Kimi Raikkonen

Posted on 6/10/2010, 18:14 by: Ice Lady87

Raikkonen rules out Renault F1 seat

By Jonathan Noble Wednesday, October 6th 2010, 08:08 GMT

Kimi Raikkonen has ruled out making a return to Formula 1 with Renault next year, despite being linked with the team for several weeks.

The Finn had been in contact with the French car manufacturer after the Belgian Grand Prix in August, and Renault chiefs were considering putting a deal together with the former champion if he could prove he was motivated for a comeback.

However, even before talks between the two parties got serious, Raikkonen has made it clear he is not interested in what Renault has to offer - and has expressed some unhappiness that the team has talked up its link with him.

Speaking to Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat, Raikkonen said: "I am very disappointed with how they have used my name for their own marketing. I have never even seriously considered driving for Renault, and I can assure you that I am 100 per cent sure that I will not drive for Renault next season."

Only this week, Renault team principal Eric Boullier said his outfit had been encouraged by the fact that Raikkonen had been in touch with it.

When asked by the official Formula 1 website if it was flattering that Raikkonen had been in contact, Boullier: "Yes, it is because it shows that the work we've done this season is noticed and that we are considered a challenger for the championship in the future."

Raikkonen's decision not to pursue the Renault option now makes it almost certain that Vitaly Petrov will be retained by the team - although the Russian still needs to show improved form to guarantee his slot with the outfit.
Source: autosport

Tags:: kimifuture,; Renault

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Last Post by: Ice Lady87 (6/10/2010, 18:14)

Our Petition: For people who think Kimi must be back to F1 next year.

Posted on 5/10/2010, 19:50 by: Ice Lady87

To: Motorsport fans
For people who think Kimi must be back to F1 next year.
This is a petition for all the fans that have been a lot disappointed seeing kimi this year fighting in one of the most difficult motorsport series knowing that his right place should be still f1.
you should sign here if you think that kimi now must be still in f1...we all Love him and support him any time in the good and hard times and we followed him to wrc serie but Kimi know seems a bit lost...the last rally proves it. he needs a guide and we fans must be his guide his eyes when everything's dark...kimi must be back to f1...don't be afraid to sign this petition we need your help because kimi needs our help to remember that f1 is his world and he still loves it and that everybody even if you like rally we know you all would welcome him back to f1.

The Link www.petitiononline.com/kimi2011/
Please sign it!!!

Tags:: kimifuture

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Last Post by: Ice Lady87 (5/10/2010, 19:50)

Raikkonen explains retirement decision

Posted on 3/10/2010, 13:13 by: Ice Lady87

Raikkonen explains retirement decision

Kimi Raikkonen has elected not to re-start the final day of the Rallye de France-Alsace in order to save his car for the Catalunya Rally in three weeks' time.

The former Grand Prix Champion had a torrid time yesterday, sliding off the road on two occasions and dropping just out of the top 50 overall.

Although the car was recovered back to service undamaged after his second off on SS15, Raikkonen decided that it was best not to re-start the final day, consisting just of two runs over a military camp stage and superspecial stage, in order not to risk going off again and damaging his Citroen C4 WRC.

Due to his road position, the Finn struggled with all the mud on the road left by previous cars cutting the corners, and he felt that this would be a major problem on the final leg today - particularly with all the big cuts anticipated on the *** No swearing *** Camp military stage.

“I don't think we’re going to learn much more under these conditions, so the sensible decision is to save the car for the Catalunya Rally, which I'm really looking forward to,” said Raikkonen.

“I don’t want to risk going off again. In some places, you could hardly see the asphalt here with all the mud and gravel on the road. The car did not sustain any damage during either of our two incidents yesterday, but obviously when you are running so far down the order you don’t have exactly the same motivation and that makes things quite difficult. We still learned a lot though and it has been really useful to have had this experience.”

Raikkonen’s next outing will be the Catalunya Rally from 22-24 October. Before then, he will test his car at the Citroen Junior Team’s nominated test base in France next week.

Tags:: FranceRally

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Last Post by: Ice Lady87 (3/10/2010, 13:13)

No restart for Raikkonen in France

Posted on 2/10/2010, 22:17 by: Ice Lady87

No restart for Raikkonen in France
2nd October 2010
By Charlie Contadeli

Kimi Raikkonen won’t restart Rallye de France on Sunday after electing to save his Citroen C4 WRC for Spain’s round of the world championship later this month.

Raikkonen, Formula One world champion in 2007, slithered off the road and retired on Saturday’s penultimate stage. Although the car was undamaged, Raikkonen has opted to stop for good rather than return to action on Sunday’s final four stages.

“There was no point risking damaging the car ahead of Catalunya because it will be the same car I use there,” said Raikkonen. “The conditions here will not be the same as in Spain so I won’t learn much by driving tomorrow. We are expecting difficult conditions again tomorrow so I decided not to risk an accident when I am not learning anything.”

Raikkonen’s Citroen Junior Team stablemate Sebastien Ogier will restart, however, after his mechanics repaired the damaged suspension top mount, which forced his retirement on stage 14.

Source: http://www.octetort.com/2010/10/no-restart...-in-france.html

Tags:: FranceRally

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Last Post by: Ice Lady87 (2/10/2010, 22:17)

Vive la France!

Posted on 29/9/2010, 19:35 by: Ice Lady87

Vive le France!

Well, this is the rally we have been looking forward with very positive feelings since the rally-Bulgaria in mid-July.

We are heading for the second brand new tarmac rally of the WRC season. As well as we got some handicap in Bulgaria, I expect having a tiny advantage in our side against the frontrunners in Rally France, too.

Obviously, the other drivers won't be benefitting that much of the pace notes from the last ten years and the familiarity of the roads. This time we are all starting more or less from the same level and all of us has to learn all the stages from now on.

We didn't have a test session after Rally Japan, but, instead, we went to the local French Rally of Vosgien. It was good practise and good fun. We achieved some good results, we found some good things in the car and we got a good feel with the French roads similar we are gonna have in the WRC rally this weekend.

Me and my co-driver Kaj Lindstrom were happy with the work we did and with the feeling we had with the car during those special stages. We started the rally with the basci set-up, moved to a wrong way, but coming back to the basics it went right and now we should have a solid foundation to start the real rally on Friday.

Obviously, it's very difficult to say anything beforehand how the rally goes this time. We have to wait until we get there in the area and starting pushing. We go there to find the right rhytm quickly and to get things going smoothly since the very beginning this time.

To finish the rally without major errors is the target as always, but you never know, unfortunately, while I'm still lacking the long rally experience to score good results every time.

For the teams with Citroen WRC C4 cars, this will be a special weekend. While you drive a rally with a French car in France, you will get a lot of support and cheering from all the French fans. The French are real rally people like my Finnish compatriots. For sure, the atmosphere is going to be great - like in Finland.

Sebastien Loeb has a chance to clinch his world title. I don't know how many of them he has, I have lost in counting long time ago, but one thing I know - he's doing all he can to win his home rally and become a champion at home.

We hang on to do our very best. I still feel frustraded with some mistakes we had in the last couple of rallies. It feels just good to go back to tarmac, which gives me a cozy feeling every time.

We had a good training with a local rally in Italia before Bulga...

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Tags:: FranceRally

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Last Post by: Ice Lady87 (29/9/2010, 19:35)

Raikkonen: French outing like Ferrari at Monza

Posted on 28/9/2010, 21:38 by: Ice Lady87

Raikkonen: French outing like Ferrari at Monza

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Buoyed by his first rally win, Kimi Raikkonen is looking forward to testing his mettle in Citroen team-mate Sebastien Loeb's backyard on this weekend's Rallye de France

Kimi Raikkonen has admitted that he is looking forward to this weekend's Rallye de France, comparing the thought of piloting a full-bore Citroen C4 WRC around the hills of Alsace to racing for Ferrari at the Maranello's spiritual home in Monza.

Buoyed by his first rally win, on last weekend's Rallye Vosgien, the Finn reports that he is feeling more comfortable with the car and the demands of a WRC weekend, but admits that, despite having one of the best cars in the event, there are still a lot of unknowns ahead as the French event switches from its familiar home in Corsica to embrace the area beloved of multiple champion - and Citroen team-mate - Sebastien Loeb.

After showing great pace on the last all-new round of the World Rally Championship, in Bulgaria, the 2007 F1 world champion is hoping to demonstrate just what he is capable of on the surface that he is most familiar - or least unfamiliar - even if he understands that beating Loeb, who stands poised on the brink of an unprecedented seventh world drivers' title, is nigh-on impossible unless he can end the Frenchman's six-year unbeaten run on asphalt.

"It's not easy, that's for sure," Raikkonen conceded, as he approaches just his tenth WRC event in the C4, "But I'm hoping that we can have a good result in France. If we can show the same sort of pace like we did in Bulgaria, in the top five, then that would be really good.

"The problem is that it's always hard to predict a result when you don't know anything about what the route is going to be like, so we'll just concentrate very hard on the recce to end up with the best set of pace notes possible. Generally, we've improved in every area since the start of the season and I feel a lot more comfortable now, so we're hoping to continue our progress this weekend. France is obviously a really important event for Citroen, so I'm sure it's going to be a lot of fun - a bit like driving for Ferrari at Monza!"

Co-driver Kaj Lindstrom, who has sat alongside Raikkonen since the Finn made his world rally debut in a Super 2000 car on the Rally Finland last year, is also looking for...

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Tags:: Ferrari,; FranceRally

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Last Post by: Ice Lady87 (28/9/2010, 21:38)

Come back, Kimi

Posted on 28/9/2010, 20:12 by: Ice Lady87

Come back, Kimi
Ilta-Sanomat (paper edition)
27.9.2010
Rita Tainola

IS Urheilu asked experts on Singapore paddock if they would want Kimi back to F1.

Niki Lauda
- I don't believe that he is coming back. He drives rally now and that I really don't understand. It has never happened before that someone from F1 goes to drive rally.

David Coulthard
- I haven't even thought about it. He is a good driver with a good personality. Kimi also always had time for his fans.
- I still don't really believe in his comeback.

Eddie Jordan
- I don't believe Kimi will come back.

Martin Whitmarsh
- Kimi's comeback would be a good thing for F1-races. He has a great personality and he is also a great driver. He would have to come back soon, next year at the latest. After that it's too late.
- Isn't he going to Renault? If I would have to choose between Vitali Petrov and Kimi I wouldn't think twice about it.

Jenson Button
- I hope that Kimi comes back. But only he knows if he is coming back to F1.

Sir Jackie Stewart
- It would be great if Kimi would come back. I respect his driving style and the F1-serie isn't the same without him.
- If Kimi stays away from the F1-world for too long it will be a great risk to come back. The same could happen to him that happened to Michael Schumacher who still hasn't won his team mate Nico Rosberg. Hopefully he finds the sparkle and Kimi returns to the track.

Norbert Haug
- I don't know if he comes back or not. It would be cool if he would come back. I have always liked Kimi.
- He is driving rally now and has shown already during the first year that he is good in that sport too. Kimi has talents. Thanks to Kimi we would have been more often world champions if we just wouldn't have had problems with technical matter and engines.

Bernie Ecclestone
- Of course I hope that Kimi comes back. But you should ask Kimi himself if he is coming back.

Rupert Grint, actor from Harry Potter -movies
- Kimi who? I only know Mika Häkkinen. I don't really follow F1 but I came here because I was invited.

Tags:: kimifuture

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Last Post by: Ice Lady87 (28/9/2010, 20:12)

Renault willing to meet with Raikkonen

Posted on 28/9/2010, 20:03 by: Ice Lady87

Renault willing to meet with Raikkonen

By Jonathan Noble Tuesday, September 28th 2010, 08:42 GMT

Renault team principal Eric Boullier wants to meet face-to-face with Kimi Raikkonen to get a better understanding of how keen the Finn is to return to Formula 1, as the French manufacturer continues evaluating slotting him in alongside Robert Kubica in 2011.

As AUTOSPORT revealed after the Italian Grand Prix, Raikkonen and Renault made contact earlier this month to discuss the possibility of a tie-up for next year - with such a deal having been off the cards earlier this year.

And although Renault has made no secret of the fact that current driver Vitaly Petrov can still retain his seat if he shows signs of improvement, the outfit is still weighing up the pros and cons of taking Raikkonen.

But before it will consider entering serious negotiations with Raikkonen and his management team, Boullier has said he wants to know for sure that the former world champion is fully motivated for a comeback.

And to do that, Boullier thinks he must meet Raikkonen face-to-face so he can see for himself whether there is a genuine hunger to find F1 success with Renault.

"It is definitely getting closer to when we will make a decision," Boullier told AUTOSPORT. "But we really want to consider all of the options.

"I decided to tell some drivers that we will not carry on discussions with them, so we know wait and see - but Kimi remains one of our scenarios.

"I have said many times that I want to meet with him first before we do anything more. I want to understand more about his wish to come back."

With Petrov having made another qualifying mistake in Singapore, after spinning out of Q2 and damaging his car, Boullier admitted that he had not yet seen enough to convince him the Russian is the right man for his team in 2011.

"It is still frustrating because he keeps doing mistakes," explained Boullier. "We put a lot of pressure on him and definitely he was not on the pace on Friday but he was there on Saturday.

"He qualified 13th with a crash in Q2, so it was a strange situation. The race could have been good, but he opened up a little bit too much the door and [Nico] Hulkenberg did a kamikaze move on him. It is racing, and it was unfortunate."

When asked whether the decision on Petrov rested on commercial factors or performance, Boullier said: "It is definitely not a money issue. It is only the understanding for him to fit in F1 - and for us to give as much support as we ...

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Tags:: F1,; kimifuture,; Renault

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Last Post by: Ice Lady87 (28/9/2010, 20:03)

Kimi's comeback would surprise his racing fellows

Posted on 25/9/2010, 12:59 by: Ice Lady87

Kimi's comeback would surprise his racing fellows

A year ago after Singapore Grand Prix, Ferrari announced that they had broken the signed contract for this season with Kimi Räikkönen. Now they are pondering on Singapore paddock whether Räikkönen could switch back to F1 from rally in 2011.

Turun Sanomat asked about his chances from people who have worked with him and from people who had raced with him.

Peter Sauber was the team manager who hired the 21-year old Finnish talent straight from Formula Renault -serie to F1 in 2001. Sauber lifted up his hands when I asked him how realistic the thought of Räikkönen's comeback to F1 sounds.

– I have absolutely no idea, I really don't know. Of course it could be possible after one year in rally. Otherwise I wouldn't have hired Nick Heidfeld myself.

– Personally I would be very pleased if Kimi would come back. I like that guy. He is so different and talented, Sauber said.

Heidfeld was Räikkönen's first team mate. How does he react to the talks about Kimi's possible comeback?

– If Kimi would want it then I'm sure that he could do it without the smallest adjusting problems. I was away myself for a long time and I believe I can do it too.

– In any case Kimi's one year away is not the same as Michael Schumacher's three years, Heidfeld said.

Jenson Button was one of the young talents the family Robertson brought to F1 along with Räikkönen. Button does not think that he will see his racing fellow on GP-tracks anymore.

– I don't think that Kimi likes this sport so much that he would still come back. At least it didn't look like that last year. It would also be difficult because Kimi would of course only want to drive a good car.

– Kimi seems to enjoy it in rally and he even flies there at times. But if Kimi himself would want to come back then there wouldn't be any problem with that, he would drive just as he did before, Button says.

Chris Dyer worked as Räikkönen's race engineer in Ferrari when the duo made miracles in 2007 with winning the WDC.

Ferrari's strategist knows Räikkönen's skills and ability to adjust, but on the other hand he also knows about his love for rally.

– It would be a surprise if Kimi would come back to F1. You can see from his face how much he likes rally. I think the managers are more for the comeback than he is.

– In itself the return of a driver who is on Kimi's level would be easy. One year isn't much. It would also be ...

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Tags:: F1,; kimifuture

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Last Post by: Ice Lady87 (25/9/2010, 12:59)

Raikkonen in 'no rush' to decide future

Posted on 24/9/2010, 20:53 by: Ice Lady87

Raikkonen in 'no rush' to decide future
Racing series F1
Date 2010-09-24

By Motorsport.com/GMM

Kimi Raikkonen insists he still has not decided whether or not to stay in the world rally championship next year.

The 2007 world champion left Formula One at the end of last season despite remaining under lucrative contract to Ferrari, and has since been driving full time for Red Bull-sponsored Citroen.

But in recent days he has been linked with a return to F1 next year with Renault, and the WRC's official website wrc.com said a sabbatical or a renewed tenure in rallying are also possibilities for the Finn in 2011.

"I'm enjoying it (rallying) so far," he is quoted as saying on Friday, "but I've not made up my mind what I'm doing yet.

"Quite soon I hope I will know but there is no rush," added the 30-year-old.

Tags:: kimifuture

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Last Post by: Ice Lady87 (24/9/2010, 20:53)

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