Rally. The international rallypeople are already used to unusually talkative Finnish rallydrivers. Now they are confused with Kimi Räikkönen - he is just like a common silent Finn. Apu interviewed a bunch of rally experts in Rally Sweden. They weren't surprised by Räikkönen's speed.The photographers who travel around the world asked each other:
– Is he stupid?
The reactions of foreign rally reporters also told much:
– Ooh la la!
One French reporter manages to get a two sentenced reply. Of course from Kimi Räikkönen.
Räikkönen has spent the biggest part of his career in car races where he is surrounded by tens of photographers and reporters. He hates these kind of situations.
The Finn learned very quickly how to act while the cameras flashed around him on the F1-paddock. He had to come in front of photographers and reporters always when he walked from the paddock to the motorhome which was built inside the truck.
He always strided through this repulsive distance with a fast pace. The photographers had to either give room for him or get walked over by him. Räikkönen kept looking down. When squeezed by the camera lenses and photographers he created his own small space.
In this small bubble Räikkönen was left in peace. He only stepped out of his own world for a moment if some photographer pushed him in accident. After F1 changed into rally they said that Kimi Räikkönen has changed.
– Kimi hasn't changed a bit, Riku Kuvaja said on Rally Sweden's paddock.
Apparently not. Räikkönen strides back and forth Citroen's truck and the rallycar with such a speed that nobody has time to ask him anything. When Räikkönen finishes a stage he doesn't open the door so that the reporters can't ask him anything. He also stayed in the car in the service park. Kaj Lindström had to do all the talking.
A French reporter fishing for a short answer got lucky since Räikkönen had to go and get his coat from the trunk on Saturday evening. During this trip Räikkönen gave all and all less than five comments to a couple of reporters.
The international rallypeople are used to unusually talkative Finns. Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala are modern sportsmen who are always ready to comment on their performances.
Many of them remember the cracks of Marcus Grönholm, Tommi Mäkinen, Juha Kankkunen & co. The first Finnish rally world champion Ari Vatanen talked himself into the Europarliament - as France's representative.
Kimi Räikkönen breaks all possible rallypeople's unwritten rules. This alone has got reporters nervous - even some Finnish reporters.
– What is Kimi's problem with the media? the reporters ask Citroen's people on the paddock in Rally Sweden.
Räikkönen had just given short comment to the master of ceremonies that was heard through the speakers. Because the arranger had requested for it all drivers had to do this.
Rally reporters are used to get their own interview-sessions. In Citroen they did their best to turn it into a positive thing and promised that Räikkönen will talk during the next break.
– Really? Did they say so? I guess they forgot to ask Kimi, Mark Arnall laughs.
And Räikkönen doesn't talk.
But let's step into Räikkönen's racing suit for a moment and think what the man could even say. All the questions are already asked and Räikkönen has answered them all. He is still learning rally. It's a big challenge and he has no expectations over his positions.
Why should he answer the same questions over and over again? Räikkönen doesn't like to give speaches and he doesn't want to start making up answers for every reporter.
When the rally photographers are asking if Räikkönen is stupid they are confused over the man's cold behaviour. But Räikkönen isn't a cold person. If he sees a familiar face on the paddock you can see a shining sunny smile on his face. Räikkönen doesn't only smile to everyone he meets - it's very Finnish behaviour.
Kimi Räikkönen enjoys racing. He drinks booze. Kimi Räikkönen is also Matti Nykänen's friend. Some Finns are ashamed of this CV abroad.
Räikkönen's fans can ask a counter question: Why be ashamed? Räikkönen has risen to the group of most famous and best paid sportsmen because he is one of the most talented drivers in the history of motorsport - and not thanks to his speaking talents.
Räikkönen let's his driving speak for itself.
Among the F1-people Räikkönen is immensly respected. His ability to drive a F1-car has astonished all ex-champions among others.
Räikkönen is a completely unique case. He has a mystical way of controlling a car that is in full speed and which is about to get out of the driver's control all the time.
It is dangerous to lose control when you drive 300 km/h surrounded by beton fences or 200 km/h on a narrow forest road. Killing yourself is really close. There is always the risk of dying in motorsport no matter how good the safety precautions would be.
The following tells a lot about Kimi Räikkönen's difference: In F1 all the drivers want their car to be understeering, in other words a car that pushes a little in corners. In an oversteering car the rear goes into a slide easily which makes the car spin. Räikkönen on the other hand wanted definitely an oversteering F1-car because he has an unique ability to keep a car that is constantly on the verge of spinning on the driving line - and drive really fast because of this.
Citroën's rallyteam has tried to build Räikkönen a car that suits his driving style: if not an oversteering then at least one that is only slightly understeering. This work will be continued during the WRC-serie so that Räikkönen gets exactly the car his driving style requires.
In rally over- and understeering isn't as crucial as it is in F1 where Räikkönen's second year in Ferrari was completely destroyed because of the understeering car.
In rally again it is extremely important to make the right notes - and this is something Räikkönen can't yet do even though he has Kaj Lindström who used to be Tommi Mäkinen's co-driver helping him.
In rally the traction also changes more than it does in F1. Especially in winter rallies the change of traction is fierce. In Rally Sweden the car got out of Räikkönen's control many times. I'm sure many had fun looking at photos where 'millionaire-Kimi' was working hard with a tiny shovel digging up his car from the snow.
But Kimi shoveled. This is part of a rallydriver's work. Like getting to the hotel before midnight and waking up at five in the morning for the next rally day. It was much easier in F1.
But does Räikkönen have what it takes to become a rallydriver? Räikkönen told himself before Rally Sweden that he is really interested in finding out what his pace is compared to the others.
Citroën's people had to rub their eyes when looking at Stage Sågen's split times. That stage was driven twice the same day.
On the first time Räikkönen was half a second after his team mate Sebastian Ogier and a second after the lead. Yet Räikkönen drove into a snowbank 100 meters before the finish.
On the second time Räikkönen had checked his notes and was putting some amazing figures on the screen. He was was a few kilometers before the finish ahead of Ogier.
– It was a different stage from the others. A big, fast and driveable road. A bit like in Jyväskylä. In the end the tyres lost traction, Lindström told.
In spite of that Räikkönen was only one second all and all behind Ogier. He was 18 seconds behind Mikko Hirvonen during a 14 km stage. A little over a second per kilometer. This was a sensation. And Räikkönen was driving his first WRC-rally with a 300-horsepowered WRC-rally missile.
Rally Sweden is on top of that the most difficult place to start from because it's so different from all the other rallies. Being a Finn doesn't help Räikkönen in a snowrally.
– A second per kilometer from the lead is an amazing accomplishment. Normally it would take at least one season for anyone to get into a speed like that, Citroen's publicist Marek Nawarecki stated.
Kimi Räikkönen had spoken - in the way he knew.
To rallypeople a F1-car isn't a car. A rallycar is.
– F1-drivers don't know how to drive a car. You aren't supposed to slide in F1. But Kimi has always been driving other than F1 and he also knows how to drive a car, many people said.
Surprisingly they think that Räikkönen will benefit from driving a snowmobile a lot. Räikkönen has also been in highspeed-safaris and also participated in motorsledge races and done well there. According to experts driving a snowmobile and a rallycar has the same elements.
– They might have something similar only it's 100 times more difficult to drive a rallycar, Räikkönen told Apu.
According to Räikkönen the biggest significance is making the notes.
– I had bad notes on quite many stages. You can't drive as fast as you want if that's the case.
– It is solved if you have good notes, that way you can drive faster. Making them comes only through experience, Räikkönen said.
The next rally will be in Mexico on gravel. According to Räikkönen the race will be in some ways easier than Sweden.
– The traction is more even on gravel than it is on snow. Although I haven't yet drove one meter on gravel with this current car.
Source: Apu
Courtesy: Nicole @PF1
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