. More experience is needed, said Lindström.

At which point can we start expecting better results from Kimi?

-We have to remember how many rallies he's driven in his life. It's a bit like asking why Ville Peltonen doesn't win the world championship of figure skating during the first year. Kimi has very limited experience of rallying. Proper results cannot be expected this year. Kimi should be given the peace to get used to rally and if he decides to continue after this year, then we can start expecting those good positions, thinks Lindström.

Lindströn wasn't able to say whether the rally experiment is a several year project for the 2007 F1 world champion.

-It hasn't been discussed yet. At some point of the year he'll make a decision about continuing. Now we're only at the end of May and we're concentrating on driving rally, Lindström says.

Time to strike in Bulgaria?

The next WRC rally will be driven 9th -11th of July on Bulgarian asphalt roads. The race, which is in the WRC program for the first time, may be one of the best places for Räikkönen to show his speed.

-Bulgaria is again a new race for everybody and we go to an asphalt surface. One of the variables is then more familiar since Kimi has driven on asphalt all his live. There finding braking points and other things will be easier. It will be interesting to see how driving on asphalt will start going, Lindström says.

On the second weekend of June Räikkönen will try out asphalt roads in Lanterna Rally driven near Genova in Italy.

-It's just a practice race. The race is first and then we'll have our first asphalt test. We're just going there to see how a car like this feels on asphalt. We'll probably get ideas there about what to test and develop in the following week's asphalt test, Lindström tells.

*Ville Peltonen is a Finnish ice hockey player. Kaj's point is that if he suddenly started figure skating, we couldn't expect him to win anything during the first year.

Source: MTV3 – Lauri Ouvinen
Courtesy: Dracaena

Co-driver praised Räikkönen's skills

For Kimi Räikkönen fifth place in Turkey WRC-rally was a fantastic result. Räikkönen was behind Citroen's French-star Sebastien Loeb, who was the winner of the rally, by approximately 7 minutes. Co-driver Kaj Lindström praised Räikkönen's performance.

- A great performance from Kimi. Of course there can always be improvement but this result gives energy for Kimi for the coming challenges, Lindström said.

According to Lindström one could see in Turkey how close Kimi drives to the top drivers when everyone are forced to drive in roads they don't know beforehand. In most of the WRC-rallies Räikkönen has to learn stages while the more experienced drivers know the routes better.

- Turkey was a new race for everyone. Now we know where we are going. In the future we aim to narrow off the difference to the top. Bulgary might be the next good place for comparison because there the roads are new for everyone, Lindström pondered.

Lindström reminded that through experience rally-driver's driving rhythm improves. At the same time the driver learns to pay more accurately attention to the notes from the co-driver and the pace accelerates even more.

- Polishing the notes to the stage that you trust them 110 procent comes through experience.

According to Lindström, Kimi is dedicated to rally with certainty only for this year.

- I won't by any means decline cooperation if Kimi wants to continue in rally after this season too. But it is too early to think about that, we have not talked about this issue even with each other yet, Lindström said.

Source: YLE.Fi
Courtesy: Leijona

KIMI: WHAT IS FOR SURE IS THAT I LIKE CHALLENGES

Kimi Räikkönen's next WRC-rally is in Turkey

The rally is the 3rd rally on gravel in Räikkönen's career. Therefore the man hasn't got too much of experience. Fortunately Räikkönen has never feared challenges.

- I guess it's a good thing that I like challenges because there's a big challenge ahead of me again, Räikkönen talked.

- IMO Jordan's rally was the most difficult so far but I have no idea what it's like in Turkey.

- The number one goal is to finish the rally because it's a completely new race. But because I'm a competitive person I always want to drive as good as I can.

Kaj Lindström believes that Turkey will suit Kimi better

- I don't really know what we can expect but according to my information the stages are pretty fast and the roads are wide. I think they suit Kimi well, Lindström thinks.

- My only concern is the risk for rain. It's the same for everybody but rain would make the surface extremely slippery which wouldn't be that nice.

An even rally in Jordan made Räikkönen happy even though his pace suffered a bit.

- In Jordan we found a safe pace which isn't necessarily the most exciting thing in the world but at least we finished the rally and scored points, Räikkönen tells.

Source: Iltalehti - MTV3 - Courtesy: Nicole

KIMI'S SILENCE MIGHT HAVE COST HIS F1-CAREER

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