KIMI RAIKKONEN HOPES FOR A LATE PRESENT FROM FATHER CHRISTMAS
Former Formula One World Champion Kimi Raikkonen will travel to home of Father Christmas next week (28-30 January 2010) in search of a belated Christmas present – a debut win in his new Citroën C4 WRC rally car.
The Finnish Formula One driver, who has switched to rallying for 2010, is entered in the Arctic Lapland Rally as a rehearsal for his debut in the World Rally Championship which kicks off with the Rally of Sweden on 11 February. The event is based around the frozen city of Rovaniemi that is best known as the home of Father Christmas in snow-bound northern Finland.
While thousands of children write to Father Christmas in Rovaniemi every year and car makers use the roads around the city where temperatures can drop as low as minus 47.5 degrees for winter testing, for rally fans, it means the hosttown of the Finnish Rally Championship’s opening round. As its name suggests, the Arctic Lapland Rallytakes place around the Arctic Circle in the heart of chilly Lapland. At this time of year the sun does not rise until after 10:00and sets before 15:00.
Alongside Kimi Raikkonen and his co-driverKaj Lindström, Citroën Racing Technologies will also enter a Citroën C4 for Dani Sordo to enable the Spanish driver to get something his home country does not provide – experience driving on snow and ice in sub-zero temperatures.
“Time has been dragginga bit since the end of October so I’m really looking forward to starting a rally again,” said Dani. “Up to nowI have only taken part in five events on ice and snow. By racking up a few more kilometres on thisspecialised surface before Sweden, I’ll be able to increase my experience in these conditions. I love drivingon ice, but I feel that I still need to step up a gear in order to challenge the top drivers on snow events.There is only one winter rally on the WRC calendar this year, and I intend to be as well prepared for it as possible!”
Kimi Räikkönen will have plenty of new things to discover on his first competitive outing with Citroën.
“I gotto know the C4 a little bit during a test session close to the Citroën Racing workshops,” reported the Finn. “This rally is a very good opportunity for me to work with the team in competitive conditions and continuemy learning curve with the car. I took part in this rally last year with Kaj and as the route is largely the sameI think that could help us a bit.”
The arctic climate and darkness are not just a challenge for the drivers.
“This training experience will be as useful to the team as it will be to the individual crews,” explained BenoîtNogier, Citroën Racing Technologies team manager. “Kimi will drive a C4 WRC in identical specification tothe one that he will race over the rest of the season. Similarly, the crew of technicians in Rovaniemi will remain on his car for the remainder of the year enabling them to learn Kimi’s personal requirements as well as getting acclimatised to working in freezing conditions.”
The Arctic Lapland Rally will run over two legs. The first one is on Friday 29 January between 12:00 and20:53 while the second one takes place the following day between 08:00 and 18:43. The route takes in12 challenging special stages, totalling 214 competitive kilometres.
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For further information:
Citroën Australia Media Web Site:
Miles Williams
/ Tel: (02) 8577 8020General Manager / Fax: (02) 8577 3555
Citroën Australia / Mob: 0419 800 520
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Edward Rowe
/ Tel: (02) 8677 8015Public Relations Manager / Fax: (02) 8577 3555
Citroën Australia / Mob: 0407 913 244
E-Mail:
Citroen Australia
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EJR/ejr/934
1/21/2010