Kimi Räikkönen drives his blackish brand new Citroen DS3 WRC-car as the master of his ICE1 Racing team in Sweden. His mullet is even longer and can't be hidden underneath his big Red Bull -beanie. The speed has improved a bit since last year, now that this new car suits the man's driving style better
Yet Räikkönen says that nothing has changed from last year although his time with Citroen's Junior team ended.
– We did things the same way we did last year. It was better to come up with something and make an own team if I still wanted to drive rally. This was the easiest option, Räikkönen tells.
The model is the same as Petter Solberg's.
You registered to Sweden in the last minute. Was everything put together at the last moment?
– I wouldn't say that anything happened in the last moment, Räikkönen calms.
Was your continuance in rally clear already last autumn?
– No it wasn't but nothing would have changed even if we would have announced during the last race that we will drive this year also. We couldn't have drove any more than we could now because the new cars weren't ready.
Could you aswell had switched to Ford and drove rally with Fiesta?
– I would have got a good car from there too with the same system. There is no difference to last year. It's just easier for me to continue here because I already spent a year with these people.
A bunch of French speaking mechanics from Citroen are working around Räikkönen's car. Nobody outside the factory wouldn't even be allowed to touch the new cars, computers and engines.
Räikkönen keeps his possible goals as his own secret. It would be logical to go for 6th unless Ford has escaped from Citroen.
– Let's drive and see. After that we see how we do.
In Thursday shakedown Räikkönen drove seven times an 8 kilometer test stage. Is the car different when compared to C4 WRC?
– There aren't many differences. It's a Super 2000-style car. It's more good in your hands and I think it turns easier, Räikkönen said. He has the experience of four rallies in 2009 with Fiat S2000.
Does this fit your driving style better?
– So far it has felt pretty good. It's difficult to say how it will go when it's the real deal.
There was raining snow in Hagfors and it will rain at least until Friday morning. The new snow didn't fit Michelin's spiky tyres at all.
– The new tires seem to be tricky because once you got just a little on the snow there was no grip left and it went into a waterslide. Although snow is a great element under normal conditions, Räikkönen said.
Räikkönen tested only for one day the new car to Sweden.
– But that wasn't a full day either since the engine broke down because it had probably been used in all Citroen's tests.
Kaj Lindström quickly lists the differences between this year's and last year's Citroen.
– This is smaller by size, the engine is different and the transmission is ordered by a stick. The biggest difference is the lack of centerlocking. That's why the car is a bit different to drive when it rams a bit and doesn't turn as easily.
Räikkönen's schedule is so wide that some track races could be placed inbetween - like for example Le Mans 24 h in June?
– Let's see what happens. I don't know anything yet and I don't have anything to tell, Räikkönen said.
Then will we possibly see Räikkönen in a F1-car this year or sometime later?
– It's difficult to say, Räikkönen defined.
The Finn has been taken to Renault to replace Robert Kubica only in the wildest rumours.
Turun Sanomat, Hagfors
Courtesy: Nicole
The judges in Rally Australia registered that Räikkönen had skipped the race and according to the rules the team doesn't fill the requirement to participate in at least two remote rallies outside Europe anymore.
