Kimi: fewer applications, more tests

Ex-F1 world champion Kimi Räikkönen will remain faithful to the World Rally Championship. But the Finn will change his tactics and plans to place more emphasis on testing

With his own team "ICE 1 racing" Kimi Räikkönen returns to the World Rally Championship in 2011. For a long time the rumour mill was buzzing that the Finn would withdraw completely, "but that was totally wrong," said his manager, Steve Robertson.

Räikkönen will take part in ten out of 13 of the World Rally Championship races with a Citroën WRC DS3. The expensive overseas rallies are omitted for budget reasons. Kimi will make good use of the resulting free time. Additional tests are planned to gather further experience.

For 2012, the signs are good that Räikkönen will remain in the WRC. After a two year break, he believes there little chance that he will return to Formula 1. “It’s not impossible, but it certainly makes it harder to go back, the longer you leave it,” said Kimi. “If I missed Formula One I would have gone back, but in fact I haven’t missed it at all.”

Source: Rallye-Magazin
Courtesy: sleenster