Kimi set to join Citreon WRC

[Marcia]

Kimi Raikkonen is to contest all 13 rounds of next years WRC,should be interesting.

Kimi Raikkonen is close to finalising his switch from Formula One to a full time ride in the 2010 World Rally Championship.

The series' official website said the 30-year-old Finn "is understood to be ready to sign a deal" with Citroen to contest all 13 rounds of next year's calendar with Red Bull funding.

The report cited a source close to the former Ferrari driver as confirming that an official announcement is expected in the coming days after "small details" are tied up.

Red Bull is already a major sponsor of the Citroen World Rally Team.

"With the proper practice, planning, and testing I think he will adapt quickly," 2003 WRC champion Petter Solberg told the sport's official website, having tasted Citroen C4 machinery himself this year.

"He's a very, very good driver, and once he's learned the basics, like how to work with pace notes, I think he will surprise many people.

"If he's in a decent World Rally Car next season I think he could finish between third and fifth on some rallies," Solberg predicted for the Finn's maiden season. "The fact is, if you can drive, you can drive.

"You have to be on the case and you need some balls," he added.

[4rephill]

Marcia said:

Kimi Raikkonen is to contest all 13 rounds of next years WRC,should be interesting.

Kimi Raikkonen is close to finalising his switch from Formula One to a full time ride in the 2010 World Rally Championship.

The series' official website said the 30-year-old Finn "is understood to be ready to sign a deal" with Citroen to contest all 13 rounds of next year's calendar with Red Bull funding.

The report cited a source close to the former Ferrari driver as confirming that an official announcement is expected in the coming days after "small details" are tied up.

Red Bull is already a major sponsor of the Citroen World Rally Team.

"With the proper practice, planning, and testing I think he will adapt quickly," 2003 WRC champion Petter Solberg told the sport's official website, having tasted Citroen C4 machinery himself this year.

"He's a very, very good driver, and once he's learned the basics, like how to work with pace notes, I think he will surprise many people.

"If he's in a decent World Rally Car next season I think he could finish between third and fifth on some rallies," Solberg predicted for the Finn's maiden season. "The fact is, if you can drive, you can drive.

"You have to be on the case and you need some balls," he added.

Good luck to him, hope he enjoys it and does well!

[FourWheelDrift]

Then back to F1 in 2011 to replace Webber?

[Marcia]

FourWheelDrift said:

Then back to F1 in 2011 to replace Webber?

quite possibly.

[dom180]

FourWheelDrift said:

Then back to F1 in 2011 to replace Webber?

Or more likely Vettel when he moves to Mercedes.

[Steamer]

Ummm I'd much rather he stayed in F1 for next season.

I'm sure he will do well though, but I hope he's back in a top F1 car for 2011.

[anonymous-user]

Even if he is rubbish in a WRC car, he is pretty much guaranteed a top 6 finish driving that car, the competition at WRC level is sadly very poor at the moment.

[llewop]

doesn't look like there is substance in it at the moment... although the mention of the junior Citroen team is a 1/2 open door and what I would have thought made more sense for both Citroen and Kimi - good car but no pressure for constructor championship points

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80364

[Project 644]

dom180 said:

FourWheelDrift said:

Then back to F1 in 2011 to replace Webber?

Or more likely Vettel when he moves to Mercedes.

[KeithR]

Does Kimi have any background in rallying? I don't see how, just because he's an F1 driver, that he thinks he can take on the world's best rally drivers. They are completely different disciplines surely. The same is true the other way around, although I imagine it's easier to go from WRC to F1, than F1 to WRC.

Someone enlighten me.

[lewis1]

he comes from the land of rallying and competed in an event earlier this year and showed some promise. He has the money to be in wrc if he wants to regardless of actual talent! that and the pr would be worth it alone for some teams.

[zac510]

llewop said:

doesn't look like there is substance in it at the moment... although the mention of the junior Citroen team is a 1/2 open door and what I would have thought made more sense for both Citroen and Kimi - good car but no pressure for constructor championship points

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80364

'Tabloid' F1 news sites jumping the gun again?

[aeropilot]

KeithR said:

Does Kimi have any background in rallying?

He's a Finn.

ALL of the Finnish F1 drivers have had a background in rallying/rallycross etc at some point in their formative years of motorsport. Loose surface and ice driving motorsport is where they all start off, before taking the sealed surface specialist route later on.

[plg101]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80423

[Jungles]

KeithR said:

Does Kimi have any background in rallying? I don't see how, just because he's an F1 driver, that he thinks he can take on the world's best rally drivers. They are completely different disciplines surely. The same is true the other way around, although I imagine it's easier to go from WRC to F1, than F1 to WRC.

Someone enlighten me.

He has competed in two competitive rallies: the Artic Lapland Rally, where he finished 13th, and the WRC Rally of Finland, where he was 15th outright and 3rd in Group N before crashing out. His brother is a rally driver and former national junior champion in the sport.

[AlexRWD]

Quite a big come-down in terms of the Company Car Scheme

[stew-S160]

sad to see him out of F1, but fingers crossed for hiw WRC arrival giving the series some more media exposure.

[Munter]

I wonder if it'll bring over some interest from F1 to WRC in terms of fans?

I'll certainly be interested to see how he gets on through the year.

[FNG]

Has any F1 WDC won the WRC championship too?

I wonder whether Kimi might fancy being the first to do that, depending how next season works for him.

[ajprice]

What will be the difference between his 'junior team' car and the full works car, if any? And will Citroen still run the C4 next year or is it that DS3 rally version?