Rally of Turkey 2010

[apple]

I have a feeling the roads in Turkey are a little similar than in Finland. They talk about wide and smooth roads...that knows they are going to keep the pedal down if the tyres hold on.
Welcome Bourbon, you came just in time to see the insane rally ramblings as our( had to check), ish here said.

[LadyR]

I have a feeling the roads in Turkey are a little similar than in Finland. They talk about wide and smooth roads...that knows they are going to keep the pedal down if the tyres hold on.
Welcome Bourbon, you came just in time to see the insane rally ramblings as our( had to check), ish here said.

And I'm still waiting for pics of Kimi!

[ish678]

The man has got this hiding thing down to a fine art!

[LadyR]

The man has got this hiding thing down to a fine art!

He is already a rich man, but if he would get paid for that, he would be a very very rich man!
Cuz he is already the most individual character in the sport! This "title" is sure!

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

Hm tomorrow we´ll definately get some pics from the pressconfi

Hope he´ll wrote a pirelli blog again

[Ice-Ludy]

Basically it's everything we have already read everywhere else but is Kimi so is never too much!!!

Raikkonen ready for Turkey
Eurosport - Wed, 14 Apr 12:35:00 2010

Kimi Raikkonen will head into Rally Turkey on a more level playing field than in the opening three rounds of the World Rally Championship calendar- but expects a tough challenge nonetheless.

The Finn took his first four points with an eighth-place finish in the last round in Jordan.

And with the race this weekend changing location from Kemer to Istanbul - following a year's absence - the new route and its mixed-surface nature could see the former Formula One world champion go even better.

It is essentially a gravel event - with the competitors using gravel tyres - but a third of the second leg is on asphalt.

"I suppose it's good that I like challenges because this is going to be another big one for me," he said.

"I actually thought that Jordan was the most difficult rally we have seen so far, but I don't really have any idea what this one is going to be like.

"In Jordan we were able to find a safe pace, which might not have been the most exciting thing in the world, but at least it meant that we finished the rally and were able to score points.

"In Turkey, we're just going to have to see what sort of feeling we have with the stages and decide what is possible then.

"The priority is to finish, particularly because it's a completely new event and you have to get to know the stages. But of course I'm a competitive person so I always want to do the best that I can."

Eurosport

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/14042010/ ... urkey.html?

[Ice-Ludy]

Raikkonen will savour Turkey stages, says co-driver

Kimi Raikkonen’s co-driver, Kaj Lindstrom, believes the high-speed and wide nature of the Rally of Turkey stages will suit the ex-Formula One world champion.

Raikkonen is seeking his second-consecutive points finish on the Istanbul event after landing his maiden top 10 finish on the Jordan Rally earlier this month in his Citroen Junior Team Citroen C4 World Rally Car.

Lindstrom, who is contesting his eighth rally alongside fellow Finn Raikkonen, said: "I don't really know what we can expect, but the information I have suggests that the stages are quite fast and wide, and I think this should suit Kimi well. The only concern that we have is the risk of rain: it's the same for everyone, but if it does rain then the surfaces are sure to become extremely slippery, which will not be so nice."

Raikkonen, who will partner rising star Sebastien Ogier in the Citroen Junior Team, conceded he was facing another big challenge on the gravel event, round four of the World Rally Championship. “I suppose it's good that I like challenges, because this is going to be another big one for me," he said.

"I actually thought that Jordan was the most difficult rally we have seen so far, but I don't really have any idea what this one is going to be like. In Jordan we were able to find a safe pace, which might not have been the most exciting thing in the world, but at least it meant that we finished the rally and were able to score points. In Turkey, we're just going to have to see what sort of feeling we have with the stages and decide what is possible then. The priority is to finish, particularly because it's a completely new event and you have to get to know the stages. But of course I'm a competitive person so I always want to do the best that I can," he added.

Raikkonen has received advice from his countryman Anton Alen, the son of former WRC legend Markku, ahead of Rally of Turkey. Alen came close to winning the FIAT Rally, which used a similar route to Turkey’s new WRC qualifier, back in 2007.

http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=10 ... +co-driver

[Wolfie]

I'm just arrived, Thanks for the invite! GO KIMI!!

Hello Bourbon, nice to see you

GO KIMI!!!

Now it's also on tarmac so we might expect some good results

[Wolfie]

Good that Block is back to the race, he's a good competitor for Kimi. ;)

I loved this interview with Steve Robertson, especially the thing about Kimi always comparing himself to the fastest driver although it will be interesting to see Kimi vs Ken

KIMI'S CURRENT PACE IS ONE SECOND BEHIND THE LEAD

Turun Sanomat 13.4 2010 22:00:16

Kimi Räikkönen fought his first WC-points in Jordan. In the demanding race the Finnish driver lost only two seconds per kilometer to the lead on those stages he made without mistakes.

Are those 2 seconds then the difference that Räikkönen should catch if he is going to drive for podiums at some stage?
– Jordan's rally was Kimi's most difficult rally. His absolute goal was to finish the rally and under those conditions he had to set his pace accordingly. During previous rallies the difference on the best stages have been 0,8-1 seconds to the lead. That is the real situation at this point, Steve Robertson told Turun Sanomat.

To whom will Räikkönen compare his pace then - Sebastien Loeb or Sebastien Ogier?
– Loeb. Kimi always compares himself to the fastest driver, Robertson emphasises.

Learning period in the spotlight

How has the ex-F1 driver's season taken off according to his manager?
– What is on top of my mind is that rallying is so different from F1. Kimi has had to learn extremely much in an extremely short period of time.
– Rallying on top level requires a completely different driving style than track-driving which Kimi has in his backbone. It takes time to understand everything that is required on the top of rally and unfortunately Kimi can't do it in all peace, as a F1-Champion he has to do it while being in the center of all attention.

Robertson believes that with Räikkönen's persistance and determination he will go far in rally too.
– It's absolutely sure that Kimi will become a really fast driver in rally too, Robertson assures.

Räikkönen hasn't thought about next year yet.
– It's time for it only after a few months, Robertson hints.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

[Linda-Anne]

Thanks Kriss for posting the rally news and the timings. Its going to be one helluver weekend lets just all send Kimi and Kaj all our positive vibes for a safe and successful Rally Turkey.

Hello Bourbon and welcome to our new happy rally kimi home

[lucian]

Good that Block is back to the race, he's a good competitor for Kimi. ;)

I have no idea how often he's participating but at the beginning of the year I thought he'd take part in all the events.

To whom will Räikkönen compare his pace then - Sebastien Loeb or Sebastien Ogier?
– Loeb. Kimi always compares himself to the fastest driver, Robertson emphasises.

It's normal to compare to the best and be realistic, even if it may be a little discouraging at first when the gap seems large. He's got much fewer years of experience than the others but he's learning like he were very young (when the brain is at its best). In fact as long as he has a desire to learn something new he's proving again that he's younger than his biological age

@Bourbon: Welcome to a great forum!
@kracer : Thanks for the welcome, it's only now that I noticed it

[Wolfie]

Good that Block is back to the race, he's a good competitor for Kimi. ;)

I have no idea how often he's participating but at the beginning of the year I thought he'd take part in all the events.

To whom will Räikkönen compare his pace then - Sebastien Loeb or Sebastien Ogier?
– Loeb. Kimi always compares himself to the fastest driver, Robertson emphasises.

It's normal to compare to the best and be realistic, even if it may be a little discouraging at first when the gap seems large. He's got much fewer years of experience than the others but he's learning like he were very young (when the brain is at its best). In fact as long as he has a desire to learn something new he's proving again that he's younger than his biological age

@Bourbon: Welcome to a great forum!
@kracer : Thanks for the welcome, it's only now that I noticed it

Hi Lucian, what do you think when you have followed Kimi in rally, is he serious or not?

It would seem like a waste if he would first struggle to learn it and then just skip it

[lucian]

Hi Lucian, what do you think when you have followed Kimi in rally, is he serious or not?

It would seem like a waste if he would first struggle to learn it and then just skip it

Well I wish I knew what it is in his mind, but my guess is that he's trying to see for himself if he has potential. I know it would be hard to decide what to do if he finds out that he can be very good. On one side, it would be very appealing to try to get another WDC in another competition which would be unique just like the performance of John Surtees, but on the other side he's still got so many unfinished things in F1. He's got to prove his doubters that they misjudged him, but he usually doesn't care about proving a point. That's what makes him different from anyone else. But my wish would be to come back and win a title and then go back to WRC for the rest of the career (if his health allows it of course).

[Wolfie]

Hi Lucian, what do you think when you have followed Kimi in rally, is he serious or not?

It would seem like a waste if he would first struggle to learn it and then just skip it

Well I wish I knew what it is in his mind, but my guess is that he's trying to see for himself if he has potential. I know it would be hard to decide what to do if he finds out that he can be very good. On one side, it would be very appealing to try to get another WDC in another competition which would be unique just like the performance of John Surtees, but on the other side he's still got so many unfinished things in F1. He's got to prove his doubters that they misjudged him, but he usually doesn't care about proving a point. That's what makes him different from anyone else. But my wish would be to come back and win a title and then go back to WRC for the rest of the career (if his health allows it of course).

Thanks Lucian, interesting to read

It's so difficult to tell what plans he has since he isn't chatting about his future plans here and there. He only tells that now he concentrates on rally...

Then again he says over and over again that he has a contract only for this year and nothing after that so it's not a done deal. It was so easy to think how great it would be to have him in WRC but now that the F1-season has began and seeing the Red Bull Adrian Newey designed... I'm torn and don't know what to think anymore.

Whatever makes the man happy. But right now it's all the same, WRC or F1 but that can of course change at the end of the season if he shows some real talent - then it's a new game again but hopefully people still continue following rally since that is one thing he has accomplished - he brought quite a lot of fans who follow him wherever he goes and we have really taken time to learn as much about rally as possible and found out that it's a lot of fun - a rollercoaster

As long as he finishes SS2 - that is the infamous stage that we have started to fear

[Leijona]

I'm reaaaaally busy during the next few days and the weekend, so the rally Turkey is at the wrong time for me.... I have to do school work and there is a party on Saturday that I promised to attend such a long time ago

but I will pop in once in a while and I'm definitely here in spirit!!