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

Manager outlines Räikkönen’s racing plans

Kimi Räikkönen’s current racing agenda has been outlined to GPUpdate.net this week by the Finn’s long-term manager, Steve Robertson. The 18-time Grand Prix winner is currently contesting the World Rally Championship (WRC) with ICE 1 Racing and will continue to do so while embarking on his new NASCAR ambitions.

The ex-Sauber, McLaren and Ferrari Formula 1 driver signed a deal with Kyle Busch Motorsports earlier in April to compete in the NASCAR Truck Series and Robertson has explained that, if Räikkönen’s selected races prove enjoyable throughout the season, the 31-year-old could commit himself to the sport.

"He’s got a plan for this year, so he’s doing some races this year in the trucks and also the Nationwide cars," Robertson told GPUpdate.net.

"That’s happening very, very soon. Obviously he’s got a pretty heavy programme with WRC as well and he’s going to combine the both, which is not so easy to do, but that’s what he wants to do.

"But (his move to NASCAR is) with a view for possibly 2012 and 2013, but he wants to see if he enjoys it first before he makes a decision as to what he does."

Source: GPUpdate.net

Why happy Kimi continues to improve

While the thrilling finish to last week's Jordan Rally wrote headlines around the world, Kimi Räikkönen was delivering another solid performance at the wheel of his Ice 1 Racing Citroen DS3 WRC

For the third event in succession, Räikkönen scored championship points. While he might yet be some way from threatening the podium it was a notable achievement from a driver who could barely muster an error-free run during his debut season in 2010.

Kaj Lindström, who has co-driven Räikkönen since the ex-Formula One world champion took his first steps in rallying back in 2009, said increased experience - and confidence - is playing a huge part in the Ice Man’s upturn in form, rather than a change to his approach behind the wheel.

“It’s much better than last year because he’s finding the right way by finishing rallies without making mistakes,” said Lindstrom. “There’s no difference to what he’s doing. Rallying was a brand new experience for him when he started and there’s no short cut in this sport. It takes time to learn and after one year it’s getting easier for him.”

Lindström explained that Räikkönen is finally able to trust his pace notes, which was one of his main weaknesses last season.

“There won’t be any miracles from him just yet but his self-confidence is building because we’ve seen a big improvement in his pace notes,” said Lindstrom. “He is relying on them more and more and when that happens there are no big surprises for him on the stages.”

Asked whether Räikkönen was happy within the Citroën Racing empire, Lindström said: “The team took us in from the start and the second year is always easier in any relationship. You have to remember he had the option to go where he wanted. It’s his choice and he chose to stay with Citroën, which says it all. He’s happy and he’s definitely enjoying the WRC. He doesn’t have to drive but he does because he wants to be here. He’s very motivated.”

Source: WRC

Räikkönen faces challenges in NASCAR

Kimi Räikkönen ran over 200 laps in a test for Kyle Busch Motorsports at Gresham Motorsports Park on Monday.

KBM’s general manager Rick Ren said the test was a success.

“Things went very well today,” Ren said. “Very good driver feedback.”

Räikkönen, 31, is scheduled to make his NASCAR debut in the Camping World Truck Series at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 20. Charlotte was chosen due to the Finn’s current World Rally Championship schedule.

Ren says the decision for KBM to test at GMP was “data-based” since Busch had accumulated data from previous Truck tests at the half-mile track.

Ren believes the experience that Raikkonen has gathered racing in a variety of series “is not a bad thing” when it comes to making the transition to NASCAR.

“With him most recently coming from rally cars is probably a lot better than just coming over from Formula One cars to be able to adapt to what we do,“ Ren said. “I think the rally cars will be a plus for what we do.

“I’ve worked with new guys before, but it was when racing wasn‘t nearly as challenging. Back when I did it the playing field had a lot more have-nots than haves. There weren’t a lot of good teams. Now, the playing field is so even, it really puts a lot of it into the driver's hands. It will be a challenge, but every situation is challenging, you just have to go into it with an open mind. I think it’s a great avenue for Kyle Busch Motorsports to be involved with a guy that’s trying to get his career started here.

” During his nine seasons in Formula One, Räikkönen won the 2007 title and 18 races. He’ll become the sixth F1 racer to make the move to stock cars including fellow champion Jacques Villeneuve, Juan Pablo Montoya, Nelson Piquet Jr., Scott Speed and Narain Karthikeyan.

Richard “Slugger” Labbe worked with Villeneuve when he first attempted the move from open wheel to NASCAR. Labbe described the experience as “tough.”

“I remember the first test we went to with Jacques and he couldn’t find reverse,” Labbe said. “We had to back him up. It’s a challenge and whoever is going to be working with him will need a lot of patience. The hard part with Kimi is, with some of these tracks, where are you going to take him to test for Charlotte? We were forced to take JV to Chicago before he went to Vegas but it’s tough with the NASCAR’s new rules to try to find a place to test that’s comparable to Charlotte. That’s going to be the challenge.”

Former Truck champ Travis Kvapil is looking forward to competing against Räikkönen at Charlotte. Kvapil believes Räikkönen will be fine “once he gets some seat time” and familiarizes himself with the vehicle.

“Charlotte is a tough track, but in the Truck series you almost run wide open,“ Kvapil said. “It’s not like you come to Martinsville or Bristol for your first race.

“I was excited when Juan Pablo came to NASCAR. I’m a motorsports fan. I love Formula One and I was a Ferrari/Kimi Räikkönen fan, so to have the opportunity to compete against one of the world’s finest drivers will be pretty cool.”

Source: FoxSports
Courtesy: Sleenster

Kimi to combine WRC with NASCAR for 2011

The Kimi Räikkönen to NASCAR story is now no April Fool's joke. On Saturday Kyle Busch Motorsports, a Camping World Truck Series team announced that it had signed the 2007 Formula One World Champion to a limited schedule.

"I am really excited to have the opportunity to start my venture into NASCAR with Kyle Busch Motorsports," said Kimi in a statement issued by the team Saturday morning.

"Kyle is one of the best in NASCAR, and being able to draw on his knowledge will be a valuable asset as I make my transition to a new form of racing. He has put together an experienced team that builds fast race trucks.

"I look forward to being a part of a team that has proven to be a winner on and off the race track."

The 25-year old Busch, who also drives in all three of NASCARs top-level series, said: "We are honored that Kimi Räikkönen, a former Formula 1 World Drivers' Champion and proven winner, has chosen to start his career in NASCAR with Kyle Busch Motorsports."

"Adding one of the most talented drivers in the world is a continuation of building a team of proven winners and champions at KBM. I look forward to assisting in Kimi's transition to NASCAR as both an owner and teammate."

NASCAR previously announced that the Finnish driver was cleared to make his debut at the Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 20th and that has been confirmed in the press release. Räikkönen will test on Monday at Gresham Motorsports Park, a half-mile oval in Georgia.

"We're now going to get him some laps in a truck and see him in Charlotte," Busch said in a television interview just before qualifying in Martinsville on Saturday morning.

Source: KIMIRAIKKONEN.COM

Kimi's Column: TOUGHEST RALLY, NO BLUNDERS

Kimi Rally de Portugal review in Finnish

Just like we remembered to begin with, Portugal is a difficult rally. When the stages are difficult the challenges are spectacular. Yet we could drive for three days without blunders. It left us with good feelings and we got yet again more points.

Now we have two rallies from this season under our belt and we have kept the car on the road. In Portugal the consistency, somekind of evenness, was found. In that sense it's good to look ahead. When you can drive a rally like this cleanly, then you can little by little start to lift the pace too.

To begin with our setups were completely *** No swearing ***-up. The team made a small mistake and the car was pretty much in wrong setups. We discovered it on Friday and on Saturday we got immediately more trust in the driving when the car started working the way it should have worked after the tests.

From there on I got a good feeling to drive whereas on Friday we were completley in the blue thinking what was wrong with it. Oh well, it was the car.

On Friday the air disappeared hastily from the tyre. So we drove that stage with an empty ragged wheel to the finish line and lost time there. The rally as a whole was okay and the result was okay. I should have drove completely super in order to battle for a better position.

At least we learned more about the car again. The routine comes from feeling the car. Sometimes I'm completely satisfied with my driving, sometimes not. I have noticed one thing though, the more I drive rally, the less situations.

That's how it should be too, so that we can try and drive faster.

Source: KIMIRAIKKONEN.COM
Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi Räikkönen: The most versatile star in motorsport

The amount of vehicles Kimi Räikkönen has collected from several genres in motorsport is in it's own class. There's no doubt that we are talking about today's most versatile motorsport-man.

Räikkönen has raced in karting, with a Formula Ford, Formula Renault 2,0 -liter, Formula 1, WRC-rally car, motocross bike, snow sledge, jetski and soon also with top class NASCAR-cars starting with trucks.

I even heard that Räikkönen has sometimes asked if he could try stunt flying. He didn't get permission for that though...

Basically everything that has an engine interests Räikkönen. At home he has all possible vehicles - at some point there will also be room for the legend's American Legends-car.

Grabbing the NASCAR-challenge proves once again in it's own way the burning passion Räikkönen has to try new things. Usually when a Finnish star leaves the F1-tracks they cool down in for example DTM or Arctic rally. NASCAR-ovals are something that scares them right from the start.

Mika Salo drove in NASCAR-tests but it didn't open up a new career for him there. NASCAR is as popular to Americans as F1 is to Europeans - it's their royal class of motorsport.

Soon Räikkönen will become the Finnish pioneer of that serie too - and most obviously one of it's spectator-magnets.

The Columbian tv- and radio-reporter Diego Meija who I chatted with especially when Juan Pablo Montoya was driving as Räikkönen's team mate in McLaren, stopped by in Barcelona's F1-tests.

Mejia told that Montoya had already for some time compared his own NASCAR-switch to Räikkönen going into the rally world. The Columbian star said that they both had to start from zero because the new genres were so different than F1.

Based upon this Räikkönen has to learn the basics once again, just like he had to do when starting his rally career two years ago.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen goes to NASCAR

The world champion of Formula One and current rally star Kimi Raikkonen expands his field of experiences: The 31-year-old Finn is going to race in the most popular North American race series NASCAR

The spectacular NASCAR debut for Raikkonen will be already before the becoming summer. Kimi is going to carry on with WRC Rally, too. He has agreed to do eight more rallies this year.

With the world famous newcomer driver there will be also a brand new team to race in NASCAR level: ICE1 Racing. Raikkonen joins forces with Foster Gillett. He will be the major partner of the Finnish team.

Foster's family was the former majority owners of the Montreal Canadiens NHL franchise and the former co-owners of Liverpool football club.

Last year Foster Gillett was operating with Richard Petty Motorsport in NASCAR. Now he is about to break new ground with Raikkonen and ICE1 Racing.

American spirit inspires Raikkonen

– I’m really looking forward to get there to familiarize to the world of NASCAR. I have been following it for a long time. I know, it’s a very tough and open top racing series. I just love the American spirit of racing. It feels just great to get involved with that. Obviously, it will be very challenging and great fun for me, Raikkonen assures to Turun Sanomat.

As every rookie Raikkonen will start his NASCAR career with a race in World Camping Truck series. After that Kimi is going to Nationwide and will be adding the Sprint Cup series as well upon successful completion of the NASCAR approval process.

Most of the drivers are competing in all three main series.

The negotations for the car for ICE1 Racing team are just about to be finished. Raikkonen will race both in ovals and normal track circuits.

Räikkönen's program will include both oval- and normal track-races.

Räikkönen will decide upon his continuance based upon how well it goes for him in USA's elite serie.

Racing with Montoya again

NASCAR has hit the top of popularity almost without Formula One champions. The latest F1 champion involved with NASCAR was Jacques Villeneuve a couple of years ago. The local hero Mario Andretti had his spell in NASCAR, too.

With Raikkonen going to NASCAR there will be exciting meeting of two previous McLaren team mates. Juan Pablo Montoya was a thundering pair of Raikkonen in 2005 and 2006. Now the Columbian is one the few F1 stars who have made it to top of this highly challenging class of motor sports.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen promises to increase his speed next

Kimi Räikkönen has now drove this season's two rallies without making any bigger mistakes. In Sweden he was 8th and in Portugal he was 7th.

We didn't experience an afternoon flash like in Sweden - several stages in a row in top 5 - in Räikkönen's first rally on gravel.

– I'm kind of like a score-automaton, Räikkönen joked.

In Portugal Petter Solberg went past him on the powerstage with a bang.

– We knew he was coming since he was so close. We could have come totally super but we didn't take the risk, instead we came to the finish, Räikkönen said although he is always bugged when even one place is lost.

ICE1 Racing -team's Citroen came to Portugal with wrong setups. On Saturday the setups were right but they got the car to it's best only on Sunday. After the rally ended it would have been in the best stitch to start the race.

– At least we learned about the car when the setups weren't nearly what they should have been. I guess it's easier now to go to the next rally.

No surprising situations

Then what about the progress - do you feel that you took a step forward like in Sweden the second time?

– It didn't go exactly like that. This race was only driving. It made no sense to push too hard. Sure it went better when you really tried. We took it pretty peacefully almost all the time.

– When I have been driving more and got more experience those situations won't come up anymore. Next I have to try and drive faster now that the notes are kind of safe and listening to them has also improved. That way you won't run into those surprises, Räikkönen said.

If Rally Jordan is cancelled on Monday, then Räikkönen will participate in Rally Sardinia which wasn't in his preliminary schedule.

Has Räikkönen caught up with the top drivers?

– Still an ice-figure skater won't start making goals in hockey at once because the genres are so different. In rally you can count with both hands fingers the requirements you have to master 100% in order to get in the same speed as the top. Kimi has learned a lot of each of those but not enough. The fact that he has such a good speed with this short training is a sign of talent, Kaj Lindström said.

Turun Sanomat, Faro

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen bite the dust

Kimi Räikkönen came in 7th but suffered in time because of Armindo Araujo.

– We got stuck in the dust behind that Mini for about 8 km because he had a puncture or something else. We got the car better and my own driving got better too, Räikkönen coughed.

– It more cool to drive when the car feels normal. On Friday we *** No swearing *** up the setups and we had made some mistakes from the beginning.

What about the F1-race. Did you see the qualification in the morning?

– No, because I'm not there, Räikkönen said.

Turun Sanomat, Faro

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Q&A: Kimi Räikkönen

Kimi Räikkönen is on course for his second world championship points of 2011 after completing day two of Vodafone Rally de Portugal in seventh place overall

Wrc.com caught up with the Ice 1 Racing star and discovered why the former Formula One world champion feels more at home in the new-generation Citroen DS3 WRC.

You weren’t so happy with the handling of your car yesterday. What was the problem?
“There were some issues with the ride height of the car. It was driving wrong, not how I liked and it was a bit tricky yesterday. But at least today it has been okay and has done what I wanted it to do.”

Now that you’re happy with your car have you been able to up your pace?
“I’m just driving at my own pace, not taking any risks. I know I can improve [my speed] but I don’t want to do anything stupid.”

It’s your second year in the world championship. What are your main objectives for 2011?
“I am trying to improve all of the time and learn more and more to go fast more often. It’s more or less the same story as last year but of course we have more experience so it’s a bit more easy.”

How different is your Citroen DS3 to the C4 WRC you drove last season?
“It’s not so much different. Okay this is the first time for us on the gravel with this car after we did not go to Mexico. The car is smaller and has a normal gearbox but it doesn’t really change anything overall.”

Are there any aspects of the DS3 you particularly like?
“It’s more like what I did before with the Super 2000 car I drove [in 2009]. The gearshift is in a different place - it’s not the paddleshift - but it’s not a problem. It doesn’t make a lot of difference. When I started the rally in my FIAT it was like this so it is normal.”

What are your thoughts on the Portuguese stages?
“The country is nice but the stages are pretty tricky. It’s one of the most difficult rallies and you have to have really good pace notes. Today has been tricky but the roads are still nice. It’s more slippery today and also more difficult.”

And finally Kimi, how has day two been for you?
“We were behind a car on stage 11 for eight kilometres in the dust. This was not good but it was okay, no big issues today.”

Source: WRC

Video: Kimi Räikkönen Driver Profile WRC

Courtesy: F1ARAB

WRC Face to Face 2010 Book: Kimi Räikkönen

WRC Face to Face 2010 Book!

Courtesy: sleenster

Räikkönen: there is still more to learn

Kimi Räikkönen says he still has plenty to learn despite scoring points on Rally Sweden earlier this month

Räikkönen, the 2007 Formula One world champion, finished eighth on the world championship season-opener in his ICE 1 Racing Citroën DS3 WRC alongside co-driver Kaj Lindström.

The Finn has elected to skip next week’s Rally Guanajuato Mexico but will return to the WRC on Vodafone Rally de Portugal following a test on gravel, where he says the learning process will continue.

“Before [Sweden] we had only one day for testing so obviously there is much to learn,” the 31-year-old told his official website. “While the car felt good, still the race is the race and when you get very challenging and changeable weather it is difficult.

“Every time after the rally you feel you could have gone faster. But [the] most important feeling was this time [was] I have learned more and improved from last year. Sweden was a good start for the season. The next rally for us is Portugal. Before that we have a test. Now it’s time to start working to go well on gravel too.”

As well as adjusting to Citroen’s DS3, Räikkönen said he still had to make improvements to his pace notes.

“We still have to focus more on the pace notes,” said Räikkönen, who finished 10th in last season’s final WRC standings. “There were not that many places we had it wrong but there were some, we had to change before the second pass. If you get it wrong, it’s always very tricky to keep the car on the road. It’s challenging to work with pace notes that’s for sure.

“But it was great fun to get back racing again. We didn’t have any major problems and we seemed to get closer to the frontrunners. Actually it was pretty much an easy-going rally for us in very tricky circumstances.”

Source: WRC
Courtesy: momo

Kimi's Column: Closer to the front runners

Kimi's Swedish Rally review 2011

It was great fun to get back racing, again and it was nice to get grips with the new car.

The weekend was quite OK. We didn¹t have any major problems, actually it was pretty much an easy-going rally for us in very tricky circumstances.

We seem to get closer to the front runners. Still they go very quick, but comparing the stage times we are not that much behind anymore. Obviously, it¹s still a learning curve for me and we have still a lot of things to do.

We finished the rally and the result is ok. We got some good points for me and Kaj and we got some good points to our ICE1 RACING team, too. The team did good job. We are still learning from the car, but it¹s nice to drive. That's the main thing for now.

Before the first rally we had only one day for testing. While the car felt good, still the race is the race and when the you got very challenging and changeable weather, you have use some time to train in the first place.

I can tell you, it was quite difficult. We spun and then we had a puncture, which cost us some time. But after that everything went well. I felt relaxed, the driving itself felt easy and we got some good stage times without pushing too much.

It's nice feeling while you don't have to wipe off the sweat from your forehead and sigh huh-huh, we managed to get the special stage through. I'm quite satisfied how we went the whole rally. It felt very normal driving all the time.

Obviously, there is much to learn. Still I have to focus more on the pace notes. There were not that many places we had it wrong, but there were some, we had to change before going there for the second time. If you get it wrong, it's always a very tricky task to keep the car on the road. It's challenging to work with pace notes. That¹s for sure.

Every time, after the rally, you feel you could have gone faster. But most importantly, I have learned more and improved from last year. Let's wait and see, how we go in the next few rallies.

Sweden was a good start for the season. The next rally for us is Portugal. Before that we have a test. Now it's time to start working to go well on gravel, too.

Source: KIMIRAIKKONEN.COM

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

Iltasanomat (paper edition): No need for a shovel

by Janne Aittoniemi

Kimi will not drive in Mexico.

- Our next rally is in Portugal. I believe that we get to test more than a day this time. It is cleared up in the team's meeting this evening, Kaj Lindström tells.

According to Kaitsu Kimi deserves a 10 for Rally Sweden.

- A great achievment from Kimi. We didn't need the shovel even once this year, Kaj said.

- There are some places that still remain as places with a less accurate note. Then when a situation comes up Kimi starts to be more careful, Kaitsu said.

When they are driving stages that will be taken two times Räikkönen doesn't yet have the courage to drive flat-out the first time but the other time goes much better.

- It's still hard to say how high Kimi will get in rally. However it's a great thing that we have made progress in all departments. The difference to the lead has grown significantly smaller, Lindström said.

Courtey: Nicole

Kimi about his sponsors: "Nothing for you to worry about"

- On Friday we hit the snowbank a little on the first SS and had to go and make a U-turn. Otherwise it was pretty okay but it's tricky. You have to get used. The weather isn't the easiest. The last SS was such a slush that you slided in every direction, Kimi told.

Räikkönen did a good time in morning's 3rd stage.

- You had to come pretty safely because there was loose snow and tracks. You had to follow the tracks.

Kimi has already got nicely used to the car.

- It's okay. Of course I still have to test alot.

Räikkönen didn't want to chat to the media about Ice 1 Racing -team's sponsors.

- I'm sure it's not your worry.

He admitted however the co-work with Red Bull - although you could guess it by looking at his beanie.

Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi had a valuable guest at service break

FIA's president Jean Todt came to talk to Kimi Räikkönen, when the Finn arrived to Sunday's service break

Todt didn't offer any special advice to Räikkönen.

- No, he only came to say hi, Kimi said.

According to Räikkönen, the Sunday-morning's run went "pretty okay".

- Maybe not as well as yesterday, but I guess it's possible to improve for the afternoon.

For Räikkönen the afternoon is often better, because then the stages have already been driven once. It makes it considerably easier for an inexperienced driver.

Räikkönen doesn't see anything to complain about in his car.

- It's more about the driving. When I get the driving to hit well, the times improve.

There are extra WRC-points available on the last special stage of the race, but Räikkönen doesn't plan on a big attack.

- Well I don't know. In the morning it was at least difficult there, when the snow whirled a lot. Visibility was bad on that stage.

Source: Iltalehti
Courtesy: Leijona

Nogier impressed by Räikkönen improvement

Kimi Räikkönen's performance on day two of Rally Sweden compared favourably to Sebastien Loeb, according to Benoit Nogier, the man responsible for managing Räikkönen's ICE 1 Racing team

Räikkönen is seventh, one place behind Sebastien Loeb, in the overall standings after 15 stages. Nogier revealed that he even sent Loeb’s split times to the ex-Formula One world champion on Saturday afternoon so the Finn could compare his performance with the seven-time WRC title winner.

“We are very happy because it is the first time I sent him the split times to the car compared to Sebastien Loeb so it is good news,” Nogier said. “It was very interesting, especially this afternoon because he improved himself and was five-tenths of a second per kilometre [slower than] Loeb, which we are pleased with.”

When asked to explain Räikkönen’s increased pace, Nogier said: “It’s the second time for Kimi here in Sweden and we have already seen yesterday it was much easier for a second time. I think it’s also easier for him in the Citroen DS3 WRC.”

Nogier continued: “We plan for him to be in the points tomorrow and a top six would be great. It is our goal and we are not so far away now. We have a chance tomorrow.”

Source: WRC
Courtesy: sleenster