Tuesday 30th June 2009

Raikkonen Goes Rallying

2007 F1 champ swaps his Ferrari for a Punto as he prepares to take on Rally Finland

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Raikkonen at work - this time avoiding gravel

Kimi Raikkonen may well be struggling with an uncompetitive Ferrari Formula One car this season, but it seems he's taking his mind off the troubles of his day job with a pastime more typically Finnish - rallying.

Raikkonen has already contested three rallies in a Fiat Punto Abarth S2000 (wonder how he settled on that particular car...) but next month he will drive the Rally Finland, his first WRC event and the first he will have contested on gravel.

Kimi will rally an S2000 Punto similar to this

The Finn's Punto Abarth is prepared by quadruple WRC champion Tommi Makinen and his co-driver will be Makinen's former co-pilot Kaj Lindstrom.

Lindstrom makes no bones about the challenge facing the 2007 F1 world Champion. "The rallies we have done so far have been smaller events, a three-day WRC round is much longer and more intense than those national events," says Lindstrom. "One of the hardest things for Kimi will be the speed of this event. Rally Finland and the roads used are so fast, like nothing we have done before - that does take time."

[Mini1275]

I wonder if he will put more effort in then he does in F1?

[GFWilliams]

It'll be interesting to see how he does

[Matt_]

Are Ferrari not worried about him having a bad crash that could ruin his F1 season? I know I would be.

Awaiting people to quote that and say something about his season already being ruined

Edited by Matt_ on Tuesday 30th June 12:24

[pistolp]

Not sure I would be that happy about that if I was mr montedezemolo, I'd be less bothered if I thought he was commited to the F1 side of things.

Mind you there is little he can be doing to further the F1 effort with the testing ban. I just have little respect for a man that is living the dream of millions, driving for ferrari, being paid 10's of millions every year and looks like he couldn't be bothered less.

Thats a poor effort in my book. Can't say I'm not envious though

[mybrainhurts]

About time, too...

Remember Graham Hill and Jim Clark on the RAC in Lotus Cortinas...?

Edited by mybrainhurts on Tuesday 30th June 12:32

[mybrainhurts]

Oh, now you've done it...

Expect a nuke over Dronfield before the week's out...

[mybrainhurts]

I'll be delivering it on your milk float...

Be worried.....

[aarondrs]

mybrainhurts said:

Oh, now you've done it...

Expect a nuke over Dronfield before the week's out...

Lets hope not.... I have family there.... So long as you miss the Pond

[k3ybo]

"One of the hardest things for Kimi will be the speed of this event"

Seriously? It's not like his brain would find it hard to adapt, surely

k3ybo

[aarondrs]

I would have thought that the driving style is completely different but car control is car control surely? Particularly now that F1 have got rid of traction control and ABS there must be a better chance for an F1 driver.

[GravelBen]

Will be interesting to see how he goes, gravel rallying (especially Finland with its yumps, fast blind crests etc) is quite a different kettle of fish to what he's used to. Top co-driver and no doubt a well prepared car should help.

[pits]

Come on, he will be more interested in either
A. Drinking
B. Eating ice cream
C. Taking a st

[stuckmojo]

pits said:

Come on, he will be more interested in either
A. Drinking
B. Eating ice cream
C. Taking a st

A. no doubt about it. With a Metallica/Slayer soundtrack.

I think he'll do ok to be honest.

[dougc]

k3ybo said:

"One of the hardest things for Kimi will be the speed of this event"

Seriously? It's not like his brain would find it hard to adapt, surely

k3ybo

Not sure his brain will be used to the vicinity of trees though. Finland is a quick rally. Stages have been cut, shortened or removed altogether because cars started to exceed the maximum allowable average speed set by the organisers.

Youtube for Solberg at Ouninpohja for the record run.

Balls

Of

Steel

[stephen300o]

A very fast event no doubt, and Ferrari will have their fingers crossed(maybe not, with Fernando in the wings )
But the high speedness of this rally is countered somewhat by the Fiat Punto though.

[Jackal2k9]

jus to slightly bend the topic of stars moving sports...id love to see some1 like Valentino Rossi having a proper crack at F1/rallying, i remember he done some testing for ferrari was it last season??? and i reckon he'd give the boys at the top a decent run for there money

[dougc]

Rossi came 11th on Rally New Zealand a couple of years ago

[iggletiggle]

rossi has done a fair amount of rallying before (new zealand and rally GB - not sure on the GB one tbh)

he also joined some F1 testing early 2008 with the team but not sure how he got on.. !

think it will be quite cool to see Raik do some gravel beating..!! see how he gets on!!

[Matt_]

Nelson Piquet Jr would be good in a rally car. He spends enough time in the gravel

[Jackal2k9]

spose raiki would be good at rallying the st outta summit the amount he drinks!!