Citroen has announced that Kimi Raikkonen will join its World RallyChampionship line-up in a Red Bull-backed Citroen Junior Team car.
The 2007 Formula 1 world champion will be joined in the Red Bull
Citroen squad by former Junior WRC champion Sebastien Ogier, who
completed an impressive WRC rookie season with the squad last year.
Raikkonen made his top flight rallying debut in an S2000 Abarth at
his home round of the WRC in Finland earlier this year, earning the
respect of the series regulars for the speed with which he adapted to
driving on the stages. He has hinted for many years that he was keen to
pursue a career in rallying after F1, and when he announced last month
that he would take a sabbatical following the breakdown of his talks
with McLaren, the WRC was seen as his most likely destination.
"I always wanted to compete in rally, especially in the World Rally Championship at some point in my career," said Raikkonen.
"Thanks to Red Bull, I have the opportunity to drive the best car of
the series with the Citroen C4. This is a new but very exciting
challenge."
Speculation has suggested that Raikkonen could return to F1 with Red
Bull after his first WRC season. He confirmed that his Citroen deal
only covered 2010 at present.
"For the moment we have a one-year contract and we will see how it
goes for the future," Raikkonen said. "I am really looking forward to
testing the car and taking the start of the first rally."
Citroen team boss Olivier Quesnel said he was delighted by Red
Bull’s increased involvement, and that the squad had such a strong
Junior line-up in Raikkonen and Ogier alongside factory drivers
Sebastien Loeb and Dani Sordo.
"Red Bull’s commitment and energy are a perfect fit for Citroen’s
ongoing thirst for victory," Quesnel said. "We will continue to count
on Sébastien 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."
Raikkonen and Ogier will contest 12 of next year’s 13 WRC rounds, but will skip the New Zealand event.
The 2010 WRC Calendar (from RallyBuzz.com)
14 February – Sweden
07 March – Mexico
04 April – Jordan
18 April – Turkey
09 May – New Zealand
30 May – Portugal
10 July – Bulgaria (Saturday finish)
01 August – Finland
22 August – Germany
12 September – Japan
03 October – France
24 October – Spain
14 November – Great Britain
FUCK ISRAEL 
Well, I’m really happy for Kimi, now that his move to rally next year is official. What’s more, it’s only for a year, so we may still see him return to F1 in a competitive car for 2011. I wish him every success and thumbs up to Kimi for taking on a completely new challenge – one that many consider as a sport that requires big balls !! So, Kimi’s showing it to the likes of Louie & Alonso. Besides, we’ll see him compete in Feb, over a month earlier than if he was back in F1. My only disappointment is that he won’t be racing in New Zealand and that would’ve been my first rally to attend and see Kimi in action. His fans will follow him wherever he goes ! Exciting times ahead…
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Cheers to that Trixie :)I’m just relieved and happy that Kimi will continue his legacy elsewhere and he will, like we’ve always said here, keep flying!
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Finally, the agony of waiting is over! I’m a little sad,because i wanted Kimi to stay in F1. Hope he’ll return next year but until then i wish him all the best, and Kimi: Have a lots of fun!!!!!!!! Forever with you!
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Good news for all of us! 🙂 Here’s wishing Kimi the best – hope he’ll win at least 1 rally this year… and then back in 2011 with for the WDC! Honestly though, he might like rallying so much that he won’t come back… Go Kimi!
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Kimi is happy and excited and this is the right thing, so I’m sure hell’ do his best, no doubt. sure also that f1 chance is not at the end and that he’ll return because he loves racing, it is all his life. so keep pushing, keep flying and….this will be a chance for me to learn more about rallies :))))))))KIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
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I’m really happy for Kimi. It’s what he wants to do. I remember watching him being interviewed by the man from Dave at Rally Finland and he looked so happy. I’m at Ford fan but he’s definately chosen the right rally team to join, I’d say that the Citroen Junior Team is best after Citroen and Ford main teams because it gets the most factory support so I’m sure Kimi will get all the help he needs and we can soon see the flying finn fly again! :)Just one thing does anyone know if I can still watch WRC on Dave in the UK next year? I know its on MotorsTV but I don’t have that :(. Anyone know?
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Yeah, it’ll still be on Dave and Eurosport, I think, Anna.
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Phew…. what a relief! As expected Kimi finally confirmed his moves to WRC! I’m from a very reluctant to accept the fact to fully support him as long as he is happy. I really hope he will return to F1 in the near 1 or 2 years to blow all the rival away & win another WDC & WCC for the his team. But I’m wondering would he return? Anyway, I think he has made his best choice for 2010. So all the best to him, and will follow him to Rally 🙂 and… bye-bye to F1. F1 without Kimi mean nothing to me!BTW, do we have something like live-timing for WRC? There is no live broadcast of Rally in my country, please share the link if anyone know what is the best source to follow WRC. Thanks!
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I want to know which place he will has the rally in Sweden.
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Yeahh I´m extremely joyful with this situation.. Finally I will have the opportunity to see him driving¡ ohhh yeahh he is coming to MEXICO¡¡ for sure I´ll be there supporting and sponsoring him haha,, Regrettably, this year f1 will not be the same, having top drivers always spice up the championship, but without him and with all this changes, and specially for me.as a fan of ferrari. with the new team.. (which will be a disaster).. I have a lack of emotion to become a f1 2010 fellow fan. ANYWAY… The best for him, it´s going to be harsh to be in the first positions, but I´m quite sure that we will have at least one win
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I’m so happy !!!Good job Kimi you rock!
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Kimi needs some time & a lot of practice in Rally to be on top. So I won’t expect to see him having good result especially in the first year 🙂
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Thanks, I just had a panic that it might not be on TV because it was announced that it will be on MotorsTV but hopefully it will still be on Dave even if the presenter man is quite annoying lol.The WRC website posts all the stage times though for people who don’t have it and there are stage highlight videos on it too, I’m sure we’ll get to see a lot of Kimi on that. Definitely there isn’t much left of F1 anymore I certainty don’t care about F1 next year anymore. As for Kimi in WRC I think he’ll take a few rallys to adjust and after that I think he’ll be scoring points regularly and hopefully challenging for podiums later on but realistically it’ll be difficult for him to beat Loeb and Hirvonen who have been doing it for years. But I look forward to seeing Kimi taking up the challenge :)Thanks so much for this website btw I love being able to follow Kimi easily and finding out other ppls opinions so thanks so much :):)
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Congrates Kimi and t o all FAns here….Its the start of new Kimi Era…..Bad for me we cant watch Rally in India…..Any indian who can help me out?Well i dont Know…… i’m just happy to say to everyone that Kimi’s gone to WRC and to CitroenSorry to say this but….*uck u Montezemolo and Domenicali we’ll see what ur cranky baby Alonso will do…..But if Kimi can ever come to F1 i just want him to come in Red Bull…..i’m gonna support them and Vettel…… i think red bull is the coolest team in the f1…..which actually suits kimiFinally Not to forget……..Keep On Flyin Kimi
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Tbf to Domenicalli he didn’t slag him off as such, what he said was quite understandable especially as he is team leader and its always natural that they’ll talk up Alonso, you don’t spend that kind of money on someone only to say that they aren’t as good as the person they replaced. Plus you get the impression that he likes Kimi anyway.WRC has the potential to be a really good season in 2010, hopefully the other rumours/strories will be finalised soon.
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Great news for Kimi, to be doing what he really enjoys and to get to do it at WRC level as well. Like Trixie I am a bit sad to see he will not make it down south for the Rally New Zealand. I am sure he would have liked that one, lots of great fast roads there.
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I am happy for Kimi that he is following his heart, especially after how Ferrari have treated him. Perhaps some time away will refresh him, however, the Rally bug may bite and that will the that.Having said that in my own heart, I am hoping that he is serious about unfinished F1 business and would like to see him back in F1 with Red Bull in a year.I will probably try the GB Rally in Wales just for the experience but November in GB with Wellies and Woolies is a far cry from the sunshine of F1 – especially when you only get to see your hero whizzing by once per stage :o( Me thinks Rally is a better sport for drivers or cosy in an armchair !!! Unfortunately Rally coverage in Britain is minimal at best.As for F1 – I’ll still be watching albeit with an emptier heart. Still plenty going on – will the partnerships all right true?? Alonso and Massa – will their Latin Temperament get in the way and will Button be the "second driver"? How will Rosberg and Hulkenberg get on?? Maybe it will be nice to not be as closely involved for a season and just watch with a passing interest to see what might unfold if Kimi does decide to come back. Keeping my fingers crossed cause F1 just won’t be the same without him ….. for sure !!
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It’s a great chance for him to enjoy and take satisfaction in a more free planet and habitat that is rally and I’m sure he’ll do all his best ’cause he wants to win in everything he does. so I’m totally confident about a success :)keep flying and let see to all public that you’re a complete champion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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hey to all kimi fans out there.we are thinking about goin to rally gb next year.if any of you wanna join us.itll b great to see all kimi fans!shud b a great fun!
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Anne, I’ll definately be trying to go to Rally GB too! Will keep you posted 🙂
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By the way, WRC coverage in the UK will be on Motors TV from 2010, we’re currently discussing and trying to find out more information about coverage in other countries in the forum but all will be updated here on the blog eventually 🙂
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"Unfortunately Rally coverage in Britain is minimal at best."I wouldn’t say its minimal tbh, Dave has a WRC: Access All Areas show on every week while the season is on, plus as previously mentioned the new deal with Motors TV, there should be a lot more coverage.
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Yeah I watched World Rally on Dave yesterday afternoon, they looked at top 10 daring drives lol it was pretty good.
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Hi all!! As most of Kimi´s fans, we are getting ready to support the Iceman in this new challenge. No doubt he will shine!! Here are three links of WRC , (Facebook, Youtube and Twitter) that can start to give us some "belonging" and follow up to this new sport just as we surely did with F1. Hope you enjoy them!! Happy Holidays!!http://www.facebook.com/WorldRallyhttp://www.youtube.com/user/wrchttp://twitter.com/officialwrc
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Thanks for that Monika! :)Nicole translated this funny article:———————————–KIMI RÄIKKÖNEN TO SEISKA: WOOHOO!Kimi Räikkönen is ever so happy for his contract with Citroen. When Seiska called to congratulate him for the rally-contract with Citroen the man was really filled with joy.- WOOHOO! was his answer.Kimi’s blood started to take him to rally paths during last F1-season. After two smaller rallies he drove last summer his first WRC-rally in Jyväskylä. The enthusiasm and courage didn’t disappear even though the race ended through a spectacular flight in the air into to the edge of the road.Rally overalls on in February!Kimi will jump into his new WRC-overalls for the first time in February in Sweden but before that he has in January the Arctic Lapland -rally in the norh pole which is some kind of a dress rehearsal for the beginning season.To the Finnish Kimi-fans joy the man will be seen twice on domestic rally paths.The end of the F1-career doesn’t bugThe end of the F1-career isn’t a personal loss for Kimi financially or mentally either. After winning the F1-championship the hero wants to win the championship in another genre too for sure.http://www.seiska.fi/viihdeuutiset/_a104630/kimi+raikkonen+rallisopimuksestaan+seiskalle+jiihaa/———————————-Kimi is well happy lol
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"Yeah I watched World Rally on Dave yesterday afternoon, they looked at top 10 daring drives lol it was pretty good."was Colin McRae number 1? 😛
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also to say the wrc youtube page is very good!
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Formula 1 lost, but WRC gained!!! ☼Go Kimi!☼ & there r a lot of resources in the web, so I think we’ll catch up on the most important events 🙂
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kimi in WRC will likely be more entertaining than in F1, at least the drivers can just go racing and not put up with stupid rule changes and political ego-bashing. only problem is, rallies are of course run in stages so can really only have highlights shows. i am wondering if planned coverage might increase immediately for 2010 (in UK and elsewhere) because of the kimster’s inclusion. it could happen…..
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Absolutely right Jo-anne! Just check what the Rally Travel site posted on Twitter yesterday:"Lots of interest from Kimi Raikkonen fans wanting to visit the WRC in 2010 with us-certainly more chance of meeting him on rally than in F1!" 6:37 AM Dec 7th from web Too bad they only organize travels in Europe only…
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