Kimi close to full 2010 WRC deal
November 27, 2009 by SJ Skid
Filed under People & Events, Top Story
Kimi Raikkonen’s move to rallying is just about signed, sealed and delivered, according to the official World Rally Championship web site.
27/11/09
Raikkonen close to Citroen WRC dealFormula 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.
That’s some big news; crack and Red Bull and vodka to celebrate!
While apparently a few details need to be hammered out, I have to assume that the story’s being on the official site means all sides are confident in its eventual inking.
We’ve all been discussing Kimi and his future. Now that we — 99% — know: Thoughts? Any chance we’ll see Kimi back in open-wheel racing? I think his taking a full WRC calendar is a bad sign about his return to F1. If he’d done a few races here and there, that would have suggested to me his intent was getting back in F1. This feels more like an “I’ve moved on” development.
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i think he wiil get a season of the wrc in his blood and decide to stay there
Sad day for F1, but looks like the WRC has a new fan. I’ll be watching his progress.
Still disappointing…a Nico/Kimi line up at Merc would have been an exciting team…Nico and just about anyone else available will be a relative snoozefest…
I’m happy we know what Kimi is doing, thou I’m disappointed it’s not something in F1. =\
Thank goodness for that, now we won’t have to put up with that miserable long face on the podium any more.
Seb Loeb, Ken Block and Kimi…. this should be exciting…….
Well I have to say I am now getting used to the idea… and ready to don Uggs instead of Jimmy Choos and trip over to Sweden in February…
I sort of hope that with Red Bull providing the funding they’ll put Kimi back with Adrian Newey in a Red Bull F1 machine in 2011 but….
If he enjoys rallying… and he will… I think he’ll stay…
So I am getting prepared to face a “Kimi-less F1″ next year… and it’s going to be terribly hard….
Hey folks… al you have to know is this… watch WRC on HDTHR and you’ll ge tthe bug. 100 mph+ on dirt roads 6 feet wide with a cliff on one side and jagged rocks on the other… gets your blood pumping.
Oh, and it leaves him free for Le Mans and other events (check Loeb’s schedule).