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[EwanM]

Raikkonen to contest Rally Finland

By David Evans Monday, June 29th 2009, 16:14 GMT http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/76623

Ferrari Formula 1 driver Kimi Raikkonen will make his World Rally Championship debut when he contests his home round of the series, Rally Finland, next month.

Raikkonen has already competed in three rallies this year, but the Jyvaskyla-based ninth round of the WRC will be his first competitive outing on gravel. The Finn, who won the F1 world championship with Ferrari in 2007, tested the Abarth Grande Punto for two days in central Finland earlier this week.

Raikkonen will be co-driven by Kaj Lindstrom, the former co-driver of four-time world champion Tommi Makinen. Makinen's own racing team will run the Abarth for Raikkonen.

Lindstrom has contested Rally Finland 10 times, finishing sixth twice with Makinen, and admits the 29-year-old Raikkonen will face a difficult task when he starts his first WRC round.

"Rally Finland is not going to be easy for sure," said Lindstrom. "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.

"And it doesn't just start with the rally, we have two days to go through the recce and make the notes. Kimi makes very good pace notes, but there will be pressure on for the recce."

Lindstrom added that his driver's absence of gravel experience will also make his task tougher next month.

"He has competed on snow and asphalt, but never gravel, but we have tested on gravel," said Lindstrom. "But 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.

"But, let's not forget, this guy is a pretty good driver! He's very talented and I'm sure he will cope fine."

Raikkonen finished 13th in the Arctic Rally in January, his rally debut. He returned to snow rallying and held seventh overall in the Vaakuna Rally, before putting the Abarth off the road and ending the event 17th. His asphalt debut came on the Rally della Marca in Italy in May, where he damaged a wheel and retired on the third stage.

[headless]

At least Ferrari will let him do it.
Unlike McLaren

[DOOOMKULTUS]

Its only 4 wheel driving,they are more scared of him doing something like the X-games snowboarding lol.

[headless]

Its only 4 wheel driving,they are more scared of him doing something like the X-games snowboarding lol.

Well yeah

[EwanM]

Its only 4 wheel driving,they are more scared of him doing something like the X-games snowboarding lol.

Well yeah

With the Alonso story today, could Raikkonen jump ship to the WRC - esp if FIAT enter under the new proposed rules?

[EwanM]

I realise that can of worms has already been opened in the Alonso thread, just checked.

However it is probably more of a topic which is suited in here.

Raikkonen and Rossi in the WRC would be cool, esp if it gave Loeb a challenge.

[racechick]

I realise that can of worms has already been opened in the Alonso thread, just checked.

However it is probably more of a topic which is suited in here.

Raikkonen and Rossi in the WRC would be cool, esp if it gave Loeb a challenge.

I said that somewhere-Kimi and Vale-awsome!! Dont know where i said it though It gets confusing on here!!

[Jamie]

Its only 4 wheel driving,they are more scared of him doing something like the X-games snowboarding lol.

Well yeah

With the Alonso story today, could Raikkonen jump ship to the WRC - esp if FIAT enter under the new proposed rules?

Yes

I realise that can of worms has already been opened in the Alonso thread, just checked.

However it is probably more of a topic which is suited in here.

Raikkonen and Rossi in the WRC would be cool, esp if it gave Loeb a challenge.

Yes

I can really see this happening, i think at 1 point Rossi must get bored?

[headless]

Yeah.
Loeb would like some competition.

[h-tomek]

Yeah.
Loeb would like some competition.

Oh, to be honest, he has competition. Hirvonen is leading the championship. Loeb didn't finish last rally, and rally before so Hirvonen took the advantage and took 20 points. Now, he has competition, and it'll be interesting end of the season.

And, I'm looking forward to seeing Raikkonen's result. Rally Finland is very tough, but also, very attractive so it should suit Kimi.

[headless]

Yeah.
Loeb would like some competition.

Oh, to be honest, he has competition. Hirvonen is leading the championship. Loeb didn't finish last rally, and rally before so Hirvonen took the advantage and took 20 points. Now, he has competition, and it'll be interesting end of the season.

Sorry, I guess I posted that just for the sake of it.
I don't really follow rally.

I'll go back to sleep then.

[scotty]

He'll do well to get in the top 10 with that Fiat...