Kimi rally talks focus on Red Bull
November 19, 2009 by SJ Skid
Filed under People & Events
For all my desire to see the “Red Bull and Vodka” team in Formula 1, I have to admit that it seems a better, more appropriate fit for the somewhat wilder and more “extreme” world of rally racing.
Thankfully, the word is that Kimi Raikkonen’s discussions about a 2010 rally campaign are with Red Bull.
Autosport has the news, albeit buried a bit, so I wonder if it is not the strongest bit of news the outfit has put online:
Raikkonen’s potential switch to rallying for 2010 would most likely be in a Red Bull-backed Citroen C4 WRC in the World Championship, AUTOSPORT has learned.
It is understood that both full and partial WRC campaigns are under evaluation from Raikkonen’s management.
A source told AUTOSPORT: “There have been quite a few meetings about this, there’s certainly a desire to get Kimi in a car for next year and Citroen and Red Bull are in the discussions.
“Whether it will be a full, 13-round programme or a limited number of events, we don’t know. From what we understand, Kimi is very keen to compete at the highest level of rallying.”
I’m with others who think a Kimi to WRC switch could be a bonanza for rallying, which has gotten a bit stale with Sebastien Loeb doing his “I’m Michael Schumacher and will win everything” routine. And maybe WRC would figure out how to build a marketing campaign around Kimi.
It could be huge. And the U.S. actually gets WRC now, although not in a particularly timely way.
Honestly, while I think Kimi to Mercedes GP would be the best outcome, if I were him and really ticked off at Ferrari and F1 in general, I’d contemplate the WRC switch and see what impact I could have there — and how it might hurt F1.
[Before anyone goes off on me, I do think Kimi's the biggest star in F1 and could draw viewers with him to another sport. I do. But feel free to disagree.]
Loading ...
I have said it before, if WRC is to get back into the limelight, they need to sign a Kimi-like character, if he can start to challenge Sebastien even better.
We don’t get coverage here (not a lot anyway), but if I saw the highlights on the telly I would stop and watch to see how Kimi was doing rather than skipping past it and watching Glee.
PS No I dont watch that show. It was a joke guys.
it’ll be interesting watching Kimi progresses in wrc.
He showed a good talent but he has everything to learn, he really couldn’t fight for winning, but instead he has to be careful because rallying is far dangerous than today’s f1.
Maybe to learn he could do one year in the s2000 championship, but his name is gold for wrc organizer.. if he succed in not to be too far to the second driver (sordo ecc.. ), I think he’ll never come back to f1 and start a new career.. Sadly rallying hasn’t tv coverage..
WRC doesnt have the kind of Tv coverage that F1 has and Kimi alone cannot change that. F1 will remain the king of all motor sports. (Did I hear anyone say NASCAR?)
No…no one said NASCAR…as far as you know. :)