The Kimi Rally Monster Cool Lounge

[Kinga]

Nice post, Boudica. Mercedes is a real possibility in addition to Red Bull. Kimi may want to come back to rallying full season after a few years in F1 - when WRC might have more manufacturers and one of them would be able to give a competitive seat to them then. I can't see how Ford and Citroen, being the only two teams, would ever give Kimi a WRC winning option.

I agree, as always! Regarding your last sentence: Loeb should retire first. Then there's a slight chance but by then Ogier would be their Nr1 so... again no option for Kimi IMO...

[ReAlien]

That leaves one team - Mercedes. Mercedes might have a problem on their hands, if Schumacher doesn't improve by the middle of the year at least, I cant see that they would want him to stay in the team. Good PR will only go far, at some point people will start looking for results, however it is still quite early in the season so I think Schumacher should be given a bit more time. In my personal opinion I dont think he will really improve, as I have thought from the beginning and even last year, that returning to F1 at 41, in a completely different environment then what he what he was used too, was never a good idea. However, that is whole different discussion and completely my personal subjective view.
But as it stands at the moment, it seems like Ross Brawn is still willing to give Schumi the benefit of the doubt, and he is even planning on specific upgrades specifically for Michael, which means he isn't exactly taking Rosberg that seriously at the moment, as Rosberg has a 40 point advantage over Micheal he might even have a chance for the WDC if the car improves, you would assume that the team would be fully concentrating on him. Which doesn't seem to be the case. However it does seems like Haug isn't really buying into the Schumacher thing, he has looked quite uncomfortable to explain Schumacher's results in last few races. Rosberg is still new to the team so at this moment I actually think Kimi might have better opportunities at Mercedes then Red Bull.

In fact, I've just read an interview where Haug says that Rosberg's success over Michael should not only be credited to the car suiting him more or something, but that Rosberg is probably the best driver on the grid...

Great post, btw.

[Vida]

The idea of racing in Tommi Mäkkinen's racing team is good but would they be competitive enough right from the beginning? Does Kimi want to build a team from the very beginning in WRC? Or having a winning car is important for Kimi only in F1?

Sorry, but I just can't see Kimi could win WDC in WRC. He can be very competitive but... that's it. But I can still see him winning more title(s) in F1.

Yup... the only way he could win is within the top team... and i agree with Kinga... although he is doing well in WRC but it's a long way to go to become WDC. His pace still quite far behind the top driver.. whilst the door to of become WDC in F1 is widely open...

[Leijona]

Boudica, I really enjoyed reading your post. That was a loooong analysis but you had considered the issue from nearly every aspect which was refreshing to read

I personally believe the books are wide open for Kimi after this season and he doesn't yet know himself what he will do. I'm sure Robertsons will start negotiations in F1 at some point because I remember them saying they are keeping all their options open (and personally Robertsons want him to go back to F1). Of course, ultimately it's Kimi's decision what he wants to do, but I get a feeling he haven't really thought about next year yet - he's just enjoying the rallying at the moment and will start to think of it in the summer like he said.

I'm also a little bit "concerned" about where Kimi could be placed in WRC after this season. He won't want to be in a Junior Team forever. But what team would offer him a factory seat?

But in F1, I think Kimi could have more than one option because Kimi is a TOP driver there (compared to rally). Red Bull for me seems like the most likely option, but there's also Mercedes.

Domi and Monty seemed quite upset over it and gave out statements that weren't positive which led me to think that they were pissed off by the fact that Kimi made them pay for the year 2010 by going to WRC.

Now that I think of it.... they haven't congratulated him for his great results in rally either

I only remember how Domi went to Heikki Kulta when ferrari had their winter event to ask Heikki Kulta to write in TS that Domi is very happy for Kimi and that he called Kimi when he was testing.

Heikki Kulta was sneaky and wrote it down exactly the way Domi said it: that he especially asked Heikki to write bla bla bla

Omg Nikki, I forgot to tell you guys!!! Last weekend I watched the sport news from MTV3 (I think on Sunday) and saw an interview from Domi. There he commented on Kimi's successful rally-weekend. He said something like "I have been following Kimi's rallying in WRC and I knew he is a driver who is able to get good results from there too. I'm really happy for him." I tried searching MTV3's website for an article about it but couldn't find anything.... but still, Domi really said nice words about Kimi!

[Moominpappa]

Omg Nikki, I forgot to tell you guys!!! Last weekend I watched the sport news from MTV3 (I think on Sunday) and saw an interview from Domi. There he commented on Kimi's successful rally-weekend. He said something like "I have been following Kimi's rallying in WRC and I knew he is a driver who is able to get good results from there too. I'm really happy for him." I tried searching MTV3's website for an article about it but couldn't find anything.... but still, Domi really said nice words about Kimi!

Was he drunk

[Kinga]

Omg Nikki, I forgot to tell you guys!!! Last weekend I watched the sport news from MTV3 (I think on Sunday) and saw an interview from Domi. There he commented on Kimi's successful rally-weekend. He said something like "I have been following Kimi's rallying in WRC and I knew he is a driver who is able to get good results from there too. I'm really happy for him." I tried searching MTV3's website for an article about it but couldn't find anything.... but still, Domi really said nice words about Kimi!

Wow! A bit surprising but still nice to hear it! Thanks!!!!!

I have to tell you that I didn't have a clue about rallying in general, about WRC, about the rules, about the drivers at all, etc. With the help of Kimi I'm willing to learn more and more about this and I find it an amazing sport! I should thank for the experience to Kimi because hadn't he been in WRC I wouldn't have had a chance to look at it closely. But, with this I start to learn about it more and more. And I gotta say that only these couple of rallies I've been following closely got me thinking that it IS harder to win WDC in WRC than in F1. In WRC you need more luck, I mean you can win stages, you can win days but what if you get a puncture at the very last stage? And it seems it can happen to anyone (except Loeb LOL). Plus you have to be very very competitive with an extremely good car and background (it's true for F1 too). Also it seems that Loeb is the favourite much better than Schumi was in Ferrari so till he's there, really no chance at all.

But there is the little something... Kimi said that he wants to be WDC in WRC too. Does it mean that is he thinking that it's possible? Or he wants to achieve something which is highly unlikely? I think both.

I still think that now he can see that he can be competitive in rally too, he will have experience so he can go back to F1 for a year or for 2 and after it he can go back to rallying with a suitable team. Now there will be a lot of changes in WRC, he can wait what to expect from it later while he still can driving for WDC in F1.

[Vida]

Omg Nikki, I forgot to tell you guys!!! Last weekend I watched the sport news from MTV3 (I think on Sunday) and saw an interview from Domi. There he commented on Kimi's successful rally-weekend. He said something like "I have been following Kimi's rallying in WRC and I knew he is a driver who is able to get good results from there too. I'm really happy for him." I tried searching MTV3's website for an article about it but couldn't find anything.... but still, Domi really said nice words about Kimi!

Was he drunk

[brendakarli]

wolfie,

is it better for me to email you the pics so you can upload them can't find the icon to post the pics sorry I'm such a t***

[apple]

Omg Nikki, I forgot to tell you guys!!! Last weekend I watched the sport news from MTV3 (I think on Sunday) and saw an interview from Domi. There he commented on Kimi's successful rally-weekend. He said something like "I have been following Kimi's rallying in WRC and I knew he is a driver who is able to get good results from there too. I'm really happy for him." I tried searching MTV3's website for an article about it but couldn't find anything.... but still, Domi really said nice words about Kimi!

Was he drunk

Yep, sorry havent been here lately I am fighting with other villagers against the person who wants to destroy our beautiful sand ridge and not to mention I dont want to big lorries to drive along the same road my kids go to school with their bicycles. So enormous amount of papers to gather, phonecalls to make to a different kind of officials..
One thing I have learned with this guy, dont ever trust what he says.. and the same goes for Domi too. I dont trust the guy anymore, not after he said"believe the team not the papers".
Boudica very good review to the situation and I agree, Kimi doesnt really have the car to drive next season in rally,competitive anyway, unless he wants to drive in Junior team again. Tommi Mäkinen has probably Subarus new 2000 series cars but thats not sure yet. So it isnt sure Kimi would have a good car next year in rally if Tommi Mäkinen racing gets licence to partisipate. And if they have Subaru 2000. There is a lot of ifs there and thats one thing that makes Kimis desicion difficult if he continues to improve his performance nearer the top drivers. From that point of view I think the summer comes too early.
He has to make the desicion to go back in F1 in summer, Red Bulls option to Webber expires in July.
If Kimi has a good offer from F1 ,a winning car as he says but he doesnt know yet, will he be in a good team in rally and he is not sure he can improve those few seconds , he will choose F1, I am sure of it. He can be there two years, gives the new rally teams time to develop( as Kinga here said earlier) and then tries to go back to rallying, he isnt too old even then.
Or then he might do totally opposite and start a new rally team with Tommi.

[Moominpappa]

In my eyes driving another year in Citroen junior team will be a good (perhaps the best) choice. Kimi will get more experience in top car. He can see also how far he is from Loeb and Ogier.

Btw. I go soon (immediately after my son go home from school) to Citroen store to look at new DS3 model. Maybe Kimi will drive next year by Citroen DS3 WRC (are the next years cars still WRC or something else?)

[Vida]

He has to make the desicion to go back in F1 in summer, Red Bulls option to Webber expires in July.

this is the clue for him to return to F1.... all will be decided this summer sorry guys i still want him to return to F1 badly

[Wolfie]

Looks like we are not the only one speculating

This was hilarious to read. Waiting for your comments

Compliments to Opafighter
***************
Urheilulehti
Image: http://www.tilaa-lehti.fi/kuvat/urheilulehti.jpg

*Farewell. Nobody misses Kimi on the F1-paddock. Except Red Bull.

Peter Sauber: By the summer nobody else is talking about Kimi except the Robertsons. It was a shame that Kimi left F1 because he would have had a lot to give to this genre. I also believe that Kimi himself would have had much to achieve as a driver.

Peter Collins: Kimi could have been the Iceman and concentrated only on driving and leaving out the 'arse licking' only after winning 3, 4 or 5 WDCs. Räikkönen isn't missed because F1 got the many times more interesting Michael Schumacher back.

David Coulthard: "When a driver has announced that he has retired and the season has ended the interest drops immediately. There won't be any talk about him on the paddock next season. My situation is a bit different because I have continued to hang around the paddock as Red Bull's spare driver and BBC's commentator. I have always been available but on the other hand quite few reporters have come to ask anything from me".

..Christian Horner is praising Räikkönen but doesn't give a straight answer. "I do understand that you Finns want Kimi to come back because Kimi is a WDC and Heikki's situation isn't the best possible at the moment. The question whether it's possible that Kimi will drive for us next season is put difficult since if Kimi really would want to come back to F1 there would be many teams who would take him with open arms", Horner says. "Kimi is without a doubt one of the best F1-drivers of this decade. His return depends first of all on what Kimi wants himself and secondly if there are good enough seats available here. Kimi is not going into any bad or rising team".

Alonso says: "Kimi is a good and fair competitor and it's a shame that he left F1 and went to WRC. Kimi and his managers should have lowered their demands for salary because McLaren wanted Kimi and that's where Kimi wanted to go himself".
***************

[Wolfie]

Omg Nikki, I forgot to tell you guys!!! Last weekend I watched the sport news from MTV3 (I think on Sunday) and saw an interview from Domi. There he commented on Kimi's successful rally-weekend. He said something like "I have been following Kimi's rallying in WRC and I knew he is a driver who is able to get good results from there too. I'm really happy for him." I tried searching MTV3's website for an article about it but couldn't find anything.... but still, Domi really said nice words about Kimi!

Was he drunk

Or scared that Kimi might come back next year

Like Apple said, I don't trust a word that comes out of his mouth.

In fact it's pure comedy to read Ferrari's press releases nowadays

[Moominpappa]

Wolfie: I laught to this article also. Kimi is talked a quite much when thinking that nobody miss him

-edit-
Wolfie again: you are too fast. Put another post just before my one

[Wolfie]

wolfie,

is it better for me to email you the pics so you can upload them can't find the icon to post the pics sorry I'm such a t***

Oi, I'm not sure if I'm good at it either Brenda

I don't seem to be able to upload any pictures from e-mails

But it's easy to upload them here. Click on the Img-icon above and copy the picture there. Hope it works