Kimi’s Second Rally “A Fun Time” | Interview & Video Reports

From GMM

Formula One’s Kimi Raikkonen this weekend completed his second professional rally in 17th place.

Earlier this winter, the Ferrari driver finished 13th on his rally debut, having entered a Fiat Abarthe
Grande Punto S2000 in the Arctic Lapland Rally in his native Finland.

He
reprised the rally with the next round of the Finnish Rally
Championship, the Vaakuna Rally in Mikkeli, again with the Tomi Makinen
Racing-prepared Abarthe.

Raikkonen, 29, was eight minutes behind
the rally winner Jari Ketomaa at the finish, but had been seventh
overall at one stage prior to an off.

Post-rally interview with Kimi
Translated by Leijona

Interviewer: Kimi Raikkonen, it’s hard to swipe the smile from your face, what kind of day did you have?
KR:
Pretty nice although we hit the snowdrift at the second last section,
and badly after that, I mean it slowed my time by 7 minutes but other
than that I had a fun time.

Interviewer: So you had to do shovel work?
KR:
Fortunately not, because we had such great audience. The place we drove
off was good and we got help at getting the car out of the ditch.. of
course it would have been nice to come to the finish without problems
but my own little mistake paid.

Interviewer: What kind of situation it was? Did Kaj drop from the notes?
KR:
(laughing) No no no, it was my own mistake.. I drove too fast.. but
great roads and I had fun nevertheless, so no complaints.

Interviewer: Now you drove your second race of rally, how much has a rally bug bitten you?
KR:
Well I have always wanted to try it, and why not now, I have nothing
else better to do. It’s nice to drive a little and this being a
different kind of racing so it always educates you and I bet if there’s
more time I’ll drive more.

Interviewer: Are we going to see you this season in a (gravel) rally race?
KR:
Well like I said, it’s hard to say right now but let’s see how I have
time and I think I’ll drive when there’s time and nothing else.. just
for the practise it’s nice

Interviewer: Last question, season 2009 in F1
is around the corner, how does the new Ferrari feel and what kind of
goals do you have for the season?
KR: Well pretty nice of
course, but the car will change a lot before the first race.. we will
try to win and we won’t try anything else than that. we will see that
on the first race what kind of package everybody has but I think we
should have a competitive car.

Interviewer: so you don’t think you’ll need Kaj Lindström next to you in F1? (laughing)
KR: (laughs) no I think it’s more learning by heart, so I think I’ll get along alone.

Vaakuna-Ralli Finnish News Reports
Captured by Krikke | Downloads including subtitles are available in the forum!

Well the boy can drive and when he’s having too much fun he overdrive’s sometimes. It was great to have seen him do an impressive job and though it was a pity he spun as he could’ve easily been in the top 7, we’re proud anyway. Keep Flying Kimi!

The White Grand Prix – MTV3’s Rally Special Programme (Many thanks to Vakie!)
http://www.viddler.com/simple/fb05b6b9/