Speculation-thread: Will Kimi be in WRC or F1 next season?

[sammyosammy]

http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/ralli/uutise ... 12/1246943

Google translation:

Raikkonen does not drive anymore junior team

Kimi Raikkonen is almost certainly pursue a career in the mass rally of Citroen team ranks second season of 2011, but next season will no longer be called stable junioritiimiksi says Maxrally.com.

For the period ending 31-year-old Raikkonen Citroen formed junior team together just before Christmas 27 years have exhausted Ogierin with Sebastien. Junior Team won the team a last season, aptly named, because Raikkonen only learned how to rally and Ogieria trained towards a bigger challenge. Ogier to drive next season, Citroen's number one team and junior team gets a new name.

Maxrallyn sources, the official announcement Räikkönen Citroen continuation from the year-end periods. Räikkönen's next season in the program would include all 13 Worl :d Championship rallies. 28-year old Dutchman Peter van Merksteijn junior secondary drive Citroen races in the garage ten o'clock.

Greetings from SNOWY Finland

So MTV3 alike, the head line was screaming "Raikkonen won´t drive for CJT any more". Jerks..

[luieluv]

I somehow am liking the prospect that someone else is more than happy and willing to back a great talent like kimi.

[Sébastien Loeb]

thanks

Good news for Kimi and for me

[Mar]

Raikkonen announcement expected soon

24th December 2010
By Giles Wade

Kimi Raikkonen is reckoned to have agreed a deal to drive for the Citroen Junior Team again next season.

Sources close to the French team are certain the Finn will return for a second season, contesting all 13 rallies instead of the 12 he competed in his rookie year. Raikkonen’s management and his primary backer Red Bull have remained tight-lipped about next season.

“Kimi’s deal is done,” said the source. “He’ll be staying with Citroen for another year, but the team name is probably going to change.”

Citroen Racing director Olivier Quesnel admitted the Citroen Junior Team moniker would probably be replaced for next year, given that, since Sebastien Ogier’s elevation to the Citroen Total World Rally Team, there are no young drivers coming through the CJT.

In recent months, Raikkonen has been increasingly keen to remain in the world championship, eschewing a return to Formula 1 despite being strongly linked to a Renault seat.

Sources state an announcement of Raikkonen’s deal to drive a DS3 WRC in 2011 will be made in the New Year.

Raikkonen finished 10th in the World Rally Championship in his debut season, with his best result was fifth on the Rally of Turkey in April.

http://www.maxrally.com/news/entry/raik ... cted_soon/

Oh! I like these news
Time will tell if it's true.

[Mar]

http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/ralli/uutise ... 12/1246943

Google translation:

Raikkonen does not drive anymore junior team

Kimi Raikkonen is almost certainly pursue a career in the mass rally of Citroen team ranks second season of 2011, but next season will no longer be called stable junioritiimiksi says Maxrally.com.

For the period ending 31-year-old Raikkonen Citroen formed junior team together just before Christmas 27 years have exhausted Ogierin with Sebastien. Junior Team won the team a last season, aptly named, because Raikkonen only learned how to rally and Ogieria trained towards a bigger challenge. Ogier to drive next season, Citroen's number one team and junior team gets a new name.

Maxrallyn sources, the official announcement Räikkönen Citroen continuation from the year-end periods. Räikkönen's next season in the program would include all 13 Worl :d Championship rallies. 28-year old Dutchman Peter van Merksteijn junior secondary drive Citroen races in the garage ten o'clock.

Greetings from SNOWY Finland

So MTV3 alike, the head line was screaming "Raikkonen won´t drive for CJT any more". Jerks..

I was thinking about something stronger, but yeah, "jerks" could work.

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

Hope those rumours are true!!! I hope that RB keeps sponsoring him

[Andreas]

Would be nice indeed

[Mar]

Kim ralliura ice

Tuesday, 28.12.2010 at 23.29

According to his co-driver Kaj Lindström Kimi Räikkönen ralliura is now on ice.

World Rally series registration is nearing its completion. Still, nobody knows Kimi Räikkönen any contractual situation.

Worst of all - if the adjective that fits - is that Räikkönen sports career no relation to anything happening for a while. Matt, his father's death just before Christmas has stopped all negotiations.

- All things are frozen, until he gets his case in order, the championship Räikkönen served as co-driver Kaj Lindstrom says.

Read Wednesday's 29.12. Iltalehti rest of Kimi Räikkönen's situation.

http://www.iltalehti.fi/ralli/

[apple]

IL quotes Kaj Lindström as he says Kimis rally deal has been put on ice for the time beeing as he gets his things back in order.
He hopes Kimi continues his rally career as he hints Kimi has some other options too.(this news is from MTV 3 and seems they have once again added their own to the news, Kaj doesnt say the last sentence in Iltalehti news. Dunno if there is something in the written version.)

[Mar]

Thanks apple!

[brendakarli]

Vers said in another forum that according to Kaj, negotiations have been put on ice. But Vers did not mention that there are hints of other options...but I dun think he will go back to F1...maybe he will take the year off to get his thoughts together about family etc

[Ice-Ludy]

Thanks apple!

Thanks Mar for the link and Aplee for the translation!!

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

[Mar]

Kopf hoch! Don’t lose the faith.

[Wolfie]

Iltalehti 29.12.2010 (paper edition)

MOURNING TIME

According to Kaj Lindström Kimi Räikkönen's rally career is now put on ice.

Soon the dead line for the entry list in WRC meets the end. Yet nobody knows anything about Kimi Räikkönen's contract situation.

The worst - if this adjective fits in - would be that there wouldn't be anything happening for a while when it comes to Räikkönen's sporting career. Matti-dad's death during christmas stopped all negotiations.

- Everything is now put on ice until he gets his things in order, Kaj Lindström says.

In practice Räikkönen's mourning time will last at least until the funeral is over. Riku Kuvaja emphasises that they want to keep everything concerning the mourning event strictly as the family's private matter.

- We will totally sanctify this time. We will tell news when it's time, Kuvaja told Iltalehti yesterday.

Lindström is such an experienced fox that he doesn't lose his nerves even if he doesn't know for sure about his own plans next season. Surely there is something going on but according to the co-driver even the continuance in rally isn't completely sure.

- Everything is possible in this sport. If you would ask me it would have been better if we would have had a signed contract already in September.

Lately Räikkönen has also been connected to managering a motocross-team. It's completely uncertain if that could be combined with a full rally season or not.

- Let's just hope that he will end up in rally. His chances for success the second year are much better than the first year since he doesn't have to learn everything again, Kaj Lindström said.

Yet rally must now be the least important thing in Räikkönen's mind. The WRC-serie starts in Sweden in February. Mini/Prodrive-, Monster- and Citroen's junior team hasn't yet confirmed their other driver's name.

Janne Palomäki

Condolences

Making these stories is not the pleasant side in this job. The death of a close person is an extremely painful matter for each and everyone and asking about them isn't professionally rewarding.

I was 27-years old when my father died only a few weeks after he turned 55 years.

Matti Räikkönen was 56 when he passed away.

I don't claim that I would know how Kimi Räikkönen feels at the moment. I don't claim that I can estimate how long it takes for him before he is ready to return to the negotiation-table. I don't think anyone can say that he should do anything else than what he is doing right now.

Mourn.

Everything else is secondary. I'm sure Kimi gave a lot of joy and happiness to his father. Maybe he can seek some comfort from the fact that their relationship remained close until the end.

We can only take part in Räikkönen-family's mourning.

And give them peace.

Janne Palomäki