Video: Kimi Räikkönen SS22 Power Stage at Neste Oil Rally Finland 2011

Source: Rai 2

Kimi Räikkönen Press Conference at Neste Oil Rally Finland 2011

Kimi Räikkönen during Press Conference today in Jyväskylä at Neste Oil Rally Finland 2011

Q: Kimi this will be your third attempt at Rally Finland, the second time in a WRC car – what is the aim this year?

KR: I think it’s the same than all the other rallies; we try to drive as fast as we can and hopefully improve. I know some stages a bit now, but last year was like the first time again and tomorrow is new stages, which will be difficult again. It’s good, it’s nice and fast, we’ll see how the pace notes go.

Q: What do you think of the stages in the south?

KR: Of course they are a little bit different, but there are fast places and some smaller roads – they are nice stages.

Q: Do you feel you have clicked in WRC yet?

KR: We have improved a lot, it feels more normal sometimes. When you get above a certain level it becomes normal. The pace notes, this is the area where we can pick up a lot of time.

Q: Are you still enjoying it?

KR: I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t.

Q: Will you stick with just rally this year or will there be more racing?

KR: The plan is to do the rest of the rallies, the other things, there’s nothing planned.

Q: Do you know anything about next year yet?

KR: No. Not yet. There are some options, but I have to decide.

Q: When do you make that decision?

KR: No idea.

Source: FIA
Courtesy: momo

Solberg and Räikkönen ready for Rally Finland

Citroën Racing Technologies will provide two Citroën DS3 WRCs for Norwegian Petter Solberg and Finn Kimi Räikkönen for the Neste Oil Rally Finland, the eighth round of the FIA World Rally Championship. The two Scandinavians will be among the crowd’s favourites in what is one of the most famous events in the WRC.

Petter Solberg, currently in the top 5 in the Drivers’ World Championship title chase, will be one of the most experienced drivers at the start of this event. In 169 WRC outings it will be his thirteenth outing in Rally Finland. It is also the rally that Kimi Räikkönen knows best as he has competed in the last two events in 2009-10.

The two drivers each spent two days at the wheel of the Citroën DS3 WRC on terrain similar to that of Rally Finland to prepare for this round. “We worked in similar conditions to those of a works team,” said Benoit Nogier, the Citroën Racing Technologies team principal. “There was a combination of humps and wide, quick sections. The roads were comparable to the ones we’ll race on next week.”

“Our drivers were a bit worried about how the car would handle at very high speed. This test session has reassured them about the balance of the DS3 R3. Petter Solberg was very happy with our setup. We did a good job to help him start Rally Finland as a potential victory contender. The fact that he’s got to grips with the car means that he can tackle this rally in a confident frame of mind.”

Kimi Räikkönen will start his long Finnish week on Sunday 24th July with the Red Bull Road Show in Helsinki with Sébastien Loeb.

“Kimi loves his country and his rally,” insisted Benoît Nogier. “He really enjoyed his two-day test and he got the car to handle to his liking. He has a logical approach. He was his usual self, did not get excited and kept his unflappable calm. The road-show will help him to immerse himself in the ambiance of the rally. We hope he’ll drive a consistent race and close the gap to the front-runners.”

Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson are currently lying fifth in the world championship with 73 points. Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström are eighth with 24 points from four events. In the manufacturers’ classification the Petter Solberg World Rally Team is fourth in front of ICE1 Racing in fifth place.

Source: Citroën