Sandstorm Halts Bahrain Testing | Another Rally For Kimi

Testing at the Sakhir circuit in Bahrain was forced to be cancelled on Thursday following another sandstorm.

While the three teams working there were hindered by the wind and
the sand yesterday morning, today conditions were worse and they were
unable to work at all today.

Kimi Raikkonen, Jarno Trulli and Robert Kubica were allowed to
complete an installation lap each, but there was no more action during
the day.

"I’ve never seen a sandstorm in the desert before so this is a new experience for me," said Trulli at the end of the day.

"It’s obviously a pity that we have been stuck in the pits both
yesterday and today. I went out for one installation lap in the morning
and the track was covered in dust.

TurunSanomat.fi wrote: "Kimi has not yet run a single meter in the new Ferrari in dry conditions. He looks forward
to doing so quickly, and when it failed on Thursday, obviously he is not in the best
mood," Räikkönen’s manager Steve Robertson explained from Bahrain.

Meanwhile…Kimi Signs Up For Another Finnish Rally
From Planet-F1.com | MTV3.fi

Kimi Raikkonen will resume his rallying foray in
Finland later this month, according to reports in the Ferrari driver’s
native country.

The 2007 Formula One world champion finished his first professional
rally, the recent Arctic Lapland Rally, in thirteenth place, having
entered a Fiat Abarthe Grande Punto S2000.

It is reported that he now wants to take part in the Vaakuna Rally,
also part of the Finnish Rally Championship, between 20 and 21 February
in Mikkeli, which would be only shortly after he returns from Bahrain
for Ferrari testing, the Finnish tabloid Iltalehi said.

It is suggested that Raikkonen, 29, will again need the clearance
of his Ferrari chiefs Stefano Domenicali and Luca di Montezemolo.

"I cannot say anything other than it is possible that we will be
involved," Raikkonen’s co-driver Kaj Lindstrom told another Finnish
publication, Lansi-Savo.

The Ilta-Sanomat newspaper said Raikkonen has lost several kilos in preparation for the 2009 F1 season.

Grönholm Praises Kimi’s Rally Skills
Translation by Google | Edited by Evenstar

Kimi Räikkönen was able to convince rally double world champion Marcus Grönholm few weeks ago.
F1 champion Raikkonen competed in 13 challenging
circumstances in the Arctic LapLand Rally.

"Kimi performed really well. Ordinary people doing 13 locations
may not be able to cope because of anything, but if you take into
account that he drove his first rally in the dark and snow, it’s a
really hard thing," Grönholm tells MTV3.

Grönholm does not exclude the possibility that Raikkonen would turn
to rally after his F1 career, after this successful rally trial. This time, the Ferrari
driver is behind the wheelagain  in the Vakuuna rally from Mikkeli, Finland.

"Everything is possible in the future. It’s not too
late to switch to a rally driving career. Time will tell," Grönholm
said.