2009 World Rally Championship

  • Wido Rossen

Formula 1 star Kimi Raikkonen is understood to be ready to sign a deal with Citroen to drive a C4 World Rally Car on all 13 rounds of the 2010 World Rally Championship.

Nothing is signed yet, but a source close to the 2007 F1 World Champion told wrc.com that only small details needed to be tied-up before an official announcement is made in the coming days.

The Finn's 2010 WRC programme is understood to have been funded by Red Bull, one of Raikkonen's personal sponsors, and a major backer of Citroen's World Rally campaign.

Long time rally fan Raikkonen is able to tackle the World Rally Championship season thanks to his decision to take a one year sabbatical from Formula 1.

Raikkonen's only WRC experience to date came on this year's Rally Finland, where he impressed in an Abarth Grande Punto S2000. Despite engine problems he was placed 15th overall when he crashed his car into a ditch on the second day.

If Raikkonen does make the switch to Citroen power for 2010, he'll be in good company. Six-time World Rally Champion Sebastien Loeb has won 26 rallies in the C4 and recently admitted it was his favourite competition car of all time.


Source WRC.com
 
  • Pekka Virkamäki

It is a bold decision and shows alot what Kimi is about as a person. I know that many think his move is purely about money but I doubt that. Me thinks he is a true racer and he loves the new challenge, much like Valentino Rossi and also Schumacher does.
 
You all saw how relaxed he was at rally Finland last summer. He really likes the atmosphere there in WRC. And what a boost it would be for the WRC if Kimi joins it and drives well!

Personally I prefer to see him driving F1 but if it's wrc then I watch wrc and not much F1 anymore.

Money..if Santander/Ferrari pays him 17million € that he is not racing in F1 and He gets only something like 10m€ if he is racing in another team, there is a big difference. If he goes rallying, takes that 17 Santander millions +5 from Citroen I think it's worth of retiring from F1 and have some WRC fun.

Two months ago at Spain I tried to get some money out of Santander cash point but it was closed and I had to walk to another one across the street. Now I know it was closed because they paid Kimi out :D
 
The key thing is, from my experience I can back this up, the media are a lot less nosy in WRC. Drivers can just relax during a rally, and not have to be driven around on trucks. They can get close to the fans. I was at Rally ireland 2007, and Petter Solberg just walked out and talked to the fans and wasn't attacked. It is a lot more laid back. You all know how Kimi doesn't like the media.

He can be himself.
 
You all know how Kimi doesn't like the media.
Well said, i think you made a very good point there why Kimi will love WRC.

Personally i find the IRC (more cars)) way more interesting than the WRC the last years. But with big names like Kimi joining the WRC I think they are about to make a huge comeback!
 
  • Pekka Virkamäki

I like the romantic argument but I believe the reasons are same as usual in professional sportsmen.

I like it more! Unfortunate as it is, you might be right.

Even so, rallying has less hype than F1, thus Kimi could very well find his motorsport niche again in the world of rallying.
 
Citroen and WRC now confirmed.:shock:

Citroen has announced that Kimi Raikkonen will join its World Rally Championship line-up in a Red Bull-backed Citroen Junior Team car, as predicted by AUTOSPORT.
The 2007 Formula 1 world champion will be joined in the Red Bull Citroen squad by former Junior WRC champion Sebastien Ogier, who completed an impressive WRC rookie season with the squad last year.
Raikkonen made his top flight rallying debut in an S2000 Abarth at his home round of the WRC in Finland earlier this year, earning the respect of the series regulars for the speed with which he adapted to driving on the stages. He has hinted for many years that he was keen to pursue a career in rallying after F1, and when he announced last month that he would take a sabbatical following the breakdown of his talks with McLaren, the WRC was seen as his most likely destination.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80431
 
The first rally Kimi will drive is The Arctic Lappland Rally Finland in January which should prepare him for the first WRC season race Rally Sweden. There's also rumours that Marcus Gronholm will drive Rally Sweden so we'll see the greatest lineup in many years in WRC. :woot2:
 
Yeah this is such awesome news. WRC is completely back now!!

Quite funny to join in a junior car as former Formula 1 world champion :)
 
Great news, this will add new interest to the WRC and will certainly test him as a driver. Of course, coming from Finland, the breeding ground for Rally Drivers, you can bet he will learn very quickly, especially with the Citroen Team.

He may be a former World F1 Champion, but this will be a whole new world of challenge, even for him.
 
The first rally Kimi will drive is The Arctic Lappland Rally Finland in January which should prepare him for the first WRC season race Rally Sweden. There's also rumours that Marcus Gronholm will drive Rally Sweden so we'll see the greatest lineup in many years in WRC. :woot2:

It's today confirmed that also Marcus Grönholm takes part in Swedish rally with WRC Focus made by M-Sport. Mattias Therman drives another Ford of Team Therminator.

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/80538

Marcus Gronholm has confirmed he will tackle next year's Rally Sweden in a Ford Focus RS WRC - and says he will be gunning for another victory on the Kalrstad-based event.

The Finn, who retired at the end of the 2007 season, will drive in Team Therminator, alongside countryman Matthias Therman. Gronholm will be co-driven, as usual, by Timo Rautiainen.
 

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