Thursday, April 1, 2010

Kimi onboard SS6 Rally Jordan



Source: YouTube @Anelise30

Kimi Räikkönen Onboard SS4 in Jordan Rally 2010

Source: YouTube - Courtesy: Essi

A good start for Ogier and Räikkönen in Jordan

The Citroën Junior Team is second at the end of the opening day of the Jordan Rally, thanks to the C4 WRC of Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia. Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström also overcame the first day’s challenges to end up in the top 10 overall.


The opening day’s action was the shortest of the entire rally with 95.70 competitive kilometres, and it provided competitors on the Jordan Rally with a good taste of what was to follow. But no driver was aiming to open up a gap, and neither did anybody want to inherit first place overnight because of the ‘road sweeper’ role that it would entail for day two.

From the first few kilometres, Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia adopted a careful pace. “Maybe I was a bit too careful on the second stage,” said Ogier, who is currently third overall in the World Rally Championship standings. “Nobody is going at their hardest. There’s nothing to win today; it’s just a question of avoiding all the various traps and finding a good position for the rest of the rally.”

Kimi Räikkönen and Kaj Lindström continued their learning curve on roads that were particularly challenging, aiming to accumulate more experience in the car. “The start of the day was quite interesting but we are still here,” said Kimi. “We hit a rock and had a half spin. On a rally that is so specialised, it’s really important to cover all the stages.”

During midday service, the Citroën Junior Team changed the settings on the C4 WRC driven by the Finnish crew to make it easier to drive on the rock-strewn surface. “We saw how important it was to have experience on these roads” added Kimi. “ It was better in the afternoon and our times improved. Now we have to carry on like this over the next couple of days.”

Sébastien Ogier was fourth after the opening special stage and he held onto the place right up to the start of the final stage. The Frenchman finished the test without slowing down – unlike several other drivers – and inherited second place overall. “Our aim was to stay in front of Sebastien Loeb this evening,” he said. “We didn’t take many risks and everybody was just watching everyone else. Tomorrow, we’re going to do everything we can to stay at the front.”

Citroën Junior Team manager Benoit Nogier concluded : “Our goal was to maintain the form we showed in Mexico. Sébastien is continuing at his pace while keeping a comfortable safety margin. Tonight he’s second, not so far behind Latvala and just in front of Loeb. We didn’t operate any particular strategy. Kimi’s objective is to finish the rally without making mistakes. It’s important for him to gain experience. The Jordan Rally is a tricky event and our feeling for it is just beginning to come now. We simply need time. At the end of the first day, I’m very happy.”

Souce: RallyBuzz

WRC Jordan Rally 2010: Drivers down on horse power

Source: WRC

Michael Schumacher Q&A: We'll be more aggressive in qualifying

Although his tenth-place finish at the Australian Grand Prix wasn’t ideal, Mercedes GP’s Michael Schumacher was looking remarkably relaxed in the Sepang paddock on Thursday. Schumacher reviews his Melbourne race and reveals what he plans to change ahead of this weekend’s Malaysian race…

Q: Michael, how frustrating was that first corner in Melbourne for you?
Michael Schumacher: I have been around long enough to know that it’s part of the game. At that moment it was feeling good, and I was thinking there might be a chance of a podium. But not long after that, I was hit. They were difficult conditions, so nobody is to blame. You just get on with the job.

Q: After the race did you complain to Jenson Button?
MS: No, no, I spoke to him about it because I wanted to check what happened, as a colleague. I have to say that he did a superb job in Melbourne that weekend. It was probably the most outstanding performance in that race. It is also fair to say that he had a slightly quicker car.

Q: Could you have stopped earlier to switch to the dry tyres?
MS: Well, we didn’t take that decision. I was not keen at that moment to change, as I thought it was still too risky and too damp, in the first sector in particular. Once we saw what Jenson was doing, we immediately reacted. For sure, it would have helped to make the stop one lap earlier, but the difference made by that lap wasn’t much. It was stopping on the following lap that made a really big difference. I think Webber stayed out for a long time and for sure it didn’t help him either.

Q: If you had a more competitive car, do you think people would still suggest you were a little rusty?
MS: Well, I think I had a good weekend and, from my point of view, maximized what I could do. I was quite happy with my performance. There are limits to what you can do and I drove exactly within those limits. I am not a magician.

Q: Who will be your main competition in Malaysia?
MS: The main competition is very clearly the three teams that are in front of us. You also have Renault, who are quite close. It is our home race, in terms of our very important partner Petronas, and we obviously want to do very well for them and of course for our Malaysian fans. I am really looking forward to having a great weekend.

Q: How much will you focus on setting up the car for a perfect qualifying lap?
MS: That will be one of the major issues here. I’ve probably been a little too conservative in my choice of set-up. In Melbourne I had a good car, and on Saturday morning we made some compromises that weren’t perfect for qualifying. We probably have to approach qualifying a little bit more aggressively.

Q: What do you expect this weekend?
MS: I don’t know what to expect…maybe rain? For sure I’m not hoping for a wet race - especially not the kind of wet that we’ve seen here over the last three days.

Q: Have you improved as a driver over the last two races?
MS: Yes, in Melbourne I didn’t feel rusty any more. My approach towards qualifying was a little too conservative, but otherwise I felt into it. It can only get better from here.

Q: Did you see the conditions last year that led to the race being shortened?
MS: Yes, I was here last year. I was on the pit wall and was jointly responsible for calling our guys in too early to make a switch to the extreme wet tyres, when the conditions didn’t really require it.

Q: Is there a limit to the possibility of racing?
MS: I would say it’s when the safety car runs into trouble trying to stay on the track.

Q: After two races, is there anything you want to change ahead of your third?
MS: My experiences at the last two races - especially in Melbourne - makes me think that we have been a little too conservative with the set-up for qualifying. We had a very good car on Saturday morning, but started to worry that the set-up might be a bit too aggressive for the race. With hindsight, it wasn’t the best decision. So that is something I will do differently here.

Q: You say it’s fun to race, but how long will it stay fun if the results aren’t there?
MS: I have said several times before that even if the situation in regards to results is not as rosy as I would like, racing is still something I really enjoy, And when I look back at the Australian race I have to say that there was nothing I could have done differently or better. It was the maximum for me and I am satisfied by how it went. The question is how fast we are able to develop, compared to our competitors. That is something that has to be seen.

Q: What is your goal for Sunday?
MS: I would say that a podium place is the maximum we can achieve.

Source: Formula1.com

Kimi Raikkonen Red Bull Jordan Rally day one report

Kimi Raikkonen has ambitions to become the next Russell Crowe

KIMI IS NO FOOL ON APRIL 1

With millions of people all over the world playing practical jokes on each other for April Fools' Day, the Jordan Rally was no exception.

So, in the spirit of the day, which of the following 10 statements are true and which are false?

* The youngest ever Pope was just 11 years old
* All zebras are white with black stripes
* The highest earthquake measurement possible on the Richter scale is 10
* John Fitzgerald Kennedy was the first US President to visit China
* Polar bears have white fur
* You can pop popcorn using a mobile phone
* More people are alive today than ever lived
* It takes 43 muscles to frown but only 17 to smile
* The first ship to use the 'SOS' message was the Titanic
* Kimi Raikkonen enjoys dressing up as a gladiator

Any ideas? Answers on a postcard? In actual fact, they are all false apart from the first one and arguably the last one. While the child Pope dates from the 11th century, Kimi Raikkonen's willingness to impersonate a gladiator has only been in evidence from today.

Just before the start of the rally, held in the ancient city of Jerash close to Amman, the WRC drivers all dressed up as gladiators and chariot racers for a photocall. Some were even brave enough to try out the chariots for themselves.

Then it was onto the serious business of the first seven stages, which proved to be a successful outing for Kimi, who ended his day's work in the top 10.

Apart from "do I really have to wear that?" Kimi said the following: "Today was an interesting day...and I don't just mean the costume. I don't remember ever trying that before, but I suppose I am here for some new experiences..."

When it came to driving the car, Kimi was quite a lot more comfortable. "I feel that it's really coming now," he added. "By the end of the day I had a very good feeling, and that's just down to having had more time behind the wheel. I tried a few things and changed a few things, but the most important thing is that we made no big mistakes. We've still got a long way to go but it makes a big difference when you have more confidence and you know the road a bit. I'm hoping that tomorrow will be a bit easier for us too."

Kimi's experienced co-driver Kaj Lindstrom managed to avoid any form of fancy dress throughout the entire day. "Maybe that's one of the advantages of being a co-driver," he said. "I didn't have to wear anything apart from my overalls so maybe it was an even more perfect day for me than it was for Kimi. It's great to have got to the end of the first day with no real problems; now we need to keep it that way for the next two days."

Source: RallyBuzz - Red Bull

RÄIKKÖNEN FOUND SOME SELF-CONFIDENCE

Kimi Räikkönen, who is competing in Citroen's junior team, is 10th and almost four minutes behind the lead after the opening day of the WRC rally in Jordan.

In the special stages he was at best 8th.

- In the morning we hit a rock once and that battered the steering a little bit and then we spinned once. At the day's service brake we adjusted the chassis a little bit because in the afternoon we got to drive on roads which were clean of small rocks. In the afternoon we had good grip and then the driving was easy and I found self-confidence for it.

- Friday's special stages ar a bit easier than the ones we drove now but making it to the finish line is still the only goal.

Janne Tuohino drove out on special stage 4. The car got stuck in a river and Tuohino and his co-driver Markku Tuohino went to collect it after Thursday's spesial stages.

On Friday the the race continues with six special stages, the toughest of which is the 41,45 km long Jordan River which is driven twice. There will most likely be tactics on Friday's last special stage since the ones driving for victory will surely not want to be first on the road on Saturday.

Source: Iltasanomat
Courtesy: Dracaena

Kimi Räikkönen Ceremonial Start in Jordan Rally 2010

Source: YouTube

Jordan Rally stage guides - Friday


On Friday, teams will tackle just six special stages and a total of 138.28 competitive kilometres, but two of those runs are through the punishing 41.45km Jordan River stage - one of the most difficult in the WRC calendar.

After a 0730hrs restart, drivers tackle two identical loops of three stages, split by a 30-minute midday service, before returning to the Dead Sea for the final overnight halt at 1631hrs.

Here are our wrc.com stage notes for Friday's stages. Under the summaries you'll find our list of essential website links to help you follow the rally via our live results service.

SS8/SS11: Suwayman - 10.49km
Unofficially known as the Dead Sea stage, this is officially the lowest sporting venue on earth. Starting at the banks of the Dead Sea which provides a stunning backdrop, the stage runs through the basin of the Jordan Valley and through the world’s lowest land point at 420m below sea level. It’s mostly flat and fast, with a hard surface and not much gravel to clear. There are a few exceptions, however, and the recent rains have left a few muddy sections. There is a particularly sticky patch at the 7.5km point. After that, there are a few short asphalt sections including one 1.2km stretch just before the finish. This year, organisers have added a little chicane here to slow the cars. Generally, there are lots of corners to cut so the cars further down the order might face some big rocks that have been dragged out onto the road.

SS9/SS12: Kafrain. 17.20km
Kafrain features sections which have been run earlier in the rally - so there could be rocks about here. From the start to the 3.5km mark the road runs alongside a dam, then opens onto a high-speed flat section with long, flowing corners. From 3.5km it tightens, gets twisty and goes uphill before the 4.7km point when it starts to flow better and widen until it hits the top of the hill and some tricky crests. Between 9.2km and 10.7km there's a short, sharp downhill section with lots of adverse camber corners which will be very tricky to brake for because of the amount of loose gravel. At 10.7km the road reaches the bottom of the valley and gets tight and twisty again. There's one more uphill section between 12.5km and 14.5km, before a final downhill sprint to the finish.

SS10/SS13: Jordan River. 41.45km
The extraordinary Jordan Rally stage follows the winding path of the river bed and runs adjacent to the border with Israel and through former battle fields. Traditional farming and Bedouin communities are aplenty and at 41kms, it is the longest stage of the rally and one of the longest in the championship. The road flows well for most of its length but it has a very dirty surface, so the first cars will do a lot of sweeping. The first 2.6km are fast and winds between trees - which makes almost all the corners blind. From there to 9.3km it heads though agricultural land - but with trees still lining the right-hand side of the road. Traction is especially tricky here, as the surface is a mixture of some almost completely clean sections and patches of deep gravel. The corners get tighter until the 10.5km mark, when the road dives back between the tress again and there are more blind bends. At 12.6km the road does a good rollercoaster impression as it heads into the Dolomite Hills, with undulating sections and a mixture of slow and high speed corners. It stays fast between 14.5km and 19.6km when it hits the plateau on top of the range and opens up with mainly fast corners mixed with some small crest and dips to throw the cars around. There is a twisty sector between 19.6km and 26.8km where the road is wide but the corners are blind again with big trees on the apexes. From there to the end it gets faster and more hazardous: there are lots of big rocks by the roadside waiting to be dragged on. The final few kilometres are very, very fast.

Source: WRC

WRC Jordan 2010 - Who's Spartacus again?

Source: YouTube

Monsoonal thunderstorm strikes Sepang


With the F1 circus bustling around the Sepang paddock late on Thursday afternoon, the skies opened.

There was thunder, lightening, and reams of driving rain, and similar conditions - rain in the late afternoon after a hot and humid day - have been observed in and around Kuala Lumpur for the past few days.

Moreover, local forecasts say the weather is staying put for the remainder of the week and the weekend, with a particularly high chance of rain around 4pm -- precisely the same time scheduled for qualifying and the race.

"The rain is expected to start around 4pm and normally lasts two hours," said a spokesman of the Malaysian Meteorological Department.

Source: Motorsport.com

Jordan Rally 2010: SS7

Times:

1. S. LOEB 8:00.6
2.J. LATVALA 8:02.3+1.7
3. S. OGIER 8:04.4+2.1
4.M. HIRVONEN 8:06.2+1.8
5.H. SOLBERG8:13.5+7.3
6.M. WILSON8:14.9+1.4
7.F. VILLAGRA 8:24.4+9.5
8.K. RAIKKÖNEN 8:28.0+3.6

Source: WRC

Jordan Rally 2010: SS6

Times:

1. 11 P. SOLBERG 14:17.7 0.0 0.0
2. 4 J. LATVALA 14:19.5 +1.8 +1.8
3. 2 D. SORDO 14:21.9 +2.4 +4.2
4. 1 S. LOEB 14:24.4 +2.5 +6.7
5. 3 M. HIRVONEN 14:24.6 +0.2 +6.9
6. 7 S. OGIER 14:24.8 +0.2 +7.1
7. 6 H. SOLBERG 14:36.4 +11.6 +18.7
8. 5 M. WILSON 14:44.9 +8.5 +27.2
9. 9 F. VILLAGRA 14:58.7 +13.8 +41.0
10. 8 K. RAIKKÖNEN 15:10.1 +11.4 +52.4

Source: WRC

Jordan Rally 2010: SS5

Times:

1.J. LATVALA 6:44.1
2.M. HIRVONEN 6:49.3
3.P. SOLBERG 6:50.0
4. S. LOEB 6:51.6
5.D. SORDO 6:52.8
6.S. OGIER 6:52.9
7. H. SOLBERG 6:55.3
8. M. WILSON 7:00.1
9. F. VILLAGRA 7:03.0
10.K. RAIKKÖNEN 7:11.1

Source: WRC

Jordan Rally 2010: SS4

Times:

P. SOLBERG - 8:16.3
J. LATVALA - 8:18.1
S. LOEB - 8:18.7
D. SORDO - 8:19.3
S. OGIER - .8:20.3
M. HIRVONEN - 8:20.5
H. SOLBERG - 8:28.7
M. WILSON - 8:31.5
F. VILLAGRA - 8:36.5
K. RAIKKONEN - 8:48.5

Source: WRC

Jordan Rally 2010: SS3

Times:

D. SORDO - 14:44.1
P. SOLBERG - 14:49.2
J. LATVALA - 14:50.2
S. OGIER - 14:55.0
M. HIRVONEN - 14:55.3
S. LOEB - 15:00.7
H. SOLBERG - 15:09.2
M. WILSON - 15:16.4
F. VILLAGRA - 15:29.1
K. RAIKKONEN - 15:41.7

Source: WRC

Jordan Rally 2010: SS2

Times:

J. LATVALA - 7:05.2
P. SOLBERG - 7:09.1
D. SORDO - 7:09.5
S. LOEB - 7:09.6
M. HIRVONEN - 7:09.6
S. OGIER - 7:10.8
H. SOLBERG - 7:13.6
P. ANDERSSON - 7:17.0
M. WILSON - 7:18.8
F. VILLAGRA - 7:19.3
K. RAIKKONEN - 7:23.8

Source: WRC

Jordan Rally 2010: SS1

Times:

J. LATVALA - 12:12.1
P. SOLBERG - 12:12.5
D. SORDO - 12:13.1
S.OGIER - 12:13.5
H. SOLBERG - 12:15.7
S. LOEB - 12:17.7
M. WILSON - 12:26.0
M. HIRVONEN - 12:28.2
F. VILLAGRA - 12:28.7
P. ANDERSSON - 12:30.0
K. RAIKKONEN - 12:38.8

Source: WRC