Showing posts with label Arctic Rally Lapland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Arctic Rally Lapland. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
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Monday, February 1, 2010
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Arctic Rally: Kimi finishes 58th overall; 2nd in his category
Citroen driver Dani Sordo has won the 2010 Arctic Lapland Rally after dominating the Finnish event. Sordo's team-mate Kimi Raikkonen put in an impressive performance, despite crashing on the first day, with a string of second fastest stage times throughout the event.
This was Raikkonen's first time driving the Citroen C4 WRC in competitive conditions and without yesterday's crash, he would have finished 6 minutes behind Sordo.
Raikkonen's co-driver Kaj Lindstrom commented after SS9: "The difference to Dani is now 0.9 seconds per kilometre.
"We know where the difference comes from, therefore it's a relief. It would be different if you had to think to yourself that you are going damn fast but still be behind, that would be worrying.
"We are still setting the car up so Kimi doesn't yet have 100% confidence in how it behaves. It affects the way we go into corners. We are braking early when there is ice because we don't want to do anything stupid, that's where the differences in time come from. The notes will also improve once we see how fast we can go," Lindstrom added to MTV3.
Kimi Raikkonen commented at the finish: "Once we get the car the way we want it, it will be quite easy to go faster. I don't think that it will be terribly difficult to drive faster when I know myself that the car is not going the way I want it to.
"This is the fifth rally for me so it's not really something to worry about. I learned quite a lot and it will be much better for Sweden. The main thing was that we were able to get some kilometres behind us. It doesn't matter that we finished in a lowly position," he added.
Arctic Lapland Rally 2010 Results
1. Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (E) Citroen C4 WRC 1:38.29,1 (1. A18)
2. Kosti Katajamäki/Lasse Hirvijärvi (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +6.07,7
3. Jarkko Miettinen/Mikko Lukka (FIN) Skoda Fabia S2000 +7.16,1
4. Juha Salo/Mika Stenberg (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +8.06,9
5. Kristian Sohlberg/Peter Flythström (FIN) Subaru Impreza WRX STI N15 +9.12,3
6. Ari Vihavainen/Antti Piira (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +9.40,6
7. Atte Alanen/Pasi Hedman (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +9.44,5
8. Tommi Luostarinen/Risto Pietiläinen (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +9.48,9
9. Jukka Ketomäki/Kai Risberg (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +10.45,8
10. Marko Ipatti/Kari Kajula (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +10.46,9
Source: RallyBuzz
This was Raikkonen's first time driving the Citroen C4 WRC in competitive conditions and without yesterday's crash, he would have finished 6 minutes behind Sordo.
Raikkonen's co-driver Kaj Lindstrom commented after SS9: "The difference to Dani is now 0.9 seconds per kilometre.
"We know where the difference comes from, therefore it's a relief. It would be different if you had to think to yourself that you are going damn fast but still be behind, that would be worrying.
"We are still setting the car up so Kimi doesn't yet have 100% confidence in how it behaves. It affects the way we go into corners. We are braking early when there is ice because we don't want to do anything stupid, that's where the differences in time come from. The notes will also improve once we see how fast we can go," Lindstrom added to MTV3.
Kimi Raikkonen commented at the finish: "Once we get the car the way we want it, it will be quite easy to go faster. I don't think that it will be terribly difficult to drive faster when I know myself that the car is not going the way I want it to.
"This is the fifth rally for me so it's not really something to worry about. I learned quite a lot and it will be much better for Sweden. The main thing was that we were able to get some kilometres behind us. It doesn't matter that we finished in a lowly position," he added.
Arctic Lapland Rally 2010 Results
1. Dani Sordo/Marc Marti (E) Citroen C4 WRC 1:38.29,1 (1. A18)
2. Kosti Katajamäki/Lasse Hirvijärvi (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +6.07,7
3. Jarkko Miettinen/Mikko Lukka (FIN) Skoda Fabia S2000 +7.16,1
4. Juha Salo/Mika Stenberg (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +8.06,9
5. Kristian Sohlberg/Peter Flythström (FIN) Subaru Impreza WRX STI N15 +9.12,3
6. Ari Vihavainen/Antti Piira (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +9.40,6
7. Atte Alanen/Pasi Hedman (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +9.44,5
8. Tommi Luostarinen/Risto Pietiläinen (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +9.48,9
9. Jukka Ketomäki/Kai Risberg (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X +10.45,8
10. Marko Ipatti/Kari Kajula (FIN) Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX +10.46,9
Source: RallyBuzz
Arctic victory a confidence boost, says Sordo
A dominating performance in the Arctic Lapland rally at the weekend has left Citroen factory team driver Dani Sordo feeling more confident about his chances of success in Rally Sweden, the opening round of the World Rally Championship, which gets underway on 11 February.
Sordo and co-driver Marc Marti took an easy win on the Rovaniemi-based rally - the opening round of the Finnish Championship - which they tackled as part of their pre-season test programme.
Driving the same C4 WRC they will campaign in the 2010 World Championship, they faced little real challengers on an event which doesn't normally allow World Rally Car entries. His Citroen stable-mate, Kimi Raikkonen, was the only other competitor in a top level car, while Estonian Ott Tanak was the only other WRC entrant, in a 2003 specification Ford Focus.
Throughout the rally, Sordo didn't put a foot wrong. The Spaniard set 12 fastest times in as many stages and felt his driving on ice and snow had benefited from the experience. "I enjoyed myself so much that I would happily have driven on for a few more stages!" he said. "This weekend went well, run in perfect conditions, and we were able to carry out some useful work with the team.
"Of course, there was no real pressure. All the more reason for us to drive a very disciplined event! After looking at the data with the engineers, it’s clear that we’ve made consistent progress. That gives me a lot of confidence as we head into the new season, which is just a few days away now."
After an awkward start to his World Rally Car driving debut, when he lost more than 30 minutes after an accident soon after the start, Raikkonen completed the rally in a positive frame of mind. Throughout the two days of the rally, the gap between Dani and the Finn stayed consistent at around eight-tenths of a second per kilometre.
"Things didn’t exactly get off to the best start as we went off the road during the second stage," explained the Citroen Junior Team driver. "But luckily there was no mechanical damage and I was able to continue in the rally. From there it got a lot better for me and we were much more consistent. We put a few more kilometres under our belt, which was vital to help us continue learning the C4 WRC. As well as being pleased by our performances I was also pleased by the way we were able to work with the team.
"We developed our set-up in the right direction and now we are going to continue our work in order to arrive in Sweden in the strongest possible position."
Benoit Nogier, Citroën Racing Technologies team manager, concluded: "This practice event allowed the team to make more progress in preparation for the Rally Sweden.
Dani drove exactly the sort of rally that we expected from him. He was fast and consistent, growing in confidence on the surface that comes least naturally to him. As for Kimi, he was quickly able to put his mishap at the start of the rally behind him and get to the end of a complex event, whilst improving at the same pace as Dani."
Source: WRC
Friday, January 29, 2010
Kimi's answers translated from Finnish in the press conference
Q: Kimi Räikkönen, your career's first WRC-race ahead of you, be honest, are you nervous at all?
Kimi Räikkönen: I don't know, I'm not nervous but of course you don't really know what to expect. I've driven a couple of rallies but with a little bit different equipment. It's fun to see how we do.
Q: There has been experts speculating a lot about what Kimi can reach, but what does the driver say himself?
KR: Well I don't have any information on that since we have not driven at all against anyone. Today we drove with Sordo for the first time the same stint and with the same car but there is still a lot to be learnt, especially doing notes and listening to notes is the most difficult that you dare to drive with them as fast as you can.
Q: What kind of show is the Iceman going to put up [for the reporters and spectators]?
KR: (laughs) Well let's see, like I said it is pretty difficult to predict anything and of course we haven't had the chance to drive with the car that much but it's a different thing when you have to go fast on the race right away. And there's not so much experience with this car, last year we have driven stints but they're not on top of memory so we were at the same position last year when we could drive a little bit before the race. Of course some more testing would help but let's see what happens and let's try to stay on the road and get kilometres under the belt and improve the pace.
Q: Sebastien Loeb mentioned on one of his interviews that Kimi Räikkönen in 2011 as team-mate would be an interesting alternative. How do you feel?
KR: (laughs) Well it's pointless to think what happens next year when we haven't driven any kilometres in races yet and there is time to happen all kinds of stuff within this year. But like I said let's do our best and see if the pace is enough and that will give some kind of direction on what will happen next year.
Thanks: KR Spaces and Leijona
Kimi Räikkönen: I don't know, I'm not nervous but of course you don't really know what to expect. I've driven a couple of rallies but with a little bit different equipment. It's fun to see how we do.
Q: There has been experts speculating a lot about what Kimi can reach, but what does the driver say himself?
KR: Well I don't have any information on that since we have not driven at all against anyone. Today we drove with Sordo for the first time the same stint and with the same car but there is still a lot to be learnt, especially doing notes and listening to notes is the most difficult that you dare to drive with them as fast as you can.
Q: What kind of show is the Iceman going to put up [for the reporters and spectators]?
KR: (laughs) Well let's see, like I said it is pretty difficult to predict anything and of course we haven't had the chance to drive with the car that much but it's a different thing when you have to go fast on the race right away. And there's not so much experience with this car, last year we have driven stints but they're not on top of memory so we were at the same position last year when we could drive a little bit before the race. Of course some more testing would help but let's see what happens and let's try to stay on the road and get kilometres under the belt and improve the pace.
Q: Sebastien Loeb mentioned on one of his interviews that Kimi Räikkönen in 2011 as team-mate would be an interesting alternative. How do you feel?
KR: (laughs) Well it's pointless to think what happens next year when we haven't driven any kilometres in races yet and there is time to happen all kinds of stuff within this year. But like I said let's do our best and see if the pace is enough and that will give some kind of direction on what will happen next year.
Thanks: KR Spaces and Leijona
Kimi: it was my own fault
"The place wasn't difficult, it just went out of control. The car was stuck from the bottom to a snowbank and it didn't move anywhere. First I tried with Kaj with our own shovels for 15 minutes, but then there came people with huge shovels and the car was moved".
Because the car remained technically intact, will Räikkönen continue the rally in testing spirit.
"We will continue the race, it is nice to drive the car and everything works well."
Thanks: KR Spaces, Leijona
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
25.01: Kimi season preview - the Arctic start
"Well, this is what I’ve been looking for since signing the contract for WRC rally season 2010 with the Red Bull Citroen team. My feeling is about the same like it always has been before the first race of the season in Formula One. Like us all I feel the butterflies in my stomach in a nice way. All in all my feeling is the very best to start racing again.
The most motivating thing for a racing drivers is to approach a new kind of challenge. Obviously, going to rally is all new challenge for me. That makes it so exciting to start this season.
The new car Citroen C4 WRC has fitted me well since the first test. Now we have had 3 days with it. It feels nice, while you see how effectively it reacts to the changes in the set-up. Everything we have tried has worked as it should. We feel we are working into the right direction and that’s what the engineers confirmed to us in the briefings, too.
I start this brand new campaign this week form the Arctic Lapland Rally in Rovaniemi. In our programme this rally is only a preparation – like a final test – for Sweden, where the WRC season starts in February. It’s great to get going so soon. After testing the car first time in France, I’ve been looking forward to race it, too.
The winter break went fast. I spent it exactly in the same way I always did while I was in Formula One. First I took some holiday, had fun with my family and friends and then I went back to training. I have trained in the same way like always with Mark Arnall. I know the rally will be physically very, very tough. It will be hard shaking and ratting and sometimes in the cockpit it will be hot like a Finnish sauna with your overall and helmet on. You have to be top-fit to be able to focus all the time on your driving.
I’ve always said that it’s useless to give too much predictions before the first race of the new season. Obviously, now I mean it even more than ever before. I don’t know how the oldtime Finnish pioneer settlers felt before going to America, but, most likely, I feel a little bit the same for this new adventure of mine.
How it goes, I don’t know. Let’s wait and see, but, for sure, I can promise doing my very best in every rally. I’m not going to give up a single bit.
Of course, the start of the season will be some kind of confidence building period, too. All the rallies outside of Finland are new places for me. I have to learn all the rallies and I have to learn to rely on the notes. It’s very important for me to have Kaj Lindstrom as my co-driver. We get along fine and he is the best possible guy to work with. Without Kaj I probably would not have started this huge project at all.
We tested two days in Central Finland everything went well. The car is reliable like a Swiss watch. Obviously, it’s easy to see that the car has been strong and reliable, like it should while the team has won so many races and so many championships.
It’s for sure all the other Formula One drivers would love drive a rally car – at least, to try how it goes. Well, I know already how it feels.
Now we go to Rovaniemi and start making notes on Tuesday. We are looking for the feeling on snow and we test that everything is working well in such a cold conditions. On Thursday we’ll have a shakedown and then the race on Friday and on Saturday. "
Source: KimiRaikkonen.com
Räikkönen: I've never driven a F1 car at -25ºC!
In Finland, preparing for the 2010 season, Kimi Räikkönen has participated in his first tests behind the wheel of his C4 WRC of the Citroën Junior Team.
Q: You start your first season in rally. Have you found different aspects from WRC comparing to F1?
KR: They are completely different disciplines. Here, it's -25º during testing. I have never driven a F1 car at -25º! In F1 practice sessions, we loop around the circuit all the time, taking the same lap. In rally, even in the same stretch of road, the conditions change every time we pass. There's more or less snow.
Q: What do you like about rallying?
KR: Everything! It's a new challenge for me. It's the biggest challenge of my racing career! It's very exciting...
Q: What do you expect from your first races?
KR: I'm a beginner in rally. We'll see how we compare to drivers with many years of experience in this discipline. At first, our goal will be to finish the races. I have to learn how the car works before I can attack a bit more.
Q: Which surface do you think you'll be more comfortable with?
KR: I've driven in every surface last season. Maybe more in the snow, as I've driven in testing and races. But I imagine I can get good results on asphalt. It's the surface I'm most familiar with.
Q: For a beginner in rallying, the pace notes are an important job. Is it something in which you have already progressed on?
KR: We will use the same system as last year, it's worked quite well. Experience helps, we will continue to improve and we will see how it works during the first few races.
Q: What are your ambitions for the start at the Arctic Rally?
KR: It was my first rally last season. This was good practice. I will be able to run a few kilometres with the car before the first race in the World Championship. It's also a good oportunity to race in Finland.
The 2007 F1 World Champion will be in the Arctic Rally, from Friday to Saturday in Rovaniemi. Besides Räikkönen, Dani Sordo (Citroën C4 WRC), Mika Salo (Ford Fiesta R2) and Rami Räikkönen (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) will also take part in the event.
Source: Autohebdo
Thanks: TaniaS and Anelise
Translated from French by: Fran
Q: You start your first season in rally. Have you found different aspects from WRC comparing to F1?
KR: They are completely different disciplines. Here, it's -25º during testing. I have never driven a F1 car at -25º! In F1 practice sessions, we loop around the circuit all the time, taking the same lap. In rally, even in the same stretch of road, the conditions change every time we pass. There's more or less snow.
Q: What do you like about rallying?
KR: Everything! It's a new challenge for me. It's the biggest challenge of my racing career! It's very exciting...
Q: What do you expect from your first races?
KR: I'm a beginner in rally. We'll see how we compare to drivers with many years of experience in this discipline. At first, our goal will be to finish the races. I have to learn how the car works before I can attack a bit more.
Q: Which surface do you think you'll be more comfortable with?
KR: I've driven in every surface last season. Maybe more in the snow, as I've driven in testing and races. But I imagine I can get good results on asphalt. It's the surface I'm most familiar with.
Q: For a beginner in rallying, the pace notes are an important job. Is it something in which you have already progressed on?
KR: We will use the same system as last year, it's worked quite well. Experience helps, we will continue to improve and we will see how it works during the first few races.
Q: What are your ambitions for the start at the Arctic Rally?
KR: It was my first rally last season. This was good practice. I will be able to run a few kilometres with the car before the first race in the World Championship. It's also a good oportunity to race in Finland.
The 2007 F1 World Champion will be in the Arctic Rally, from Friday to Saturday in Rovaniemi. Besides Räikkönen, Dani Sordo (Citroën C4 WRC), Mika Salo (Ford Fiesta R2) and Rami Räikkönen (Abarth Grande Punto S2000) will also take part in the event.
Source: Autohebdo
Thanks: TaniaS and Anelise
Translated from French by: Fran
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