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World Rally Championship

Kinga

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Hello everybody! :)

I'm Kinga and I'm a huge fan of Finnish F1 world champion, Kimi Räikkönen. I started a thread called Formula 1 about 2 years ago. It's a very successful thread with almost 2000 posts. Since Kimi's moving to WRC and I wanna follow him there, I should start a thread for WRC too. To be honest, I don't know anything about rally. I hope there are a lot of WRC fans out there who could help me/us.

Please, join in the conversation. Who is your favourite? Team or driver or co-driver? Why do you like the rally? Have you ever attended a rally event before?

www.wrc.com

The WRC's 2010 calendar:
Sweden
14/02/10
Mexico
07/03/10
Jordan
04/04/10
Turkey
18/04/10
New Zealand
09/05/10
Portugal
30/05/10
Bulgaria
10/07/10
Finland
01/08/10
Germany
22/08/10
Japan
12/09/10
France
03/10/10
Spain
24/10/10
GB
14/11/10
 
Yaayyyy :D LOL

Ok so like Kinga, I follow rally mostly because Kimi went there but I'm also interested in other Finns, Mikko Hirvonen and Jari-Matti Latvala :)

I really hope there's someone who watches rally besides me and Kinga, lol..
 
Haha, Hanna, it seems it will be our thread. Doesn't matter, at least here we can discuss Kimi's rally adventures and also the other Finnish drivers'. I will post videos and pictures later. Also have to search for the rules, etc.
 
Hey! I'm here too. :)

Listen mates. Do you know rally driver Toni Gardemeister? He's my relative. Not very close but still relative.

I don't watch rally. I have watched only one rally race and that was this year's race in Finland. Oh well. If Räikkönen drives, I believe I start watching some more.
 
Evilman said:
Hey! I'm here too. :)

Listen mates. Do you know rally driver Toni Gardemeister? He's my relative. Not very close but still relative.
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Really, cool! I've heard about him.
Evilman said:
I don't watch rally. I have watched only one rally race and that was this year's race in Finland. Oh well. If Räikkönen drives, I believe I start watching some more.
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Same here, except that I have never watched a full race :D I only follow the results from news.. Btw do you know do they even show the rallies on tv here? Is it only the compilation, like in formulas (on MTV3)?
 
Not sure. I think MTV3 Max shows them fully, highlights on MTV3. Not sure but anyway. :D
 
^ Yeah that's what I think too, shame because we don't have max :( Well I have survived without it this far so maybe it'll be fine.. :D
 
WRC unveils TV deal in Scandinavia

The World Rally Championship will be screened in Sweden, Norway and Denmark for the next three years following a deal between the sport's promoter and television station Viasat Motor.
The coverage begins with next year's WRC opener, the Swedish Rally in February.
Viasat Sport Norway's Stian Kleppo said: "The World Rally Championship is epic motorsport with adrenalin-fuelled driving on everything from gravel to snow and ice. It's a perfect addition to the already strong motorsport rights we have.
"With WRC, Formula 1, MotoGP, NASCAR and Indy racing, we are not only offering Sweden and Norway's only dedicated motorsport channel but are also offering the best motorsport content there is."
WRC promoter Simon Long added: "As the World Rally Championship enters an exciting new era it is great news that the championship will reach millions of television viewers in Sweden, Norway and Denmark with Viasat Broadcasting. WRC has a huge following across Scandinavia, home to some of the world's greatest drivers and iconic stages.
"Coming on the back of the exciting announcement that Finnish Kimi Raikkonen will compete in the 2010 championship, it is fantastic that Scandinavian fans will have access to quality coverage of the whole season at a time when one of their region's heroes take to the stage to compete at the pinnacle of rallying."
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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80526

Digital media key to WRC growth

World Rally Championship promoter ISC believes rallying is the ideal sport for the digital media age and that new broadcast technology will be crucial to the sport's growth.
In a presentation at the Motor Sport Business Forum in Monaco today, ISC's Neil Duncanson and Simon Long revealed plans for more access to live on-board footage and service park webcams on the internet, plus high definition and 3D television coverage in the future, as well as a new WRC video game into which live action from the stages could be integrated.
"Only a luddite few still the internet, mobile, social networking and interactive gaming 'new media'. Today it's all just media. We think WRC is tailor made for this next generation," said Duncanson.
"When we began as a TV partner, we created 250 hours of material at every event and used less than 10. We now have the technology to use every second - live, in highlight form, on the internet, mobile, even involving a global gaming audience driving from their homes in real time in a real WRC event."
Long explained that as ISC also provides the WRC's timing and satellite tracking systems, it can transfer live data from the stages to online gaming.
"From September next year we'll be back in the gaming marketplace," he said. "We haven't been there since 2005. For the rally fans, they've been short-changed. There is no definitive rally video game out there right now, so we're going to come back with a bang, delivering the ultimate in off-road racing.
"This will be all of the official cars on all of the official tracks, and because we own and deliver the timing systems and all of the satellite GPRS solutions, we're able to give you the real version of rallying, delivered to your gaming platform.
"The holy grail is to deliver a real, simultaneous live race experience where you'll be able to go after Sebastien Loeb at the same time on the same stage, and compare your performance against his. In addition you'll be able to have his live on-board camera footage integrated into the live game-play experience."
Paul Hembery, motorsport boss of WRC tyre partner Pirelli, believes the video game plans fit well with ISC's ambitions to restructure rallying's feeder series.
"We believe that one day a future champion will come into contact with world rallying for the first time via new media," said Hembery. "We then need to provide a platform for those people to go on in the sport, so once they've touched it and got excited by it, they will then go out in those buggies, start driving the cars, and come through to the top level."
He also pointed out that Colin McRae's highly successful range of video games had massively increased the 1995 world champion's public profile.
"Colin McRae became so famous in America that everyone thought he was Lara Croft - they thought he was virtual, not a real person," Hembery joked.
"That got all of us stakeholders here thinking. We thought, 'hold on, people really like the product, they love playing it'. It is probably the prime motorsport gaming platform for around the world. It's about bringing new people into the sport and getting them to feel rallying, and understand how exciting the sport is."
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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80503

www.wrc.com - interview with Simon Long (ISC) about the future promotion of the World Rally Championship
http://www.rallybuzz.com/simon-long-isc-interview/

And what plans do you have for television?
As ISC we've had around 10 years experience of working with North One Television on the production side, so we've got a product which I think stands the test. WRC TV is now regarded as a quality benchmark but we believe we have to raise the game. The trick is to put the consumer at the heart of the action and to cater to the mainstream rally audience and our rally fans.
Mostly our television programming is a chronological reportage of the event, but in the broadcast universe now there is a proliferation of choice; there's leisure, sport, music, travel, lifestyle and so on. The beauty about rally is that we have content that can tick all of those boxes. In October we'll unveil a new portfolio of sports programming which will offer great WRC coverage to our established fan base but also a broader scope of coverage which is more lifestyle, music and travel oriented.
Right now we have over 200 broadcast partners and the WRC is shown in about 130 countries. We're looking to increase our international edit facilities on rally so broadcasters from around the world can customise the programme to their local audiences. We're looking to increase the quality of our on-board cameras, too. We're working towards a solid state high-definition technology and to get it into more cars.

How about live television coverage from WRC events?
Live television is an ongoing debate. We recognise that to be one of the top sports you have to have a live component. So we are continuing to look at ways to deliver just that. Live could be a Super Special stage, which is a great spectacle on one hand, but we don't think that's the 'real' rally. It could be a part stage, such as the last one, where you can see the winner crowned on the podium, or live could be a series of live elements across the weekend, linking in and out to give a sense of the theatre of the event over the course of a weekend. Viewers could pop in and out on television or via the internet.
But we're not looking at television in isolation. We want to use the internet more and more, and integrate what we're doing on conventional television with what we're doing in the digital space. We foresee more and more of a blurring between our offerings for both. In the long term we see internet with interactive elements and television all coming together. That's the big ambition.

So we can expect to see more content on wrc.com?
There are lots of opportunities. This year the website ran an internet-only stage in Ireland which worked very well. We're testing different formats in terms of quality, logistics and cost and we hope to make the results available on wrc.com or on television. Wrc.com is the playground, if you like. We're looking for the site to become the hub where viewers can come and watch the action from just about any angle. In future that means, quite possibly, more onboards, more live stages and also things like mapping and ways of relating the live splits and timing with a visually live experience. Possibly using webcams at the start and finish of stages, when the cars come into service, live interviews and live vehicle tracking.
The beauty is we have 300 plus hours of content from 12 events this year, so there's a lot of action out there waiting to be unlocked. We're using perhaps six or seven hours of that on each event. There's scope to show all our onboard footage, perhaps as video on demand, and for people to watch only their favourite drivers, events, and access archive material. We want to give users a sense of community and involvement.
Further on the gaming element is something we're extremely keen on. We're having discussions about being able to integrate an 'as live' gaming experience with the rally in real time - and that really will be the 'wow' rally game. As technology and compression rates evolve it's perfectly conceivable within the next couple of years that we'll be able allow the gamer to come in via, lets say, wrc.com through their X-box. They'll be able to compete in their living room live with their favourite driver, and then integrate their performance with the onboards which by then we'd have available as well, and compare their performance against the world's best.
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www.wrc.com

11/12/09

Q&A with Kaj Lindstrom

Having spent the 2002 and 2003 seasons co-driving for multiple champion Tommi Makinen at the Subaru World Rally Team, Kaj Lindstrom knows what it’s like to work in the spotlight. Next year the Finn returns to a full-time WRC drive alongside another superstar - Kimi Raikkonen.

Since 2003, Lindstrom has co-driven for a number of privateer drivers in the WRC, but none as high profile as Raikkonen, who he first partnered on the F1 star's rally debut - the 2009 Finnish championship Arctic Rally.

Since then Lindstrom, 41, has co-driven for Raikkonen on two other non-championship events - Finland's Rally of Mikkeli and the asphalt Rally della Marca in Italy - as well as the WRC Rally Finland.

As he prepares for his return to the WRC at the top level, Lindstrom talked to wrc.com about the challenge ahead.

You last drove a full WRC season in 2003, how does it feel to be coming back at this level?
"It's good to be back, and especially with this kind of driver, when you can see there is potential there. I've driven with many different types of competitor, from 'gentleman' drivers to those wanting to prove their potential. Kimi definitely has the potential to be fast and, as a co-driver, that makes it more interesting to do your work. I'm really looking forward to it now."

You and Kimi are yet to drive the Citroen C4 WRC, when will you get the chance?
"Well, we are planning to test before the Arctic Rally in January, but that hasn't yet been agreed. We are both going to see Citroen Sport in Paris at the beginning of January to do the seat fitting and so on. At that meeting we expect to agree the test dates."

All your rallies together so far have been in a Super 2000 Abarth. How difficult do you think it will be for Kimi to adapt to a World Rally Car?
"It will be different for sure, but whether Kimi will find it difficult I don't know. He's used to a driving a Formula One car which, I would say, is a step higher than any other car. He's used to 700bhp through the rear wheels, so if he can cope with that then dealing with half the power - unfortunately - though four wheels should be okay. Yes, there is a gap between a Group N or Super 2000 car and a World Rally Car, but I don't think it’s a step which will be difficult for him to take."

You've driven with Kimi on snow, tarmac and asphalt. Which of the rallies in 2010 do you think will be toughest for him to adapt to?
"I think they will all be difficult, there no point in saying otherwise, because they will all be new to him. Maybe the hardest will be the rough rallies like Turkey, where he will have to find the limit of the car. He needs to discover just how strong they are, and what they are capable of surviving. There's a limit for Super 2000 and Group N cars beyond which you'll break the car. But it’s a different story with World Rally Cars. Obviously you can break them as well - but not that easily."

And which do you think he'll do best on?
"It's hard to say, but obviously tarmac is the surface that he's most familiar with. I'm really looking forward to sitting with him on those events."
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From Autosprint - Italian newspaper - translated by an Italian Kimi fan:
Ogier, The Teammate
At the Arctic to help Kimi
Revelation of the 2008 season, when he won the Junior Worldchampionship at the debut and impressed in Wales with the WRC. Among the best rookies this year, at the first full job with a WRC, the other Sebastien - Ogier - is the future Raikkonen’s teammate. Excited? "The arrival of Kimi between us is a great thing, good for the rally - said Ogier. And you'll see that he will do well quickly, he can learn in little time. He didn’t win a F1 Worldchampionship by chance. Certainly, he’s not accustomed to the notes, and this will be a problem for him, if not “the” problem. At first I saw him a bit in difficulty, but then he improved quickly.” Will you help him? "For the notes it will be difficult, I can do very little. But about the car adjusting, there won’t be any problems: the Citroen team has all the skills to do any kind of work and give him any suggestion. However, I will stay close to him. Also because it is an honour to have a F1 World Champion in the team. Most likely I will be at the Arctic Rally at end of January to make training for the Rally of Sweden, that will open the World Championship." And to be a wet nurse to the rookie - on WRC - Kimi Raikkonen...

Tommi Mäkinen
"Frankly I am surprised, I thought that he would continue in F1! But he wanted to do the rally, this is his will for a long time, and at the end he did it. I didn’t understand at what level he wants to get, his contract is for one year and I don’t know if it’s enough to reach the top. The rallies are something completely different from what he has done so far. It will be interesting to see what he can do: Kimi is very good, but he doesn’t know the Special Stages. He would need to make more experience with his navigator, should train hard to have the right notes to go to the maximum. Sure, Lindstrom is the right man, but it won’t be easy anyway. Today's rallies are much shorter and tight, with very small gaps. However, I don’t see how Kimi should not succeed even in the rally, if he could beat Hamilton in F1... I'll be in Rovaniemi for his debut with the C4 but then I won't follow him to the races, I'm busy with my team."

Marcus Gronholm
"Big name, Kimi. Good for the rally. He is a pure talent. Of course, it won’t be easy. He can’t learn the Special Stages in a moment. I still believe that he has the right cards to good appear and I see him well, especially on the asphalt. I know he's a silent guy, but I think he will change. I talked to him and he said he is glad, that is one thing he wanted to do. It seems a bit a leap in the dark but in any case the Red Bull brand is both in the rally and in F1...

Mikko Hirvonen
I give him the welcome, I'm happy he comes in the rally. It's a great thing for the category, all media will come and not just the specialized ones. In Finland there is much interest, newspapers and television stations speak about Kimi every day. I don’t know if the first year he will be able to go as we do, it’s too different from F1. But he is focused, and this certainly will help him. I will see better on asphalt than on land, because he has more experience, but I think he wants to go fast everywhere! Sure, it's a bit a leap in the dark, but if it was what he wanted, he was right to do so...
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I was just looking some info about this sport and found out that Loeb has won the championship on the last 7 years. 7 years!!! That is so boring if he wins all the time! I know we should not keep our hopes too high for Kimi yet, obviously he's probably not competing for the championship next year but would'n it be so great if he beat Loeb :D

I know Hirvonen was close this season, so I'm keeping my thumbs up for him next year too.

I couldn't find the calendar anywhere so I took it from Wikipedia :D

RoundDatesRally NameRally HQSupport CategorySurface0114 FebruarySwedish Rally KarlstadPWRC/SWRC & WRC CupIce and snow covered gravel0207 MarchRally Mexico LeónPWRC/SWRC & WRC CupGravel0303 AprilJordan Rally AmmanPWRC/SWRC & WRC CupGravel0418 AprilRally Turkey Istanbul[11]JWRCGravel0509 MayRally New Zealand AucklandPWRC/SWRC & WRC CupGravel and asphalt0630 MayRally de Portugal VilamouraJWRC/SWRC & WRC CupGravel0711 JulyRally Bulgaria BorovetsJWRCAsphalt0831 JulyRally Finland JyväskyläPWRC/SWRC & WRC CupGravel0922 AugustRallye Deutschland TrierJWRC/PWRC/SWRC & WRC CupGravel and asphalt1012 SeptemberRally Japan SapporoPWRC/SWRC & WRC CupGravel1103 OctoberRallye d'Alsace Épinal[12]JWRC/PWRC/SWRC & WRC CupAsphalt1224 OctoberRally Catalunya SalouJWRCAsphalt1314 NovemberWales Rally GB CardiffPWRC/SWRC & WRC CupGravel

And the drivers and teams

TeamConstructorCarTyreDriversCo-drivers Citroën Total World Rally Team[13]CitroënC4 WRCP Sébastien Loeb[14] Daniel Elena[14] Dani Sordo[14] Marc Marti[14] BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team[15]FordFocus RS WRC 09P Mikko Hirvonen[15] Jarmo Lehtinen[15] Jari-Matti Latvala[15] Miikka Anttila[15] Citroën Junior Team[16]CitroënC4 WRCP Sébastien Ogier[16] Julien Ingrassia Kimi Räikkönen[16] Kaj Lindström[17]Major Entries Not Registered as Manufacturers Therminator Rally Team[18]FordFocus RS WRC 09P Marcus Grönholm[18] Timo Rautiainen[18] Matthias Therman[18] TBA

I didn't even know there's so many Finnish drivers! And I didn't know Grönholm comes back!

It's so weird that there's only two teams, F1 is so much different.
 
The One. said:
I didn't even know there's so many Finnish drivers! And I didn't know Grönholm comes back!
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I don't understand I've hard that he will compete only at the Swedish Rally.

The One. said:
It's so weird that there's only two teams, F1 is so much different.
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Yeah, but Loeb is like Schumacher in F1, seven times world champion. I hope Hirvonen wins next year! I know it can't be Kimi, then be it an other Finn! :punk:

I would be glad if Kimi could win some points or it isn't possible to hope for 1 or 2 podium finishes (maybe he would have better chances on tarmac.) Afterall he had so little experience when he entered F1 and he was extremely good since the beginning, it's the same in rally, with very little experience but he could show his potential at Rally Finland. He got big praising from WRC drivers, experts, etc. and he didn't even drive a WRC car!!! He should be even faster with his new car! :)
 
Kinga said:
I don't understand I've hard that he will compete only at the Swedish Rally.
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Oh well that can be true, it says "Major Entries Not Registered as Manufacturers" don't know what that means though but maybe it's that.

Kinga said:
Yeah, but Loeb is like Schumacher in F1, seven times world champion.
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Hopefully "only" 7-time :D But there's only two teams, Citroen and Ford, it's so weird :lol: *edit actually there's three teams but anyway..
 
New year, no Ferrari, new deal...

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Here's the download link to the interview with Kimi from the Red Bulletin. :)
http://www.mediafire.com/file/yqhlztkdz5j/redbulletin.pdf
 
Aww cute pics ^_^ But seariously, Kimi.. he NEEDs to cut that hair asap!!! :lol:
 
FIA's chairman more thrilled about Kimi than Schumi
11.01.2010 15:22

FIA's new chairman Jean Todt thinks Kimi Räikkönen's transfer to WRC-rally is the years most remarkable motorsport-news.

Todt thinks that even 7-time world champion Michael Shcumacher's comeback to F1 doesn't compete with Räikkönen's transfer to rally.

- For me F1-champion Kimi Räikkönen's arrival to WRC-rally is more revolutionary than Michael's comeback! It is a really bold move from him. How competitive is he compared to special men like Sebastien Loeb, Mikko Hirvonen and Dani Sordo? It will be interesting, Todt said in Luxemburg's Quotidien - magazines interview.

Todt has worked as Schumi's team manager in Ferrari and wasn't particularly surprised by the old champion's Mercedes-contract.

- Having fun by driving motor cycles didn't seem to be enough for him, especially when a big team was asking for him. I hope of course that he reaches to top results, Todt said.

MTV3

Gooooo Todt!!!!! :punk: Thank you!!!!!!:clapping:
 
^ Wow that's pretty big news, thanks for posting :) Hope everything will go well for Kimi to make it as revolutionary as possible!
 
Yeah, pretty cool of Todt!! :clapping:

Btw, Kimi was in Versailles yesterday (and today too). As you know the Citroen factory is in Versailles and he was there. A fan at KRS forum from Versailles saw his nose and curls (under a black cap) when they got to a luxury hotel yesterday evening. She was there today at around noon but didn't see anybody and later she got the information that Kimi's left the hotel.:( She wanted to go to the hotel today evening also to wait for Kimi. But, she will go to Rovaniemi to attend the Arctic Lapland Rally!!! :wild: Maybe she would have the chance there to see Kimi!
 
Woooohooooo Kimi's first rally test was yesterday!!! :punk:

Räikkönen completes first Citroen test

Kimi Raikkonen got his World Rally Championship switch underway in earnest on Tuesday when he completed his first test in the Citroen Junior Team C4 WRC that he will use for his maiden full-time rally campaign.
The former Formula 1 world champion completed approximately 50 kilometres of running with the car on a gravel test track at Citroen's workshop at Satory in France.
"I very much enjoyed meeting the team properly for the first time," he said.
"It was good to try out a few different things; I was very interested to see how the car reacted when you changed some of the settings.
"Now I'm really keen to get back behind the wheel of the C4 again."
Raikkonen's first competitive run in the car will come on the Arctic Rally in Finland on 28 January, which he is contesting in preparation for the WRC season opener in Sweden on 12-14 February.
Although he contested several national events and the Finnish round of the WRC last year, his previous rallies have been in Super 2000 cars rather than full-spec WRC machines.
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http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80847

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:clapping::wild::wub:
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I don't like the WRC website, it's too messy!

Räikkönen is not the only driver from world champion series in the Arctic Lapland rally that will be driven on the last weekend of January.

Räikkönen, who drives with the Citroën C4 will be joined by Dani Sordo who drives the same car. The Spanish driver is Sébastien Loeb's teammate in the Citröen's team but in Rovaniemi he will represent Citröen's Junior team. Arctic Lapland rally will open the rally season for 2010. World Cup begins in Sweden in February.

http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/ralli/uutiset.shtml/arkistot/ralli/2010/01/1035103
 
Pictures and a video about Kimi testing the Citroen C4 WRC in Finland. Watch him smiling like a little boy in the candy store in one of the pics. He surely is having a blast. When did you see him smile that much in F1?

http://www.rallybuzz.com/raikkonen-citroen-test-clip/

Can't wait for the weekend! Rami will also take part in the Arctic Rally. Kimi gave him his Fiat Abarth Grande Punto S2000, he will be driving that car. :)

Räikkönens rock! :punk:

Yeah, and Hirvonen won the Monte Carlo (IRC) rally, I've seen footages of it on Eurosport and it was awesome to watch them with on board cameras. They are crazy men, that's sure! :wild:
 
Updated: Raikkonen crashes on Arctic Rally

Finland's 2007 Formula One champion Kimi Raikkonen has crashed on his first competitive event driving for the Citroen Junior World Rally Team.
Raikkonen was placed second overall in the Arctic Lapland Rally when his car left the road and crashed into a tree on the event's second stage, the 23km Aittajärvi.
Kimi and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom were unhurt in the incident, but their C4 World Rally Car sustained damage to its right-hand front corner. With help from spectators the pair eventually got the car back on the road and underway again, but the episode cost them more than 15 minutes on the stage, and more than 20 minutes of penalty time.
The team is hopeful that once the car is repaired in service, Raikkonen will be able to continue in today's competition.
Raikkonen and Lindstrom are tackling the winter event, the opening round of the Finnish championship, as a warm-up before their WRC campaign kicks off in Sweden on 11 February.
It is the first competitive outing for the duo in the Citroen C4 World Rally Car they will campaign this season. However it's not a new event for the pair, who made their rally debut together there in 2009, finishing 13th in a Fiat Abarth Grande Punto S2000.
Before the crash, Raikkonen had got off to a good start. In perfect snowy conditions, and in a temperature of minus 20 degrees Celsius, he recorded the second fastest time though Friday's opening stage, the 11.27km Rantasipi Pohjanhovi / Mäntyvaara. The only man to beat him - by a margin of 5.5sec - was his fellow Citroen C4 driver, Dani Sordo, who is also using the event as a pre-season test.
After two stages, Sordo, now the sole World Rally Car driver in the predominantly Group N field, leads the rally by 26.1sec from the Estonian, Ott Tanak.

http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=6782&desc=Updated:+Raikkonen+crashes+on+Arctic+Rally+

Aww :( :better: The beginning was great though!
 
Kimi made a fan happy

A little rally fan watching the Arctic Rally will always remember January 30th, the day he got Kimi Räikkönen's autograph.
In the freezing weather of Rovaniemi Kimi showed his warm side and made his little fan overjoyed. The little boy went bravely to ask for an autograph to little piece of paper. Kimi opened the window of his car, took the paper and wrote the valuable name on it.
What makes the autograph also special is that Kimi wrote it on his first WRC rally. If the young fan remembers Jan 30th forever as the day he got Kimi's autograph, so does Kimi as the day he drove to the finish line as a WRC driver for the first time.

Pics! http://www.mtv3.fi/ohjelmat/sivusto2008.shtml/viihde/f1_backstage/taustaa_uutiset?1045455 :wub:
 
^^^Yeah, I've seen the pictures. That is a sweet story! Kimi would never ignore a child, I think. He always looks at them with a different kind of face. :) He adores them the very same reason why Michael adored them. Because they are innocent and honest. :)

Kimi could've been 2nd in the whole rally (actually he finished 58.). There was that problem - LOL with the tree, it cost them about 30 minutes + some penalties too. At all the other stages (except only 1 where he finished 3rd) he was 2nd behind Dani Sordo. He was less than 1 second/km slower than Sordo. It's actually quite good. Also Kaj said that it wasn't the fastest they could've gone, they could've gone faster. It was just a test, Kimi said "they could even destroy this car"! LOL So, there isn't any problem just they (mostly Kimi) try to adjust to the rally conditions.

Anyway, Kimi and Kaj still got a trophy because in their category (WRC cars) they finished 2nd. :D The problem is that there were only 3 cars in that category and one of them had to retire. :cheeky:

All in all, Kimi was in a good mood the whole weekend long, he smiled a lot! :) He enjoyes himself that's sure.
 
Loeb gave Räikkönen a drive in Sweden

While Kimi Räikkönen gets to know his WRC car he also got a lesson from a 6-time world champion Sebastien Loeb.
The drivers are preparing themselves for the world cup that is about tobegin next week in Värmland.
After the drive the two men sat in the car for a long time.

- He probably thought that I was slow, Loeb joked.

- You can learn a lot just by sitting and watching what other driver does and how he acts, says Kaj Lindström.

Loeb was testing all day but Räikkönen stayed for only few hours.

876661.jpg

http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/ralli/uutiset.shtml/arkistot/ralli/2010/02/1050930


WRC Rookies 1 - Kimi Raikkonen

There's a new Flying Finn in this year's World Rally Championship, in the shape of former F1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen.
Having decided to put his circuit career on hold for a while, Raikkonen will make his World Rally Car debut next week in Sweden, driving a C4 WRC for the Citroen Junior Rally Team, partnered by co-driver Kaj Lindstrom.
Ahead of him this year is a 12-round programme with the French manufacturer, and the chance to test his skills against the best rally drivers on the planet.
At the launch of the World Rally Championship in Paris on 2 February, Raikkonen talked EXCLUSIVELY to wrc.com about the challenge ahead.
What are your ambitions for the season ahead?
"First of all we have a lot to learn from the rallies, and that's not going to be an easy challenge. We did one rally last weekend [read more here] and it definitely helped us going to Sweden. We'll just take things from there. We need to do our best, learn as quickly as we can and hopefully get some good results."
Will you be disappointed if you don't get a podium this season?
"I don't know, because it's too early to say. Like I said, we need to learn a lot. Hopefully at some point we can be really fast. But at the moment I don't know what to expect."
What are you looking forward to most this season?
"I would say everything, because everything is new and completely different to Formula One. At this stage it's all exciting; it doesn't really matter where we go or what we do, it's a new thing."
What is it about driving a rally car that you find so appealing?
"For me the thrill of driving is all about the challenge. And in rallies there are so many variables - like different conditions, different roads and different surfaces - that there is a big challenge. When you go on a stage, things can change from corner to corner so much and it's just a great feeling to drive the car when it's like that. There are a lot of things you can learn. For instance, in a rally you might have to master three different types of conditions. In Formula One that's not the case."
How do you get faster in a WRC car?
"You need experience and a lot of practise and testing. It takes time but I guess more kilometres will the main key to improvement. Also I need to learn the notes and be able to listen very well. They're the main things."

How does the WRC compare to F1?
"It's a completely different world. The events themselves are different and the people are different. At this launch, with everyone together, there seems to be a more open and easy relationship between the teams and that's one of the very nice things about rally. There is also a sense that the sport is picking up. There have been maybe some difficult times but it looks like everything is turning better and in the next couple of years it should be even more popular that it is now. It's quite strong."
Are you serious about rally?
"Yes. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't serious. Anytime I start something new I want to learn, and try to do the best I can. It's something that's going to be a big challenge and I'm looking forward to it."
Are you looking forward to any rallies in particular?
"In this car everything is new this year. Finland is the only one I know a little bit, so in that way that should be the easiest one, but what I learned there last year is that it's a tricky place. Asphalt rallies will also be nice; I'm looking forward to seeing how the car handles."
What about a return to F1? At what point in the year are you going to have to make that choice about what you do in 2011? "I have set no deadlines on myself. Let's see how things are going. I really enjoy it here now, and if it's like this then maybe I stay or maybe I try something else. I have no plans, no deadlines yet. Let's see what happens."

How does the WRC compare to F1?
"It's a completely different world. The events themselves are different and the people are different. At this launch, with everyone together, there seems to be a more open and easy relationship between the teams and that's one of the very nice things about rally. There is also a sense that the sport is picking up. There have been maybe some difficult times but it looks like everything is turning better and in the next couple of years it should be even more popular that it is now. It's quite strong."
Are you serious about rally?
"Yes. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't serious. Anytime I start something new I want to learn, and try to do the best I can. It's something that's going to be a big challenge and I'm looking forward to it."
Are you looking forward to any rallies in particular?
"In this car everything is new this year. Finland is the only one I know a little bit, so in that way that should be the easiest one, but what I learned there last year is that it's a tricky place. Asphalt rallies will also be nice; I'm looking forward to seeing how the car handles."
What about a return to F1? At what point in the year are you going to have to make that choice about what you do in 2011? "I have set no deadlines on myself. Let's see how things are going. I really enjoy it here now, and if it's like this then maybe I stay or maybe I try something else. I have no plans, no deadlines yet. Let's see what happens."

How does the WRC compare to F1?
"It's a completely different world. The events themselves are different and the people are different. At this launch, with everyone together, there seems to be a more open and easy relationship between the teams and that's one of the very nice things about rally. There is also a sense that the sport is picking up. There have been maybe some difficult times but it looks like everything is turning better and in the next couple of years it should be even more popular that it is now. It's quite strong."
Are you serious about rally?
"Yes. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't serious. Anytime I start something new I want to learn, and try to do the best I can. It's something that's going to be a big challenge and I'm looking forward to it."
Are you looking forward to any rallies in particular?
"In this car everything is new this year. Finland is the only one I know a little bit, so in that way that should be the easiest one, but what I learned there last year is that it's a tricky place. Asphalt rallies will also be nice; I'm looking forward to seeing how the car handles."
What about a return to F1? At what point in the year are you going to have to make that choice about what you do in 2011? "I have set no deadlines on myself. Let's see how things are going. I really enjoy it here now, and if it's like this then maybe I stay or maybe I try something else. I have no plans, no deadlines yet. Let's see what happens."

How does the WRC compare to F1?
"It's a completely different world. The events themselves are different and the people are different. At this launch, with everyone together, there seems to be a more open and easy relationship between the teams and that's one of the very nice things about rally. There is also a sense that the sport is picking up. There have been maybe some difficult times but it looks like everything is turning better and in the next couple of years it should be even more popular that it is now. It's quite strong."
Are you serious about rally?
"Yes. I wouldn't be here if I wasn't serious. Anytime I start something new I want to learn, and try to do the best I can. It's something that's going to be a big challenge and I'm looking forward to it."
Are you looking forward to any rallies in particular?
"In this car everything is new this year. Finland is the only one I know a little bit, so in that way that should be the easiest one, but what I learned there last year is that it's a tricky place. Asphalt rallies will also be nice; I'm looking forward to seeing how the car handles."
What about a return to F1? At what point in the year are you going to have to make that choice about what you do in 2011? "I have set no deadlines on myself. Let's see how things are going. I really enjoy it here now, and if it's like this then maybe I stay or maybe I try something else. I have no plans, no deadlines yet. Let's see what happens."

http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=221&featureid=1868&pageid=2175
 
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I bet you've seen this funny video, Kimi the Iceman, shovelman, snowman:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nedg1nflWqw

:D

And here's my video about Rally Sweden. :) The music choices were obvious, for me at least.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yczxs9diKQk

Kimi did pretty well. Hadn't there been the shoveling he would have been in the points. That would've been fabulous! First ever WRC rally and winning point(s). Maybe next time. He said gravel should be a bit easier. He was 15th in Rally Finland last year (till the crash) with a not so good car and that's an understatement. :smilerolleyes:

Can't wait for rally Mexico! Kimi said in his blog that it would be cool to see Kaj in a sombrero and I asked my friend to give them these hats in advance. I couldn't wait 2 more weeks to see those 2 in sombreros:

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/2848/sombrerowo.jpg

:tease::rofl:
 
Kimi is so cute when he's shoveling the snow.. :D

I hope he has at least one rally this season with no problems at all, so he can show what he really can do!
 
^ I hadn't seen so many of those pics! They don't show the rallys here, I feel like I'm missing everything :( Me likes the music though :wub:

And aww at 5:41 :better:
 
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