Räikkönen crashes in Arctic Rally - Formula 1 news - GPUpdate.net


Kimi Räikkönen's first rally day of the year has ended prematurely on Friday after the Finn crashed his Citroën on the second stage. The Red Bull Junior Team driver should be able to rejoin on Saturday, however, under special 'superally' regulations.

Having ended his Ferrari contract a year early to switch to rallying for 2010, Räikkönen and co-driver Kaj Lindstrom were forced to make their ways on foot after the Citroën C4 left the road on a right-hander and struck a tree.

Until the off, the Espoo man's first drive in the car had been an impressive one, running just five seconds off the pace of Citroën works driver Dani Sordo. "From what we hear, Kimi has hit the tree and knocked it down," a rally organising team member is quoted as saying by Autosport.

"We will have to wait and see what the is damage to the car. Maybe it's possible for them to come back tomorrow - we hope so."

 

Must be tough switching from a platform that drives like it's on rails to something that is all over the place.

 

I am certain Kimi will do well in whatever endeavor interests him. He'd become bored with F1 and it showed... the skill never diminished though. I'd love to see Kimi with an F1 WDC and a WRC title.

 

Bet he's not smiling anymore.

(cue ultra rare photo of Kimi smiling ... in an amazingly awkward manner)

 

Sounds like he's actually pretty quick til he decides to stop rather abruptly.

I wonder if he misses F1...

 

I honestly think he could give two shits about F1. He just wants to race. He reminds me of a Robby Gordon, Boris Said, etc. Put him in a race car and let him rip... I think F1's politics stifled him.

 

Without a doubt, I think you're right. He definitely had it good in F1 for a few years and it was funny to see the comparison between his life at the track (very methodical and somewhat boring) to his life off track (wild party animal). I think the WRC might actually be a better fit for him since I feel like that kind of playboy party lifestyle may not be as frowned upon by a bunch of blokes who like to race through the woods.

 

Räikkönen is continuing the race, stage results are available here. (ek=special stage)

 

^ Is that the first Finnish flag on TS?

I feel the same way Chris. Kimi is a talent behind the wheel and will be fast(est) in whatever excites him.

 

I believe there's been atleast one Finnish flag on TS earlier, but Thank You!

And on to the topic; there are some videoclips of Räikkönen's participation in this rally available here. Hopefully they are viewable also outside Finland?