KIMI + CITROEN + WRC

[Zonked]

Its official Kimi is part of the wrc community,so this is a place for us to talk about his exploits and weather it was the right move.

[Lynn-rex]

You are fast Zonked!

Before the WRC season starts in Feb 2010, Kimi will participate in the Arctic Lapland Rally next month. Will need MissFinn to fill us up on this one. I remembered she provided us with some info the last time.

[Zonked]

I am sure we do,this is the official Kimi and Kimi only rally thread.gotta change the name.

[lightmas]

Who are his team mates

[f1-cobra]

He will be joined by former Junior WRC champion Sebastien Ogier.

[MissFinn]

I got info by Turun Sanomat.

Kimi Citroenille ainakin vuodeksi

Turun Sanomat 4.12 2009 08:49:08

Citroen Racing -talli jysäytti rallimaailman kauan odottaman uutispommin ja vahvisti perjantaiaamuna lehdistötiedotteella formula ykkösten vuoden 2007 maailmanmestari Kimi Räikkösen siirtyvän ranskalaistiimin WRC-miehistöön kaudeksi 2010.

– Olen aina jossain vaiheessa uraani halunnut kilpailla rallissa – erityisesti MM-tasolla WRC-autoilla. Kiitos Red Bullin kanssa solmittujen kontaktien minulle tarjoutui nyt tilaisuus ajaa MM-sarjan parhaalla autolla Citroen C4:llä. Tämä on minulle aivan uusi, mutta sitäkin kiinnostavampi haaste, Räikkönen summaili Citroenin lehdistötiedotteessa.

– Tällä hetkellä minulla on yksivuotinen sopimus. Mietitään sitten myöhemmin, mitä tehdään sen jälkeen. Odotan innolla sitä, että pääsen testaamaan autoa ja starttaamaan sillä ensimmäiseen kisaan, Räikkönen selvitti.

Citroenin tehdastiimissä jatkavat kuusinkertainen maailmanmestari Sebastien Loeb ja espanjalainen Daniel Sordo. Tehdastallin junioritiimissä lähes identtisillä C4-autoilla ajavat Räikkönen ja Ranskan Sebastien Ogiers.

Räikkösen kartanlukijana toimii kokenut Kaj Lindström, jonka kanssa Kimi ajoi viime talvena ja kesänä neljä rallia omistamallaan Fiat Puntolla.

Räikkösen debyytti Citronienilla tapahtuu 21-23.tammikuuta Arctic Lapland -tallissa Rovaniemellä. MM-sarja käynnistyy 11-14.helmikuuta Ruotsin rallilla Karlstadin maisemissa.

Citroen jättää Uuden Seelannin rallin väliin. Näin Räikkösen ohjelmassa on 12 MM-rallia.

Citroen ja Red Bull yhdistivät voimansa kaudeksi 2008. Ensimmäinen yhteinen kisa oli Argentiinan MM-ralli, jonka Loeb voitti. Kaikkiaan Red Bull-Citroen on voittanut 15 kisaa.

Tallipäällikkö Olivier Quesnel iloitsi Räikkösen kaappaamisesta F1:stä ralliin.

– Jahtaamme janoisina menestystä. Red Bullin energia ja sitoutuminen toimii täydellisesti lähtiessämme puolustamaan mestaruuksia. Toivotamme Kimi Räikkösen tervetulleeksi mukaan. Olemme ylpeitä, että hän valitsi Citroenin, Quesnel julistaa.

Turun Sanomat

Kimi got an 1 year deal with Citroen.
He got Kaj Lindström as his map reader, same guy who
drove with Kimi last year.
Kimis Rally debut will start in Rovaniemi, 21-23th January 2010,
we already are familiar with that, aren't we Lynn-rex.
WDC is starting in Sweden, Karlstad 11-14thFebruary.
Sorry Russ, Kimi wont race in NZ, he only takes 12 WDC races.

That's it.
Go Kimi Go with Citroen.

[lightmas]

rally fans...as a junior team...where would you expect kimi to be finishing

[WebHead]

Citroen is still the class car of the field, right? And he was pretty competitive relative to his class in the one rally that he contested. So I think he can do quite well. Certainly top 10 performances on the cards. But to actually make a podium or something will be tough IMO.

[lightmas]

well..he is joining the Junior team??..so im interested to know how much of a difference there is between the Junior team and the main team.

[midgrid]

Sébastien Ogier's a good driver; Kimi will do well to get close to him. At least Kaj Lindstrom is experienced and will be able to help him.

I wonder how many new WRC fans there are now?

[moonraker]

Ogier has had a year in the C4 plus he ran and won the Junior title in 2008. Therefore he knows all the stages and is vastly more experienced than Kimi, who has done a couple of rallies in the past 10 years.

I would expect an Alonso/Piquet difference their first season together.

End of stage interviews should be more interesting than F1 as Kimi actually seemed to be enjoying himself at the Finnish rally.

[Zonked]

well I am hoping for a couple of suprises.

[Lynn-rex]

As long as Kimi is not too far off from team mate Seb Ogiers I will be happy.
Overall top 15 finish will be nice.
In fact as long as he is having fun & tries to finish as many of the 12 rounds he is rallying will be great!

[Lynn-rex]

Kimi got an 1 year deal with Citroen.
He got Kaj Lindström as his map reader, same guy who
drove with Kimi last year.
Kimis Rally debut will start in Rovaniemi, 21-23th January 2010,
we already are familiar with that, aren't we Lynn-rex.
WDC is starting in Sweden, Karlstad 11-14thFebruary.
Sorry Russ, Kimi wont race in NZ, he only takes 12 WDC races.

That's it.
Go Kimi Go with Citroen.

Thanks MissFinn, great info.
Will be counting on you for more in 2010!

[Invité]

Citroen Racing Director, Olivier Quesnel said: "We will continue to count on Sebastien and Dani to defend our world titles in 2010, and we will also be prolonging our association with Sebastien Ogier who showed outstanding potential this year. Last but not least, it is with immense joy that we welcome Kimi Raikkonen to our ranks. We are very proud that he has chosen Citroen. In addition to the confirmation of these four crews, we will hopefully be able to announce other programmes over the coming weeks."

[Zonked]

Who are his team mates

Sebastien Ogier and Solberg is looking to sign/

http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=6591&desc=Solberg%3A+Citroen+offer+looking+best+for+2010

[Lynn-rex]

Who are his team mates

Sebastien Ogier and Solberg is looking to sign/

http://www.wrc.com/jsp/index.jsp?lnk=101&id=6591&desc=Solberg%3A+Citroen+offer+looking+best+for+2010

Zonky, I'm is Solberg joining the junior team or his own team?
Can he rally under his own team & Citroen?

[Zonked]

he might have his own team,and run the citroen car.hence indirectly becoming a citroen driver,but the article says more then me.

[Sennamacher]

Apparently the WRC fan club on Facebook more than doubled in size since it was announced that Kimi signed that contract... so I guess that's saying something

[Gary]

I'll start to watch WRC more.

[WebHead]

... lot's a Kimi fans must use Facebook.

[Zonked]

haha,and even the action our on forum in the rally section

[Zonked]

haha,and even the action on our own forum in the rally section

[Zonked]

sry about the double post,i was editing my grammer mistake

[Lynn-rex]

haha,and even the action our on forum in the rally section

high 5!