Räikkönen still knows F1 as his own sport

Kimi Räikkönen comes back to Formula 1 after spending two years in WRC. Lotus-Renault – to be named Lotus in 2012 – announced Tuesday morning the two-year deal with Räikkönen.

– I felt fine in WRC, too. But all the time I have missing racing. The longer you stay away from it, the more you miss it. It’s good time to come back. Obviously, it’s still F1 and I have been doing it one third of my life time, already, says Räikkönen to Turun Sanomat.

October 17th Räikkönen became 32 years of age. From 2001 to 2009 Räikkönen had 156 Grands Prix with Sauber, McLaren and Ferrari. He is the world championship with Ferrari from the super exciting season 2007 and he is the last driver, who has brought to championship to Maranello.

Räikkönen has won 18 times and been on the podium 62 times. He has 16 pole positions in his merit list and he has started the GP 31 times from the first row.

The comeback of Räikkönen makes history to F1. First time ever in the season 2012 there will be six world champions racing against each other.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

"Räikkönen drove completely reasonable times"

They believe that Kimi Räikkönen's rallying career is over for now when he is seriously negotiating about a comeback to F1. Kimi drove in WRC for only two seasons but the difference to the top has been several minutes. His best result is Rally Turkey in 2010 when he came in 5th.

SWRC-serie's world champion from this year, Juho Hänninen with Skoda, was often faster than Räikkönen although Räikkönen drove in a class higher with a WRC-car. Still Hänninen thinks that Räikkönen's performances in rally were good.

- I think that it was a realistic result. Maybe the majority expected more and I bet Kimi himself also expected more, however Kimi realised pretty quickly that it isn't that easy. Still he made good times especially when driving a stage for the second time since he remembered them better. That's when he drove completely reasonable times, Hänninen told Sport Content.

Hänninen reminded that rallying requires a lot of training and that it takes several years to develop into a top driver.

- Nobody can succeed in this without practice, Hänninen said.

Source: elisa.net
Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen still has hunger for rally

How is it Kimi Räikkönen, would it be time for podiums next year if your career would happen to continue in WRC?

- The top of five goes fast but I guess I would develop if I would still drive for one more season. It's difficult to say what results I would achieve. I guess the level would go up and the speed would go forward, Räikkönen speculated in the service park in Builth Wells.

- We have improved all the time. It's important. If I would want to drive the same speed as the top, then I would have to test a lot and drive all the time. Yet we haven't gone into this so that we would be driving with the taste of blood in the mouth, Räikkönen reminds.

- I do everything I can but I have to know myself where we are. It's not wise to go and do something stupid, Räikkönen describes his rally speed.

No disappointment, own fault

- Muddy braking in downhill, from where the car slided into a soft bank. The driving line was wide and there was too much mud, Räikkönen thinks.

Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström got the car back on the road with the help of spectators, but the journey ended quickly. The power transmission got too severe hits in the off, so it wasn't possible to continue.

- It doesn't disappoint me, my own fault, Räikkönen said.

Nothing new from F1

-There are no contracts or plans for next season, Räikkönen says.

Then is it possible that your career continues in rally next season?

-Of course. I have enjoyed myself here.

MTV3-STT

Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen and Solberg retire in Wales

Kimi Räikkönen and Petter Solberg won't take any further part on Wales Rally GB following their exits from the world championship finale this morning

Räikkönen suffered a light roll in his Citroen DS3 WRC on the opening Hafren test, while Solberg stopped prior to the run when a broken fuel pipe ignited a small fire in his similar Citroen.

Ex-Formula One world champion Räikkönen and co-driver Kaj Lindström, who were sixth overall prior to their exit, managed to regain the road after the roll following the intervention of a number of spectators. However, the damage sustained meant they failed to complete the 32.14.kilometre test.

Solberg had started day three in a fight with Mads Ostberg for the final podium spot. His team manager Ken Rees said: “The fuel pipe was broken in the engine bay, which started a small fire. Petter and Chris managed to put it out but they won’t be going any further. It’s very disappointing.”

Source: WRC

Räikkönen: We have had negotiations

Kimi Räikkönen says that he doesn't have a contract to F1 for next season, although he has negotiated over it.

- We have talked with them (Williams) but I don't have any contract one way or another. Nothing has changed, Räikkönen said.

Räikkönen's shakedown in Wales could be his last if his job continues in F1. If this happens, then Räikkönen leaves WRC in a good mood.

- It has been fun and we have improved when comparing to where we started from, Räikkönen estimated.

- I didn't expect anything from it although I always tried to drive as well as I could. Sometimes the results were better, sometimes worse, Räikkönen says about his WRC-rallies.

If Räikkönen's Citroen changes next season into Williams F1-car, then the change is smaller in Räikkönen's eyes than it was when he came to rally.

- It's a thing that I've been doing for the most part of my life. It's much more challenging to try something else, Räikkönen said about F1.

Räikkönen isn't swayed by the flexible rear wings and the couple new tracks in F1.

- From what you see in the television they haven't changed much. The biggest differences are in the tyres, Räikkönen estimated F1.

One heck of a talent

Kaj Lindström would like to see Räikkönen in WRC also in the future.

- He makes his own decisions but it would be interesting to see how far Räikkönen can go in rally, Lindström says.

- He can't develop his skills other than by driving. Kimi is one heck of a talent when it comes to steering the car. It just comes out of somewhere all by itself, Lindström says.

- I said already in the beginning that this is a four-year project if he wants to go to the top. The first developing steps are long but after that the steps are smaller.

Source: Iltalehti
Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi pissed off his mechanics - don't come to Wales

The remaining rallies have been pure tar drinking for Kimi Räikkönen.

In France his rally ended after crashing with Henning Solberg on the transition route before SS3.

In Spain Räikkönen's rally didn't go any further because the car lost 16 liters of fuel on the road.

In both cases Räikkönen had lost the game of battling in the lead where he could well have been with an unbroken car since both rallies were on tarmac.

However the man wasn't interested in continuining with super rally although the mechanics worked to get his car fixed. Hence no wonder that the mechanics who worked to one o'clock in the morning presented Räikkönen their modest wish: don't come to Wales!

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi Räikkönen confirmed his return to Formula 1

Kimi Räikkönen confirmed his return to Formula 1 next season aboard a Williams. Maldonado will be his teammate.

After two seasons out of Formula 1, Kimi Räikkönen announced his return to the category with the Williams team after its passage without success by the World Rally Championship.

The "Iceman" share team with Pastor Maldonado, who will continue as a pilot in 2012. Ruben Barrichello who would abandon the traditional structure of the "maximum".

In addition, Williams has not only closed its link with the former world champion, but with the arrival of Kimi has made an agreement with a leading Arabic would provide financial support for three years.

Source: Mapuchito.com
Courtesy: luieluv

A clean track

It's a pleasure to follow Sebastien Loeb's driving on the most authentic tarmac roads in Spain. He takes so perfectly advantage of the road and doesn't go through the ditches.

Loeb doesn't have to cut the corners anymore because his trust in the car is so solid. Compared to cutters Loeb takes the corner more slowly but he comes out of them the fastest of all.

That's how the differences are born.

A clean tarmac is a great champion's label.

Jari-Matti Latvala has progressed remarkably on tarmac, but the road behind him is still left with stones and trash when Ford's aggressive Finn cuts the corners with a grin on his face.

Latvala's best pleasure was ruined by the last stage on the dark dusting road.

The insane stage ruined the leading position Latvala had so brilliantly built up and he became the chaser on tarmac. As a chaser you can't put pressure on Loeb. The only advantage is that you get to drive right after Loeb when the road is cleanest.

Kimi Räikkönen didn't this time either experience the season's best tarmac roads. They fixed the car late in the night but Räikkönen decided not to continue.

It pretty much looks like Räikkönen's rally career stops this season. At least he isn't looking for more experience at the moment.

Räikkönen shares premises with Petter Solberg. Even Solberg's rally ended short. Like Räikkönen, Solberg's WRC-rallies seem to come to an end also.

I heard that the negotiations about Solberg going to Volkswagen have ended. Solberg outpriced himself from those markets. I doubt he is interested anymore to continue next year with his own private team, since he has had to pay for the last two rallies from his own pockets.

Turun Sanomat, Salou

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole

Video: Kimi Räikkönen retires Day 1 WRC Rally Spain 2011 engine failure

Source: Formula1Arab

Räikkönen had a fuming shakedown

Rally driver Kimi Räikkönen turned 32 years old on Monday. No party was held then - and it looks like there are no party to expect in this WRC-rally either.

ICE1 Racing -team's Citroen didn't go as Räikkönen wished in shakedown and that showed right away on Kimi's face. His good mood went away just like that.

It didn't help at all although the loyal fans had brought a big bluewhite banderoll on the spot wishing him happy birthday both in Finnish and in English.

Räikkönen got only the 16th fastest time in Thursday morning's shakedown - everyone who should have been behind him were in front of him.

However Thursdays was more filled with hope for Räikkönen than a year ago in Spain. Back then Räikkönen's Citroen slipped off the road right when shakedown began and Kimi and his background forces left for home immediately.

Notes on Friday's gravel part revealed the same as Thursday's drive - the road is slippery and unexpected. The last stage will be during darkness and that's when the risk is dust, that weakens the visibility even more.

The last gravel rally for Räikkönen was in Jyväskylä at the end of July, hence getting used to this surface will once again take more time especially since the test for Spain was cancelled.

Turun Sanomat, Salou
Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi: Sebastien is harder to beat than Sebastian

According to privateer Citroën driver (and former Grand Prix title-holder) Kimi Räikkönen, it’s harder to beat Sebastien Loeb than newly-crowned two-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel.

On paper, Loeb looks like he’s got the edge, with seven titles to Vettel’s mere two, but according to Räikkönen, there’s a lot more to it than that.

“In rally the cars are closer,” said the 2007 Formula One champion, now in his second year of rallying. “It’s not so much different whether you have a Citroen, a Ford or a Mini. In F1 you can have three seconds between two cars; and however good you are you are you will never get that difference back just by driving. So if you are in the best car, you’re much more likely to win.”

So according to Räikkönen, rallying is more of a meritocracy when it comes to driver talent. He knows he can’t beat Loeb through bitter experience, but could he beat Vettel?

“I think Sebastien Loeb could go just as fast in my car as in his own car,” said the Finn. “But if you’re not in the same car in F1 you never know, because the car makes such a difference. And Vettel’s car is certainly good. So it’s hard to answer the question. Although I have beaten Vettel in the past but not Loeb…”

Source: MaxRally

Why Räikkönen retired of Rally?

Doesn't Räikkönen want to learn routes for next season when not continuing the rally - or is he leaving WRC?

- It depends a lot on what I do. That will I drive anything next year, Räikkönen said to MTV3.

He trashes the information from Autosport about him being close to a deal with Williams.

- They, just like the other medias have written what they have written. Actually it's all the same what I say myself, it doesn't change much anything. Lets see what happens in the future.

So the next question was if Räikkönen rather races or is a team manager.

- I like to race. That's what I have done. Let see later on, Räikkönen said.

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi's Column: Refreshed to France

It was a six weeks’ break for me. It was a really refreshing time. Obviously six weeks without driving gives you such a desire to come back to the car and really go for it again.

I have such a relaxed and nice feeling to have this rally. Let’s hope this feeling helps us to a good result, too.

Last week we tested the car with Kaj Lindström in France. It was one day without any problems. Everything went well and it was just great to go fast with WRC car on those roads.

Obviously, I’ve got the proper touch to the car on tarmac. Most of all I enjoyed the nice feeling I’ve got in the car. More or less we are ready for the tricky challenge this weekend offers.

Well, I had a break, but it didn’t mean just chilling out. I’ve done consistent physical training in the meanwhile and I really feel good.

Last year back in Rallye de France it was wet and dirty most of the time. It didn’t feel that much like a tarmac challenge. It was more like a question to survive and keep the car safely on those roads. Cutting the corners was happening all over the place. Doing that made the roads very, very slippery.

We have managed to improve our performances in every rally this season compared to our debut year. Obviously, that is the target in Rallye de France, too. While it goes according to our plan, we should get a fistful of some nice points again.

Now we’ve done the pace notes. It’s time start. The target is the same like always: to get quickly to the good rhytm and then try to get every stage right without any major mistakes. By clinching it, you finish this rally with a good result as well, I presume.

The car is now at its best. This is now the start for the last period of this season. There are three rallies left to get the job done well.

So far the season has been ok. The rally is difficult, but every time you gain some more experience. for sure, we have not been going backwards!

Source: KIMIRAIKKONEN.COM
Courtesy: _TaniaS_

Why would Kimi want to come back?

Kimi Räikkönen could still earn more in F1 than anywhere else. IS brings up 5 reasons why Räikkönen could be interested in a comeback.

1. MONEY

Räikkönen is a wealthy man. He wants to drive but he doesn't want to fund his own driving anymore. Yet that is the situation he has got himself into.

Räikkönen has had to pay largely from his own wallet for this year's WRC-rallies. Red Bull's sponsor support has decreased significantly. If he would drive for Williams then he could still get at least 5-10 million euros salary incomes per year. Williams probably tries to make a deal with Räikkönen where the bonus for points is big.

2. MOTIVATION

Many wonder why Räikkönen would want to return to F1 with a car that most likely can't fight for podium positions. Yet he has during the last couple of years got used to the idea that he can enjoy driving although he isn't driving for victory.

Räikkönen could start next season with Williams-Renault without big expectations and take his time to get used to the new tyres, the DRS and other tehcnical novelties. Williams could be a brilliant stepping stone to get into some top team in season 2013.

Mark Webber for example will most likely leave a vacant seat after next season.

3. TEAM

Williams is no longer a top team but it has great traditions and is one of the most successful teams in F1 of all times. The team is strenghtened by McLaren's former head designer Mike Coughlan who is a familiar man to Räikkönen. Of all midteams Williams surely is much more attractive than Force India for example. In addition to that, Williams is aiming for a wide co-operation with Jaguar. According to rumours Williams and Jaguar is about to start a LeMans -project during the next few years and that would surely also interest Räikkönen.

4. AGE

Räikkönen will be 32 years old in three weeks. Michael Schumacher came back to F1 although he is over 10 years older than Räikkönen is.

If Räikkönen wants he still has many racing seasons left, hence why wouldn't he do what he loves and what he knows best? Still a comeback to F1 is harder the more you have been away from it. After being away for two years a successful comeback is still possible.

5. OTHER GENRES

Räikkönen has now seen what WRC is like. When he left Ferrari he still had a dream of winning the title in WRC also, but not anymore. It would require a lot more training and harder work to get to the top in WRC and it might still not succeed.

Räikkönen has also become familiar with Nascar-circles in two races and he has tested Peugeot's Le Mans -car. He would surely be able to squeeze in a clause to the Williams-contract which would ensure that he could still continue rallying as a hobby.

By Janne Aittoniemi

Source: IS (paper edition)
Courtesy: Nicole

Kimi Räikkönen chases F1 return with Williams in 2012

Former McLaren and Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen could return to Formula 1 next season with Williams

The Finn quit F1 at the end of 2009 to try his hand at world rallying but after two frustrating seasons he has had talks with Williams about joining them for 2012.

BBC Sport understands that Räikkönen is keen to join the team and Williams are weighing up the idea.

Räikkönen, 32, would partner Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado at Williams.

Maldonado is in his first season, but the team's sponsorship with his country's national oil supplier is understood to guarantee him a seat.

The veteran Brazilian Rubens Barrichello is Maldonado's team-mate this season, but his future with the team looks shaky.

The 40-year-old wants to stay on for a 20th season in F1, but sources say Williams are leaning towards not retaining Barrichello.

The Williams team would not comment on the situation.

One potential stumbling block is whether Williams and Räikkönen can come to an agreement on the size of his salary, but the team is hoping that his presence could attract new backers, which could help the move make financial sense.

Williams are having the worst season in their history in 2011 and currently lie ninth in the world championship with only five points.

Only the three teams who were new to F1 in 2010 are beneath them.

But it is believed that Räikkönen is serious about returning to F1 after failing to match the pace of the front-runners in the World Rally Championship and he has few options.

There is no space at any of the top four teams and although Williams are struggling they have strong engineering depth and are restructuring their team and Räikkönen is believed to consider that they are a good option for him.

The Finn left Ferrari at the end of 2009 after the team paid off his contract to make room for Fernando Alonso.

He won the world title for the Italian team in 2007, but his form dipped in the following two seasons and he was beaten by team-mate Felipe Massa.

After making his F1 debut for Sauber in 2001, he won 18 races in five years at McLaren and three at Ferrari.

Source: BBC
Courtesy: luieluv

False information about Kimi is circulating

According to MTV3-site Kimi Räikkönen won't participate in Rally Spain at the end of October. It's not true.

Räikkönen's name is not on the teams' WRC-list FIA has published.

And it shouldn't be there either because only drivers who's teams are racing for WCC-points are on FIA's list.

Räikkönen's name is not on the list because his team ICE 1 Racing has been excluded from the WCC-serie due to a violation of regulations.

Kimi has signed up for Rally Catalynia but ICE 1 Racing won't get any more WCC-points. Yet Räikkönen can still collect driver WC-points.

Janne Aittoniemi

Courtesy: Nicole

Here are Kimi Räikkönen's plans for next season

According to information IS Urheilu has, Kimi Räikkönen is looking after a quite diversified racing program for next season

He is going to drive both rally and track-racing next season also.

If Räikkönen's plans succeed, then his racing program migth also include these famous track-races: Nascar's opening race Daytona 500, legendary formula-race Indianapolis 500 and the classic of endurance races; Le Mans 24 hours.

Räikkönen also wants to continue in WRC where he would drive only for a part of the season, mainly in races taking place in Europe.

Though Räikkönen recently visited Williams F1-factory in UK his comeback to F1 is still highly unlikely.

Räikkönen is however interested in driving one formula race with an IndyCar-car. One of his dreams is to take part in North America's most famous formula race Indianapolis 500, which takes place at the end of May. It remains to be seen if the Indy-start will happen next year already. It might not go well together with his Le Mans -plans.

Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 are USA's most famous car races. They are on oval tracks and Räikkönen already has oval-experience from last spring's Nascar-races.

Räikkönen is also very fascinated by Le Mans 24 hours that takes place in June. In August he was already testing Peugeot’s Le Mans -car on Aragon's track in Spain and he enjoyed that experience very much.

Janne Aittoniemi

Source: Ilta-Sanomat
Courtesy: Nicole

Comment: Could Williams interest Räikkönen?

So Kimi Räikkönen has then visited Williams' F1-team head quarter last week

In F1-circles they see it unlikely that Räikkönen would go to Williams, because the team is only 9th in the WCC-serie and their point score to Red Bull is 5-451.

Kimi has said that he only accepts a seat in a top team. At the moment Williams is not one of them. Could Williams still interest Räikkönen?

Williams is however one of the big names in F1, despite their poor last seasons. The team has won 9 WCCs during their history and only Ferrari has done better, hence representing Williams would be honorable even for a championship-level driver.

A big dealing in the top teams will take place for season 2013, since Felipe Massa's, Michael Schumacher's and Mark Webber's contracts - and most likely also F1-careers - end after next season. Räikkönen would now have a year to restore his racing- and driving-feeling in Williams before a possible top seat. At the same time team managers would see that Räikkönen still is fast and motivated, which would lower the threshold to hire him.

Next season Williams gets similar Renault-engines as Red Bull does, hence at least that area is in order. Williams' new head designer Mike Coughlan worked in McLaren as head designer during Räikkönen's McLaren-years and he could create competitive cars for the Finn. Since Räikkönen's former race engineer Chris Dyer is on the free market after being sacked by Ferrari he could go with Kimi to Williams. It would hence be possible for Räikkönen to put up a team in Williams which he earlier also has succeeded with.

Williams' owners have lately been selling their team's shares to investors through the stock market, so why couldn't it be possible to take care of Räikkönen's salary at least partly through the shareholders, if Kimi would be interested in going to Williams for a longer time as 'his own' team. Räikkönen already has a team in Motocross and WRC.

However Williams is much more than just a F1-team, it's a diversified motorsport-racing company, hence Räikkönen's Ice One Racing –team might be up to something completely different than co-work in F1. For example, Williams designs together with Jaguar a C-X75-supercar, in which Räikkönen could fit in as a testing driver or as a commercial figure.

By Jani Merimaa

Source: MTV3
Courtesy: Nicole

Räikkönen’s team hit with penalty

Kimi Räikkönen's ICE 1 Racing will play no further part in the battle for the World Rally Championship manufacturers' title following its exclusion from the series due to its no show on Rally Australia

The Citroën Racing Technologies-managed operation had contested six rounds of this year’s world championship with Räikkönen at the wheel of a DS3 WRC, scoring manufacturers’ points on each occasion. Heading to Rally Australia, the squad was fifth in the table with 48 points.

ICE 1 had lodged an entry for ex-Formula One world champion Räikkönen and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom for Rally Australia but notified organisers that it wouldn’t be taking part on the Coffs Harbour-based round due to logistical and organisational difficulties. Its failure to take part was in contravention of article 7.3.8 of the WRC’s sporting regulations.

A decision taken by the Rally Australia stewards on Thursday ordered the Finnish-backed team to pay the entry fee to the event organisers and a fine of 16,200 Euros to the FIA, motorsport’s world governing body. It also excluded ICE 1 from the classification of the manufacturers’ championship.

Despite the punishment, Räikkönen is still committed to the WRC with this entry already submitted for round 11, Rally de France Alsace, which takes place from 28 September-2 October. He is also due to contest the rounds in Spain and Great Britain.

Source: WRC

Räikkönen maintained the driver's points

Kimi Räikkönen's ICE1 Racing -team was excluded from the teams WRC-serie on Friday. Räikkönen was 5th in this serie with 48 points

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.

Räikkönen has skipped Australia, Mexico, Sardinia and Argentina. From the remote rallies he has only taken part in Rally Jordan. After Australia he has France, Catalynia and Great-Britain left.

Australia was in Räikkönen's original WRC-schedule but he decided to change his plans after Rally Finland. Instead of a rally trip Kimi has been on a holiday with his wife Jenni.

The hosts in Rally Australia gave Räikkönen a penalty since he didn't show up there to race. The sum is the registration fee (16.200 euros). On top of that FIA gave the driver a penalty of the same amount.

In WRC the racing for Manufacturer's championship is not the same as it is in F1. The price-money is remarkably smaller. That's why even losing the 5th place isn't such a big deal for Räikkönen financially.

What is special is that Räikkönen's one-car -team has more WC-points than the driver has. ICE1 Racing had time to gather 48 points whereas Räikkönen is 8th in the driver's serie with 34 points. The difference is only due to the fact that in some rallies all teams haven't got any WC-points.

The penalty from Rally Australia concerns only the teams WC-serie. Therefore Räikkönen is still 8th in the driver's serie. According to his original plan, Räikkönen will drive normally the three last WRC-rallies in the serie and think after that what he will be doing in 2012.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

Courtesy: Nicole