Interview with Kimi Raikkonen which was conducted during his recent Citroen test session in Finland, prior to the Arctic Lapland Rally.

Raikkonen: "We would never have driven the F1 car at -25°C!"

Q: You are about to start your first full season in rallying. How do you find WRC compared to F1?
KR: "These are totally different disciplines. Here it is -25°C during testing. I had never driven an F1 car at -25°C! In the F1 practice sessions, we loop the same lap all the time. In rally, even if we stay on the same stretch of road, conditions change with each pass with more or less snow."

Q: What do you like about rallying?
KR: "I like everything! This is a new challenge for me. This is the biggest challenge of my racing career. It's very exciting..."

Q: What do you expect from your first event?
KR: "At the beginning of the rally we'll see where we are compared to drivers who have several years of experience in the discipline. Initially, the objective will be to complete the event. I must learn the car before I can attack a little more."



Q: In what area do you feel most comfortable?
KR: "I drove on all surfaces last season. Perhaps the snow as I drove on it in testing and racing, so I have more experience in this field. But I guess I may have good experience on asphalt. This is the area that I'm most familiar with."

Q: For a beginner in rallying making pacenotes is one of the most demanding jobs. Is this something that you've made progress with?
KR: "We'll use the same system as last year. It worked very well. With experience, we will continue to improve and we'll see how it works during the first events."

Q: What are your ambitions at the start of the Arctic Rally?
KR: "It was my first rally last season. This participation is a good workout. I'll be able to travel miles with the car before the first event of the World Championship. It's also nice to drive in Finland."

source: autohebdo.fr