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

[luieluv]

Kimi's private team and this sounds promising as it is likely that we shall see new sponsors backing kimi.

[Kriss]

Google translation

Raikkonen involved in at least 10 Rally

10.01.2011 18:42

Kimi Raikkonen will continue to rally mightily in his career.

Former F1 champion to drive the Swedish Rally in February for a period beginning ten o'clock WRC Citroen's second team. It is possible that during the races would be more than that.
- Of the ten have been agreed, but it is possible that the races should be more, Räikkönen's case manager Riku Kuvaja says.

Last season, Raikkonen drove a World Series Citroen junior team.

- Just in the same way will be continued. There's also a test program Kuvaja says.

Kimi experienced co-driver Kaj Lindstrom will continue, with whom the ex-Formula One champion drove in last season's championship as 10th. Raikkonen was the best, the Turkish Rally fifth.

Kuvajan that Räikkönen rally supporters of the project and better race program will be announced later.

Kimi Räikkönen's rally career further confirmed at the last minute

Raikkonen was one of three from Citroen

http://www.mtv3.fi/urheilu/ralli/uutise ... 01/1253683

[Wolfie]

Here is the translation:

Kimi Räikkönen will strongly continue his rally-career

- We have agreed upon ten but it's possible that there would be more races, Riku Kuvaja tells.

- We will continue the same way. We also have a test program, Kuvaja tells.

According to Kuvaja the sponsors in Kimi's rally project and a more accurate race program will be published later.

[Kriss]

thanks Nikki

[Ice-Ludy]

Thank you guys for all the news and translations! It´s so good to know Kimi will continue his journey in the WRC!

[Julia]

Kimi Räikkönen's case manager Riku Kuvaja confirmed Räikkönen driving this year, Citroen's junior team, at least 10 World Championship rallies. Season begins in Sweden, where Raikkonen has enrolled Championship prologue Ice 1 team in the name.

http://www.ts.fi/online/urheilu/187553.html

... and from the same article: the sponsors and program is announced later....

Which probably means that there's still no deal made

they are talking in pluralism ie he has more than one sponsor... guess that they are still trying to get everything together but atleast i would assume that he already has something but maybe not everything

[Julia]

Yle Urheilu:

PR-manager Pekka Koski, Finnish importer of Citroen, was surprised by the news. He hadn't heard anything from France.

- We have no information about this. It could be Kimi's private team, Pekka Koski thought.

Oh my

well we can maybe conclude from that that citroen finland is not one of his sponsors... but why on earth would citroen tell their importers who they are hiring cars to before its announced ??

[apple]

Kimi Räikkönen's case manager Riku Kuvaja confirmed Räikkönen driving this year, Citroen's junior team, at least 10 World Championship rallies. Season begins in Sweden, where Raikkonen has enrolled Championship prologue Ice 1 team in the name.

http://www.ts.fi/online/urheilu/187553.html

... and from the same article: the sponsors and program is announced later....

Which probably means that there's still no deal made

they are talking in pluralism ie he has more than one sponsor... guess that they are still trying to get everything together but atleast i would assume that he already has something but maybe not everything

Yeah, I would thought the amount of the rallies is still in question.

[Andreas]

Wohoo soo happy finally ! Kimi keeps flying!!
can't wait for the start of the season!
Kimi's private team: Ice 1 , how cool ?

and how cool will the livery be ??

[sammyosammy]

Yle Urheilu:

PR-manager Pekka Koski, Finnish importer of Citroen, was surprised by the news. He hadn't heard anything from France.

- We have no information about this. It could be Kimi's private team, Pekka Koski thought.

Oh my

well we can maybe conclude from that that citroen finland is not one of his sponsors... but why on earth would citroen tell their importers who they are hiring cars to before its announced ??

Touchè Julia, Citroen Finland..? Does Citroen Finland even exist (sorry moomin )...? And if it does exist, they really are not the ones to hear it first when it comes to racing..

And again, the only interesting part on this play is whether RBR is in or out. Nighty people, I´ve got some good reading waiting for me..(after taking the doggie out first, naturally )

[Wolfie]

Kulta has an article, I'm translating it so you might want to wait for it...

[beefree88]

Kulta has an article, I'm translating it so you might want to wait for it...

Thanks in advance

[luieluv]

brin it on wolfie..

And i honestly feel that if petter and kimi are in the same team which the reports now are claiming then Kimi and Petter have certainly found or rather stiched the sponsors in time.

So for all we know kimi is not paying from his pockets for this seat.

[Wolfie]

Räikkönen gets a Citroen for 10 WRC-rallies

Turun Sanomat 10.1 2011 20:05:39

Kimi Räikkönen's contract that has been fine-tuned for a long time with Citroen's brand new DS3 WRC-car in WRC was finally ready to be published on Monday.

– We can confirm that Kimi has agreed upon 10 WRC-rallies with Citroen. Kimi decided that he wants to continue in rally and he wanted to continue in the best car. Although the WRC-cars will change Citroen still seems to be in the best positions, Räikkönen's manager Steve Robertson told Turun Sanomat.

Kaj Lindström will continue as Räikkönen's co-driver. Mark Arnall will still take care of his fitness.

– Of course Kimi's learning in rally continues this year also but it's not as difficult as it was the first season. The car is now different for everybody and it gives a little leverage in addition to the experience Kimi has gained when compared to the top lead. Of course the difference to Sebastien Loeb and other experienced drivers is undisputable, Robertson thinks.

Peter van Merksteijn junior has also made a 10 rally deal with Citroen like Räikkönen but the French team will only get 3 new cars to Sweden.

This year the junior-team's car is completely identical with the factory team because the machinery is completely renewed.

Why does Räikkönen have a contract with 10 instead of 13 rallies?

– Because Kimi's rallying experience is so small it can be better to drive additional tests with the new car while the others race in the long distance races, Robertson justified - but he left the possibility that Räikkönen would in the end drive the whole serie.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

[luieluv]

Thanks wolfie. I hope kimi eventually does full program of WRC. 13 rallies as it is was not sufficient for us. Cmon Kimi!!!