Kankkunen and Räikkönen: Rallying's religious icons

In Finland, rallying is more than just a sport or a pastime – it’s like a church. The incumbent head of the Finnish Order of Rallying is Juha Kankkunen, but there are others at the altar…

The annual meeting of the Order is this week, in Jyväskylä. It’s known as Rally Finland internationally, but it’s still known locally as the 1,000 Lakes Rally – in deference to the huge number of summer boating opportunitites, rather than a place Kankkunen might go for an afternoon stroll…

Rally Finland is the highlight of the nation’s sporting calendar. But this year it’s even more important – the new pretender to Kankkunen’s crown, Kimi Matias Räikkönen, is in town, and so is the great Juha himself.

Kankkunen hasn’t competed at world rallying’s highest level since 2002, but he’s setting his sights on finishing ahead of Räikkönen – a former Formula One world champion who is currently enjoying his switch to motorsport’s muddier side – and despite his absence from the sport, Kankkunen says the competitive edge remains.

'I want to finish ahead of Kimi – that’s my aim' – Juha Kankkunen

“You can talk about getting to the finish and being sensible all of the time,” he says, “but when you pull on the crash helmet and the lights turn to green, then you forget all of that and just drive as fast as you can. I won’t be the same speed as the boys, but I will be driving as fast as I can. And I want to finish ahead of Kimi – that’s my aim.”

In a career which, when he makes the start of Rally Finland this evening, has spanned five decades, Kankkunen has won four world titles and won his home round of the World Rally Championship three times. Kankkunen has seen and done it all when it comes to rallying. And, having tamed the 600bhp Group B rally beasts (like the epic ‘Martini’ Lancia Delta, pictured below left in Juha’s capable hands) that roamed the Finnish forests in the 1980s, a Ford Focus RS WRC with half that power is not going to scare him. And neither is Kimi Räikkönen.

“The power from the current car is nothing special,” said Kankkunen. “I am used to twice this power. But the current cars are very impressive when it comes to the suspension and the speed through the slower corners.”

As a precursor to his rally return, Kankkunen sat alongside Ford’s top gun and another fellow Finn, Mikko Hirvonen, last year’s Rally Finland winner, on Kankkunen’s favourite road.

“From the start, Mikko was good,” said Juha. “The jumps and fast corners at the start were nothing special. But when we came to the first tight junction, I thought, ‘He’s forgotten about this corner!’ It was very impressive, the speed we carried.”

Kankkunen will need to carry all that speed in his efforts to stave off Räikkönen. The ex-Ferrari man has lived up to his ‘Iceman’ moniker, despite Finland enduring its hottest spell in 80 years this week.

“I’ve heard what Juha has said,” pointed out the inscrutable Flying Finn. “But I’m not going to make any predictions. Let’s just see where we both are at the end…”

Source: RedBull

Finland: Räikkönen is looking forward to his fans

The Rally Finland is for the climax of the season, Kimi Räikkönen - with Dani Sordo, the Star a new teammate in the junior team

Superstar Kimi Raikkonen is the second time after 2009 to attend the rally in Finland. Last year, however, its use car landed in a ditch. This season, the Formula 1 world champion from 2007 has arrived in the rally world. New Citroen's Dani Sordo junior team after Sebastien Ogier has been promoted to the captaincy.

After the asphalt-trip in Bulgaria is in Finland back on gravel. Nor Raikkonen is struggling in the unfamiliar terrain, but he was able to complete prior to further test miles. "Thanks to a test drive on gravel again we could see our speed. These meters are essential for a rally such as Finland," says the "Iceman".

"The experience from last year will help me, but there is a big difference in performance between a Super 2000 and a WRC. It is as if one would go to another rally. I look forward much to the event. In Formula 1 I could never compete on home soil. I know that many fans will be in the service areas and along the special stages. For me it is the highlight of the season. "

The team of Raikkonen came in preparation for a restructuring. From Finland Sordo Citroën is the second control of the junior teams. Nogier Manager Benoit said: "The task of our team is to give young riders the opportunity to develop their skills at a high level. We have achieved this goal with Ogier," says Nogier the victory in Portugal. "We hope that carries on Dani on the same level and can show his abilities."

Sordo can change abgewinnen positive: "I now feel less pressure. I do not have to constantly have in mind that I earn points for the constructors' championship has. I can now concentrate on me to drive my own rally and deliver hope the best performance .

In addition, the 27-year-old meets familiar faces. "When I started in the WRC with the Xsara, were already some people from the junior team here. This is linked with nice memories and we were able to show good performance, which led to my work commitment. The team is very professional and it There is a pleasant atmosphere. All the ingredients are in place to ensure success. "

The team change was made just before one of the toughest rallies of the year. "Finland is very tricky because it is very fast, many local drivers are very good. But I love the rally," said Sordo. "The high speeds have for each driver, very exciting. We must through the woods and over the tops of risk. You have a good pace notes and very precise driving."

"I know that I belong to a good team. Now I must make the best of it. I will as always give everything," looking ahead of the 27-year-old. "In the last two years, I have narrowly missed the podium in fourth. I want to show my skills and set consistent times."

Source: Motorsport Total.com
Courtesy: luieluv