Räikkönen about his tough year

Now the Finnish superstar is loading again - and arrives to the start line with his own team: There's more to come

The starting position to rally was difficult.

He got critisism for his way of treating media and fans.

And worst of all: His dad and biggest supporter Matti died, only 56 years old.

Kimi Räikkönen's 2010 could have gone better.

– It was a tough year, he says.

Kimi Räikkönen's participation in WRC made both media and fans drool. A real superstar was just what the sport needed and Kimi did his best to live up to the myth.

During Rally Sweden everybody wanted to talk with the former WDC. Hardly anyone succeeded. And that's how it also continued. At the same time things weren't going exactly well in WRC. He was fifth at best in Turkey.

- Obviously there were people who expected us to do miracles already after the first rallies. But there really was no reason to expect more of my rookie-season, Räikkönen said.

After one year Räikkönen comes back to WRC. In a new car (Citroën DS3 WRC) and in an own team, Ice 1 Racing. The name is about his nickname 'Iceman' of course and he is going to have some amount of backing from Citroën.

But just as well there might not have been any rallying for him. Just before Christmas his dad Matti Räikkönen suddenly died. A hard setback for family Räikkönen.

But although all speculations of him taking a sabbatical year, Kimi will be on the starting line in Sweden too.

He will drive 10 rallies, all execpt Argentina, Italy and Mexico and he is counting on some better positions this year. Especially to learn to make better notes.

That was one of his biggest challenges last year.

– During my time in F1 I never wanted the engineers to talk to me on the radio while I was driving. Now it's part of the job. Hopefully I can drive faster when I make better notes, I think that there is most to find, Räikkönen says.

– Of course I thought about F1 last year. But never really seriously, fact is that I didn't miss F1 last season.

And he also thinks that rally is a much tougher challenge.

– Rally is more difficult than F1, especially for me. If you can drive on some of the roads we drove last year, then you can drive everywhere, Kimi said.

Source:Swedish Rallybilaga
Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi Räikkönen: Touching farewell

Matti "Masa" Räikkönen was laid to rest

Formula One driver Kimi Räikkönen's father has already been buried.

Matti Räikkönen died suddenly just before Christmas on 22 December. He died at 56 years old. The sad news hit the Formula One family just in the middle of Christmas preparations.

Räikkönen's blessing was delivered recently and there were only a few fellow men present.

The man's obituary was published on Sunday in Helsingin Sanomat. Kimi or his relatives have not commented on his passing.

The death occurred while Kimi was with his wife Jenni Dahlman-Räikkönen in Finland.

Matti Räikkönen's obituary was published on Sunday in Helsingin Sanomat.

Source: Iltalehti
Courtesy: sleenster

Kimi's late father Matti gave all he got on the behalf of his sons

Thursday, 23.12.2010 at 13.23

Kimi Räikkönen's dad Matti Räikkönen didn't spare himself in supporting his sons's hobby.

The aim of the family was not professional however, it all started as a hobby and progressed on the conditions of Rami and Kimi. The same spirit was also maintained throughout Kimi's whole magnificent career.

- I watched sometimes the dads in karting who were trying to live their dreams through their children. It was sad to see how the dads sweared and shouted at children who failed criticizing them for mistakes. It felt bad that the whole thing lacked fun and good spirit, Matti told Iltalehti in 2008.

- The boys' hobby started by driving in the yard until it resembled a field of potatoes. After that we switched to micro cars.

In the same interview Matti told that that the races in the beginning were far from glamorous.

- Us dads took our sons to karting from for example Stockholm to Lake Garda in Italy. We travelled 2 500 kilometers in a big hurry. We only stopped to go to the toilet. In the beginning we had our own lunches because the food was expensive in gas stations and it took too much time. Drivers took turns.

Kim's extraordinary talents in motorsport became clear early on.

- Kimi would win even if he would drive a scooter, his father summed up during his second national rally in 2009.

At that time he said he had already withdrawn aside from Kimi's career. He told that he concentrates more on the "maintenance guy's jobs".

- For the last few years I've only been in Monaco and Spa. In the past more often. I have so much to do in the garden, he laughed at the time.

Matti Räikkönen was often asked how he deals with the fear that his son's dangerous profession including tough risks causes.

- I don't feel fear but of course I follow every race nervously. Anything can happen. Kimi's car has had problems for five years so I have had to get used to failures, he told.

The father often had to respond to questions about his son's cutting-edge persona.

- I think it is right to stick to authenticity. I think the same way myself: if I'm not good enough as I am then I don't have to be good enough at all, his dad summed up.

IL

Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi's dad was the center of the gang

Kimi Räikkönen's dad Matti Räikkönen, 56, died suddenly on Wednesday

Kikka Kuosmanen who worked as Kimi Räikkönen's publicist for a long time was surprised just like the others when hearing that Matti Räikkönen had suddenly passed away. Kuosmanen has been a close friend to Räikkönen's family for almost 20 years.

- This is a huge sorrow now that it's Christmas. This was a sudden and suprising matter. My condolences to the family, Kikka Kuosmanen said.

- If anyone Matti was a friendly and outgoing person. He was always the center of the gang. It's hard to describe him more at this point because I just heard about his death, Kuosmanen said.


Mika Salo: There would be no Kimi without Matti

- Matti was Kimi's biggest supporter right from the beginning. Without Matti there would be no Kimi. Not many fathers have helped their son as much as Matti has, Mika Salo says.

Salo sends his condolences to Räikkönen's family.

- Matti left too early, Salo says.


Matti Kyllönen sends his condolences to Kimi Räikkönen

Matti Kyllönen was shocked after hearing what happened to Matti Räikkönen.

- A completely shocking news. My deepest condolences to the relatives, Matti Kyllänen said.

He knows that the loss was huge for Kimi Räikkönen.

- They had a particularly warm and close relationship. Father and son were really much in touch with each other.

Kyllönen also thinks with warmth about his own father who passed away a year ago.

- He comes to my mind especially during Christmas. I can only imagine what Kimi is thinking now.

Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi Räikkönen's father died suddenly

Kimi Räikkönen's father had died, 56 years old

Kimi Räikkönen's dad Matti Räikkönen, 56, died suddenly on Wednesday.

The sad news hit the whole big Räikkönen-family who were preparing to spend Christmas.

Kimi Räikkönen has spent a longer time in Finland already.

The family who is crushed by grief doesn't want to comment it in any way.

Riku Kuvaja believes and hopes and the media will respect the relatives' sorrow and pain.

- We got the sad news yesterday, Kuvaja tells Ilta-Sanomat.

- A thing like this especially during Christmas is an extremely tough thing especially for the relatives.

Source: Ilta-Sanomat
Courtesy: Nicole