Alonso got harsh critisism from the Italian media

The Italian media shot down Ferrari's performance and especially Fernando Alonso was the target.

Il Giornale -magazine said that whereas Kimi Räikkönen always drove spectacularly in Spa his successor Alonso again slipped in the smallest puddle and ended up in the wall.

Most papers thought that Alonso's list of errors is already way too long but the Spanish star defended himself by saying that he hasn't made any more mistakes than his main rivals have.

When Rubens Barrichello crashed in the beginning into Alonso's Ferrari the Spaniard made it to the pits and he took the wet tyres.

– If it had started to rain a lot I would have soon been leading the race with a 20 seconds difference, Alonso claimed.

– This was the 7th race. I had now a bad race but two other championship contenders didn't either score points. I still have a 50 % chance to win the WDC, Alonso said.

Heikki Kulta

Source: Turun Sanomat
Courtesy: Nicole

Co-driver promises: Kimi can do much better

Kaj Lindström, who reads notes for Kimi Räikkönen in WRC, is convinced of the former F1 driver's talent in the rally car

-We've made progress in every race which is the most important thing for us this year, Lindströn said in a press release of the Citroen junior team.

The next WRC race is driven on Germany's tarmac roads next weekend.

-Our performance in the first asphalt rally in Bulgaria was the most impressive one this season. I know that there's a lot more to come from Kimi, Lindström continued.

Räikkönen himself goes to Germany with a cautious mind and is aiming for a good position.

-This is a new competition for me again. In my first asphalt rally with the Citroen C4 WRC car I immediately found a good feeling. The most important thing for me is to get used to driving a WRC car on this surface. Based on my previous experience I can say that driving on tarmac feels a bit more natural for me but driving a rally car is still a copletely different thing than driving on track, Räikkönen reminds.

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Dracaena

Sébastien Ogier - Kimi Räikkönen Tests Rallye Deutschland 2010

Source: jbmarcus21

Kimi, Loeb &Co. relaxing at Savutuvan Apaja - Citroen´s media day - WRC Rally Finland 2010

Source: YLE.fi - amjayes

Exclusive interview with Fernando Alonso: LOOKING DOWN

Turun Sanomat 22.7 2010

Fernando Alonso is known as a tough top driver who without suffering much can even step on his team mate's toes if his own advantage in the race requires it.

In public interviews the Spanish star usually shoots straightly what he thinks without blinking the eye.

But in a smaller group Alonso's being changed: all of a sudden he is in front of you like a shy schoolboy.

I got a unique opportunity for a private interview with Ferrari's superstar and we talked about many current and less current matters.

The driver's answers were very well justified, he takes a position - but he doesn't even by accident look the interviewer in the eye. His eyes were all the time looking down as if the star of the world would be as shy as an monolingual person abroad.

I got a feeling of getting to know the real Fernando who in public always hides behind his tough image.

Those who know Alonso closer feel that his behaviour comes from him not trusting anyone and that he is reserved because he thinks everybody is against him.

What is certain is that it doesn't bother Alonso's mind at all how he got to be a Ferrari-driver a year before although he sits with Finns.

Alonso started his F1-career exactly the same time Kimi Räikkönen did in Australia 2001. He promises to stop immediately when he sees that he isn't winning anymore.

But Alonso won't become a rallydriver after that. The Spaniard admitted very honestly that he wouldn't have the same patience as Kimi has. Whatever Alonso does, he wants to win immediately.

ALONSO MISSES FAIR RÄIKKÖNEN

After the winter tests Fernando Alonso assured that Ferrari's F10-car is the best car he has ever drove during his F1-career. On Thursday when interviewed by Turun Sanomat the Spaniard still assured that he feels the same even though he is only 5th in the championship-serie.

– Yes. This is absolutely the best car I have ever drove. The engine, aerodynamics, the feeling it gives... Everything works much better than in those cars I have earlier drove.

– I am satisfied but one has to remember that my opponents also have strong cars. The fact that this Ferrari is the best car I have ever drove doesn't mean that it would be the best car in the championship-serie 2010, Alonso emphasizes.

Only thing not in balance is luck

Alonso won his debut race with Ferrari in Bahrain but has ever since become more weaker. Where is the problem - luck, car or mistakes?

– I think that luck has always been a key factor during the beginning of the season. With another kind of luck I could now lead the championship. I have done mistakes

- jumpstart in China and crash in Monaco practice - but that department is in balance since my opponents have also lost points because of making mistakes.

– Luck is the only thing which is never in balance. I have had less luck than my main opponents. I am expecting better luck in the last season - and less Safety Car -situations.

A poorer season hasn't brought Alonso down. He still believes that he is fighting for the WDC.

Different positions as a chaser

Yet the situation is different when compared to years 2005 and 2006 when Alonso won the championships. In 2005 he fought Kimi Räikkönen for the title and in 2006 he fought Michael Schumacher for the title so that he was leading all season long.

Now four other drivers drive for the victories and Alonso has become a chaser from behind.

– There's is remarkably more competition now than it was during my championship-seasons. I have four drivers ahead of me and I have to be able to improve my position.

– What makes the situation tricky is that I can't concentrate on only one opponent. On the other hand it makes the situation easier that those four can't win the race at the same time so that's why taking podiums will improve my situation. When the points go here and there I can quickly get higher, Alonso plans.

– The most important is to win the championship in November.

Kimi will also become a rally winner

Then what does it mean to Alonso now that his longtime competitor Kimi Räikkönen has disappeared from the F1-tracks?

– Kimi was a completely unique F1-driver, different character, brilliant driver and the most fair opponent I have ever known. Kimi is respectable and he is a respectable racer. In every battle or overtaking with Kimi you always had the feeling of us being safe because he always drove so fairly, Alonso praises.

– It's obvious that this bunch of 24 drivers miss Kimi. I think he enjoys it where he drives but it would be cool if he would come back again.

Have you been following Räikkönen's rally career?

– Yes. Kimi has already become a good rallydriver. It hasn't been easy for him because the opponents are years ahead of him when it comes to experience. Yet I believe that Kimi will soon win in rally and I also genuinely wish that he will win the championship in that serie too.

Then would Alonso's patience be enough to like Räikkönen take a challenge that requires years of work to grow into?

– I don't love rally so much that I would ever go there. And I'm also probably not patient enough because rally is so competitive and requires so much learning. It's almost the same as with DTM. You like watching them both but if you try to go there yourself it takes 1-2 years before you know how they work there.

Especially the Finns have been astonished over why Felipe Massa was so even in qualifications with Räikkönen when Alonso again has beaten the Brasilian 7-2.

– I can't answer to that but I think that Kimi found some trust in the car in the end of last season when Felipe couldn't drive. If Felipe would have been driving then I believe that Kimi would had been ahead Felipe just like I am now.

– This year Felipe has slipped because he has had problems getting his tyres temperature right during the qualification lap. In practice and races we are very even. Higher temperatures during this summer's qualifications will help Felipe for sure, Alonso thinks.

ALONSO WILL END HIS CAREER AT FERRARI

Does Fernando Alonso have a life after Ferrari? Can you imagine driving for another team at some point?

– Everything changes when you go to Ferrari. When you drive in this team you are a Ferrari-driver for the rest of your life. It changes your whole life. Someday when I have retired I can tell my children and grand-children that I was a Ferrari-driver. It's more than my whole career as a whole.

- After Ferrari it would be impossible to drive anywhere else, Alonso says to Turun Sanomat.

Then for how long will Alonso continue? The current Ferrari-contract will continue for the next two seasons.

– My continuance depends upon how these years go. If I succeed, am happy and enjoy life like I do at the moment. If I feel that I can still win in the future, then I will continue for as long as Ferrari wants me. If I don't enjoy it enough, then I won't just continue because of doing something. Then it's better to do something completely different, Alonso summed up.

TESTING BAN A BIG SACRIFICE FOR FERRARI

When Michael Schumacher drove for Ferrari he could test whenever the car didn't function the way he wanted. Is Fernando Alonso envious of this testing freedom when the F10-car hasn't developed like expected?

– For sure. We would have the potential to test in the same way - we have the facilities, track and probably also budget but we just can't use them. It's a shame. The situation isn't fantastic but maybe it is needed when thinking about F1's future. Ferrari gave something to help teams in financial troubles but also lost something for sure, Alonso told Turun Sanomat.

Kimi Räikkönen hated simulators that the testing ban made them use. Alonso laughs when he hears that Kimi got seasick in the simulator.

– We do some work in simulators but I can't say more than that except that we take it so that 50% of the results from the simulators are correct and 50% needs to be checked. A simulator is a good tool but Ferrari's philosophy is that only a real car is a reality, Alonso says.

Source: HEIKKI KULTA - Turun Sanomat
Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi Räikkönen Testing for Rally Finland 2010

Source: Iltalehti.fi

Kaj Lindström Interview for Racing4 at Rally della Lanterna 2010

Source: Racing4 - Courtesy: _TaniaS_

VETTEL IS A FINNISH F1-AMBASSADOR

Exclusive interview with Sebastian Vettel

I am what I am, Tamara Lund sang in a memorable way. I do what I do, F1-star Sebastian Vettel said with the same kind of attitude when he summed up his collision in the last race.

Vettel wants to live in the moment, not in the past. That's why the 22-year old German star wanted to talk about something else than about Turkey GP to the media.

Vettel says hello to the Finnish reporter, asks how I'm doing and even tells how he is doing in the same language.

How do you explain that you speak much more Finnish than Nico Rosberg?

– I don't know. Finns usually don't talk much. Nico's dad is a Finn but I think that Keke hasn't talked too much Finnish with his son. His mother is German and women talk more than men, maybe that's the reason why Nico's language is German instead of Finnish, Vettel thinks.

– But your language is terribly hard to learn. Even though one doesn't speak Spanish, French or even Swedish, one gets a hang of it and gets if the speaker is serious, happy or sad.

– You can't figure that out from a Finn. Firstly I don't understand the language at all and secondly it has no feelings so you don't know if the speaker is happy or sad. It's like a code that only those five million Finns understand, Vettel said.

Sometime ago Vettel was asked about his relationship to other F1-drivers. He said then that his best friend is Kimi Räikkönen, who isn't in F1 anymore.

Can you imagine Kimi coming back to F1?

– You should ask that from Kimi himself. Kimi is a straightforward dude who does what he wants to do. You have to respect that. Maybe Kimi didn't like this business anymore, quit and is now doing something else. If he someday starts to like this again he can come back if he is offered an opportunity.

– Kimi can enjoy his life, he does one thing at a time and doesn't plan his life five years ahead. Let's see if we will see him here someday again, Vettel thinks.

Robert Kubica is also very excited about rally. In Thursday's press conference some drivers were longing to take part in Le Mans someday.

– We have to remember that WRC and Le Mans are both motorsports so they aren't completely doing something else. Kimi is now in rally, Robert has tried it and is very excited about it. We all love motorsport from our heart and that's why we drive here. We all have it in our blood.

– Everybody wants to enjoy whatever they do. If you don't enjoy it, then it's time to quit. You should be honest enough to yourself and do other things if you no longer enjoy what you are doing - just like Kimi.

-He is now happy in rally. He had b*** to do a switch like that. Of course it's difficult but there's no doubt about his talents in rally because otherwise he wouldn't be able to stay on the road at all with those cars, Vettel says.

Vettel hasn't had time for ages to challenge Räikkönen in badminton.

– Let's say that Kimi is strong in that game but I have improved during this interval.

Vettel left Turkey more gloomier than usual with his father Norbert and his personal trainer Tommi Pärmäkoski.

How much have you changed since your first F1-race?

– Deep down I believe that I'm still the same guy I was three years ago, but I've learned a lot and have become more stronger. Life is about learning all the time and gathering experience - both good and bad. That kind of growth is natural.

Do you suffer from publicity? Can you do all things you want to do?

– When you drive on F1-level you are bound to become more known due to success. It's part of this job. You learn all the time how to cope with the publicity

- what you can do, what you can't do, what you can say, what you can't say. It's natural and it doesn't feel like you can't breathe.

– When I spend time with my family or friends I do all normal things like people my age do.Vettel came to the interview with a thick beard stubble.

Has the play off -season already started?

– No. I will shave before practice, Vettel smiled.

If Vettel wins the WDC, he will be the all time youngest one winning it.

– My goal is the championship. That is most important, not whether I'm the youngest one.

If that would happen then I would enjoy it sometime later when I'm old and fat, not while I'm still driving, Vettel said.

HEIKKI KULTA

Source: Turun Sanomat
Courtesy: Nicole

One more point in the WRC for Kimi

Kimi does the little ant

In Portugal another point has arrived for Kimi Raikkonen, who finished in the top ten for the third time in a row (considering that in New Zeland he didn't race).

This time there is an all in all dignified tenth place after a honest race: "Kimi improves a lot in the second run of the stages - explains his co-driver Kaj Lindstrom - and above all is growing race after race. The store of experience so far accumulated in driving on gravel gave him the opportunity to improve in his driving. He's enjoying, he likes rallies and he has a good approach."

Now Kimi is going to race the Rally della Lanterna in Italy (11-12th June), to make experience for the next WRC race, Bulgaria on 9-11th July, first race on tarmac of the Championship. "On tarmac Kimi should definitely go better - says Lindstrom - because it's his natural ground, that on which he has always raced."

Source: Autosprint
Courtesy: TaniaS

Kimi's co-driver: Ville Peltonen* wouldn't do well in figure skating either

Kimi Räikkönen and his co-driver Kaj Lindström knew that Rally Portugal would be a difficult race. That's what it also became since Räikkönen, who finished tenth, ended up losing over 11 and a half minutes to his team mate Sebastien Ogier who won the race.

-We knew that there are two difficult rallies on the first half of the season, Jordan and this one. We got a point but there were chances for better if it wasn't for the tyre puncture on Sunday. Even before the rally the only plan was to just finish the race and gather experience. In that sense it went as expected. We didn't have any bigger goals for this race anyway, says Lindström.

In Rally Turkey in mid April Räikkönen finished promisingly at fifth place. Lindström points out that Räikkönen benefitted from the fact that the race set in Istanbul was a new experience for all the teams and drivers. Portugal's special stages are demanding for an unexperienced driver anyway.

-There's slippery, slow and technical roads here and a lot is happening all the time. Listening to the pace notes and other things are emphasized even more in a race like this. More experience is needed, said Lindström.

At which point can we start expecting better results from Kimi?

-We have to remember how many rallies he's driven in his life. It's a bit like asking why Ville Peltonen doesn't win the world championship of figure skating during the first year. Kimi has very limited experience of rallying. Proper results cannot be expected this year. Kimi should be given the peace to get used to rally and if he decides to continue after this year, then we can start expecting those good positions, thinks Lindström.

Lindströn wasn't able to say whether the rally experiment is a several year project for the 2007 F1 world champion.

-It hasn't been discussed yet. At some point of the year he'll make a decision about continuing. Now we're only at the end of May and we're concentrating on driving rally, Lindström says.

Time to strike in Bulgaria?

The next WRC rally will be driven 9th -11th of July on Bulgarian asphalt roads. The race, which is in the WRC program for the first time, may be one of the best places for Räikkönen to show his speed.

-Bulgaria is again a new race for everybody and we go to an asphalt surface. One of the variables is then more familiar since Kimi has driven on asphalt all his live. There finding braking points and other things will be easier. It will be interesting to see how driving on asphalt will start going, Lindström says.

On the second weekend of June Räikkönen will try out asphalt roads in Lanterna Rally driven near Genova in Italy.

-It's just a practice race. The race is first and then we'll have our first asphalt test. We're just going there to see how a car like this feels on asphalt. We'll probably get ideas there about what to test and develop in the following week's asphalt test, Lindström tells.

*Ville Peltonen is a Finnish ice hockey player. Kaj's point is that if he suddenly started figure skating, we couldn't expect him to win anything during the first year.

Source: MTV3 – Lauri Ouvinen
Courtesy: Dracaena

IN THE DEPTHS OF THE HARBOR

Monaco GP-column 13.5.

Although Kimi Räikkönen is ashore in Monaco he will not be seen on the GP-paddock with 100% certainity. Kimi didn't like it when he was driving in F1 so he feels even less attracted to go and say hello to his busy friends when he is on a well deserved vacation.

Nine reporters out of ten asks on a regular basis what Räikkönen might be doing next year.

"If I only knew", many team managers probably sigh.

They whisper more and more that Mark Webber would end his career after this season. When the whispers get louder all available drivers are alert. Nicolas Todt is Felipe Massa's manager and he is known to have made some inquiries about Red Bull's possible interest in Massa.

Red Bull will surely still be competitive next year with the joint KERS-system and Michelin-tyres because the F-Duct -system has been forbidden.

I doubt Vettel's team mate will come from Red Bull's own junior team. A possible seat is therefore offered to a complete winner.

If Massa would go to Red Bull it would create some interpretation problems for the Brasilian viewer. They refuse to use the energy drink's name in their airings, they always talk about RBR.

Why? They claim that the reason for it is because Red Bull's and Brazil's tv's negotiations didn't lead anywhere.

But that's how the world changes even in Brazil. Whereas Ayrton Senna was the real king of Monaco's streets his nephew Bruno starts with Hispania in the other end.

For the first time the name Senna was the last name.

Source: Turun Sanomat
Courtesy: Nicole

Erzbergrodeo XVI: Former Formula-1 World Champion Kimi Räikkönen challenges the “Iron Giant”!

It’s all about speed! Though the Erzbergrodeo is best known as the world’s biggest Offroad event for motorbikes, Citroen WRC factory pilot Kimi Räikkönen will try to beat the Iron Road Prologue’s top time on 4 wheels.

Räikkönen will be challenged by none other than Taddy Blazusiak. The polish KTM factory rider is regarded as the world’s most dominant Xtreme Enduro rider and has won the notorious Red Bull Hare Scramble at Erzberg for three years in a row. Taddy will attack the „Iron Giant“ with his 2-stroke KTM and is once again one of the clear favourites to grab the prestigious Hare Scramble win in 2010.

In cooperation with Red Bull and KTM, Erzbergrodeo-Mastermind Karl Katoch presents the spectaculous fight Rallye-Car versus Offroad motorcycle on June 6th as one of the highlights at the 16th Erzbergrodeo. „We are really happy that Kimi has taken up this challenge with enthusiasm. Our spectators will have the outstanding possibility to witness the ultimate comparison of a high-tech Rallye car versus the ultralight and powerful Enduro motorcycle.“, says Katoch.

Räikkönen will be the first to attack the Iron Road Prologue’s 13 kilometer long gravel track with his more than 300 hp strong Citroen C4 WRC car. The 2007 Formula-1 World Champion has recently changed from his Ferrari cockpit into the highly competitive WRC Rallye Championship for 2010 and is currently ranked 10th place overall after 4 rounds. It’s more than obvoius that the blazingly fast Finn will arrive well prepared and fully loaded at Erzbergrodeo!

After Kimi’s dust has settled, Taddy Blazusiak will fire up his KTM 250 EXC and head towards the Erzberg’s summit to beat Kimis time. Not an easy task at all - but even though Räikkönen has way more horsepower under his wheels, Blazusiak will have the advantage of the ultralight and better handling of his motorbike on his side. The KTM can reach a high speed of 140 km/h and more on the wide gravel road and can go faster through the Prologue’s numerous hairpins.

No matter, who’s gonna win this challenge in the end – one thing is absolutely for sure: Motorsports fans from both sides can look forward to breathtaking drifts and astounding action at the Erzbergrodeo XVI.

Kimi Raikkonen takes delivery of his KTM 250 SX-F

Raikkonen is now the proud owner of a KTM 250 SX-F.
Kimi (Iceman) Raikkonen is no stranger to the excitement of high-tech motorised machinery and the thrill and success it can deliver on the world’s elite racing circuits. The 2007 Formula One World Champion and World Rally Championship driver has now added another racing machine to his collection. Raikkonen is the proud owner of a KTM 250 SX-F so he can look forward to some speedy offroad action in the future. Kimi, who certainly shares the KTM “Ready to Race” philosophy, is of course also a very welcome new member of the international Orange Family.

Source: Erzbergrodeo.at(English version)

Courtesy: miezicat

RÄIKKÖNEN'S SABOTEUR FINALLY TO COURT

MTV3 12.05.2010

Ferrari's former head mechanic Nigel Stepney was today in court for his sabotage three years ago, ANSA -news agency tells.

They suspect Stepney put some white powder in Kimi Räikkönen's and Felipe Massa's car tanks six days before Monaco GP 2007.

The powder they found from the fuel tanks was the same they found in Stepney's trousers and it contained vitamins and additional nutrient. If it had been mixed with the fuel it could have caused a DNF or at least bring down the engine revs. They had time to remove it before it caused any damages.

The court is held in Italy in Sassulo which is close to Maranello. Stepney wasn't present.

Stepney got angry at Ferrari because he wasn't promoted after Ross Brawn left the team. Stepney also gave Ferrari-car's drawings to McLaren's head engineer Mike Coughlan and created a huge spy scandal.

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Nicole

KIMI NEEDED TRUST

Andrea Stella misses the Finn's straightforwardness

Andrea Stella has seen the gestures of three different world champions. First he worked with Michael Schumacher. After that Kimi Räikkönen listened to Stella's orders and now Fernando Alonso has to follow the Italian's will.

Stella doesn't give a dominating image of himself. On the contrary, the man who talks quietly is one of the most liked persons on the paddock. The 39-year old race engineer had to adjust his style heavily between Schumi and Räikkönen.

- Kimi wanted as little information as possible. He only wanted to hear the most essential and the style had to be simple. You couldn't mix it with any feelings, Stella remembers in El Pais -magazine's interview.

- Schumacher again loved to analyse everything. He wanted to know why something had happened or what was behind each mistake.

Stella is the person who's voice you hear guiding in the television, Alonso at the moment. Last year he still had the communication connection with Räikkönen.

- I had to convey confidence to Kimi: the feeling that I trusted him completely.

Stella is an engineer specialised in airplanes so it's only natural that he is an expert in aerodynamics. In his current position he also has to take responsibility for the strategic aspect of races.

- In my work I try to offer the driver the best possibilities to bring out his own skills, Stella says to the Spanish paper.

Every now and then he gets to hear anger. The top professionals aren't always the most grateful workmates.

- Shut up , I don't want to hear anything about it, Alonso shouted in front of the whole tv-audience when Stella warned him that Lewis Hamilton is getting closer in Australia GP.

Source: Iltalehti (paper edition)
Courtesy: Nicole

ASTONISHING DIFFERENCE

Turun Sanomat 08.5 2010

Traditionally Catalonia Grand Prix -track separates the teams. The strenghts and weaknesses in the cars become very specifically clear on this track.

We already knew beforehand that Adrian Newey's car would have an excellent aerodynamic grip and that it is in it's own class when it comes to downforce. After Saturday quali we also know that the mechanic grip is on the best level.

The difference to McLaren's Lewis Hamilton was almost nine tenths. When you take into consideration that the Brit made a top lap you can start talking about a one second lead.

Newey has not wanted to copy other's inventions in the middle of the season and it looks more and more that Red Bull doesn't even need McLaren's F-Duct. What if the car had one working perfectly? Red Bull would disappear into the horisont from the others.

It's quiet on the rumour-side. Lately they haven't been whispering about rally driver Kimi Räikkönen's comeback inside Red Bull and especially not in the camp of reporters.

F1-media is so closed that half of the gang doesn't seem to follow rally at all. And the team managers don't seem to have a clue about rally-matters.

When Stefano Domenicali came to say hello I said to him that isn't it quite special that Räikkönen has after four rallies more championship-points than Michael Schumacher has after four GP-races.

– Really? Domenicali said - and told that he had just talked with Kimi on the phone.

It is obvious that on Sunday Schumacher will pass his rally colleague in points.

Source: Turun Sanomat
Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi ends contract with the sponsor TAG Heuer

Rallydriver Kimi Räikkönen's market value isn't as high as the F1-driver Kimi Räikkönen's market value is on the international sponsor-fields. He was for 8 years TAG Heuer's "face" but when Räikkönen left F1 his sponsor-contract was ended.

- Our brand is focused on F1 but Kimi will still remain as our friend, Sponsorship Manager Yann de la Fouchardière from TAG Heuer says.

- TAG Heuer's and Kimi's contract wasn't terminated because of any problems, Dan Taavitsainen from TAG Heuer says and ends the wild paddock rumours about the star driver's bad attitude towards his sponsor's needs.

Yet nobody denies that Räikkönen wouldn't have looked quite pissed at times while starring his sponsor events - 15 minutes in his sponsor's guest events have often been 15 minutes too much for Räikkönen.

- Kimi's persona has a lot of attracting features, Taavitsainen reminds and refers to the Iceman's silence that is appreciated as something exotic in Middle Europe whereas in a Finn's eye it's seen as being grumpy.

- Our brand is Formula One and not rally and that's why the contract was ended, Taavitsainen says.

Kimi Räikkönen seems to have dropped from international sponsor-deals of millions to smaller and national sponsor-levels.

His latest supporter is the domestic phone company DNA. They haven't published his contract's financial value but it can't be more than tens of thousand euros.

Working as the 'face' in watch- and sunglass -business meant for Kimi Räikkönen, David Beckham and Brad Pitt over one million euros financial compensation per year.

They still believe in Räikkönen's market value in Maranello. Ferrari's shop is still selling Kimi-stuff with full price although the F1-season starts this week in Bahrain without the silent Iceman.

[NOTE: this news is from the beginning of the season... as you can tell]

Source: Tommi Aitio
Courtesy: Nicole

Hirvonen challenges Räikkönen to race in Helsinki

Mikko Hirvonen and other rally drivers will relax in August in a motor race held in Helsinki's Kalasatama.

There will be a real gathering of champions on the first weekend of August in Helsinki's Kalasatama. Of the WRC top drivers in addition to Ford's Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala also Petter and Henning Solberg and Sebastien Ogier have promised to participate, and so has MotoGP driver Mika Kallio.

Former world champions and other pentioners will be represented by Tommi Mäkinen, Markko Märtin, Juha Kankkunen, Timo Salonen and Markku Alen.

”We're supposed to be driving similar vehicles that were used in China in the race of champions, that is open rear-engine circuit cars, buggys and Legends cars”, Hirvonen, who is one of the organizers, tells STT.

The event, which takes place a week after the WRC rally in Jyväskylä, will climax on a final driven on Sunday. Sebastien Loeb, who leads the championship, is too busy to take part in the event but Kimi Räikkönen's participation is possible.

”An invitation has been sent but we still haven't got a reply”, says Hirvonen.

Hirvonen was in Helsinki on Wednesday to present the event and he will immediately head to New Zealand where the fifth WRC rally of the season will be driven in a week.

Hirvonen is third in the WRC series, 41 points behind the leader Loeb.

Source: Helsingin Sanomat
Courtesy: Dracena and Moominpappa

Raikkonen still not ruling out F1 return

Kimi Raikkonen insists he still has not made a decision about returning to Formula One in 2011.

After agreeing to end his Ferrari contract a year early late in 2009, the Finn signed on with Red Bull and Citroen and then endured a difficult and crash-laden start to his new career in the World Rally Championship.

But early this month in Jordan, 30-year-old Raikkonen became the first driver since Carlos Reutemann to score points in both F1 and world rallying.

And then shortly after declaring he is not missing Formula One, he finished less than 7 minutes behind winner Sebastien Loeb in Turkey for fifth place.

But when asked if his recent results make it more likely he will stick with rallying in 2011, Raikkonen told Turun Sanomat newspaper: "It has not turned in any direction.

"There is no rush for me to make decisions. We'll have to see what are the possibilities and what for me is the most interesting -- what I enjoy the most and what it is I most want to do," he added.

"We will see at a point some time later this year," said Raikkonen.

Famously not fond of F1's off-track activities and pressures, and ruing the lost days of characters like James Hunt, Raikkonen's observers agree that he seems happier in the rallying world.

"If the F1 world could go back 20 years, it would be the same as rallying now," he said. "It (rallying) is still professional but in just a bit more of a relaxed style."

Source: Motosport

KIMI: I'VE NEVER BEEN INTERESTED IN OTHER PEOPLE'S OPINIONS

Kimi Räikkönen visited his sponsor's event in Finland where they showed the Iceman DNA-commercial.

Kimi's unique sponsor-event brought a handful of media people and a full hall of eager DNA-partners who got to see Finland's most famous celebrity in flesh.

Kimi was in a good mood and he answered with a smile to Anette Latva-Piikkilä's questions. He also compared himself to other f1-drivers and pondered what made him different from other talented drivers.

– Of course there's a lot of things, everyone is a different person. Of course a lot depends on who looks and who thinks whatever but I have never thought about what they think about me. And I haven't been interested in what they do, I've always tried to do just my own thing, Kimi revealed.

According to Kimi this strategy has always worked for him but the same recipe isn't necessarily the right one for others. Kimi reminded that a good car makes a big difference when thinking of success.

– You have to have a good car and a good team. The top drivers are yet quite even although there might be some small differences in some things. But the top drivers don't differ much from each other if you would put them in the same car, Kimi confessed.

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Nicole

FANTASTIC, KIMI!

by Marcus Grönholm

Here we go again.

Let's catch Kimi Räikkönen first, he was definitely the biggest Finnish name in Turkey Rally.

Success in the WRC-serie doesn't come at once - not even if you would have won everything possible in the lower series. Not to talk about how difficult succeeding is for a driver who hasn't rallied before. Kimi's 5th position in Turkey was a really tough achievement, for real.

Okay, over five minutes to the lead but let's forget about the minutes. The most important was the position. Now Kimi has found the real deal, now he had the touch. Great.

5th position gave Kimi credability and selfconfidence which will take him further again. Turkey rally proved that he is on the right road. The journey to the top has began.

Kimi has improved in listening to the notes and he has also learned to know better his Citroen. That's why he has the guts to put the foot on the pedal more down.

In the future the most important thing for him is to have the calmness to learn. He has to have the energy to constantly battle so that he grows into succes in rally too. The time for winning, which he got used to in F1, comes later.

Apart from that nothing new and wondrous happened in Turkey. The rally was won by - surprise, surprise - Sebastien Loeb, has anyone ever heard of the man? Oh well, it looks like it's going to be this again from race to race. Citroen and Loeb leading while the others whine.

There hasn't been any real battle for victory. When it was time for it Loeb came in his own pace and made winning look ridiculously easy. Unbelievable.

Mikko Hirvonen came with his Ford in a pace that was okay but I'm sure he is still gutted over hitting a stone. Of course the battle hasn't been decided yet but in the next races Mikko's difference in points to Loeb shouldn't grow over 40. Otherwise the battle will calm down remarkably and then nobody has the energy to get excited about the races.

But it's good that Mikko is attacking by taking risks and that he went flat out for the victory. I myself am of this opinion because during my own career I found the optimal driving style through numerous drivings off the road. But that's how it is, Loeb is conquered only by taking risks, you won't win him otherwise. And because you get 25 points for each victory the importance of winning is big.

I'm sure Malcom Wilson from Ford wasn't satisfied when Jari-Matti Latvala rolled. Okay, same as with Mikko, these things happen sometimes when you drive on the limit. One has to remember that Jari-Matti has drove three even races before this.

Wilson must be gutted over Citroen being on top again when it comes to the manufacturer-battle. The French team has now four competitive cars and drivers, Ford has only two.

Ford has to show what they are made of in the next races. The current level isn't enough.

Source: Iltalehti.fi
Courtesy: Nicole