quoteRaikkonen: Le Mans and rallycross are top of my list 20 June, 2014
Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen has admitted that he would still like to try his hand at racing at the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours race and perhaps even have a go at rallycross.
Speaking to media ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix weekend at the Red Bull Ring, Raikkonen said, “I enjoy racing and Le Mans is one of the things that would be on the top of my list, as a very famous race. I would have to see what happens in the future, but for sure there is some interest in doing that race, but at the moment, it’s too early to say.”
He added, “Le Mans is probably closest to Formula 1. It’s good to try different things because it’s good fun and you always learn something.”
Last weekend, Ferrari won its LM GTE Pro class at the Le Mans 24 Hours race and the Maranello team’s President Luca di Montezemolo has made it public that the Scuderia may be considering an endurance programme in the future. The team have been overall winners of the Sarthe race nine times in the past.
Kimi raikkonen tested for Peugeot before returning to Formula 1
Also on Raikkonen’s post Formula 1 agenda may be another off-road foray, with the advent of the FIA World Rallycross Championship apparently in the Finn’s sights.
Raikkonen told reporters, “Rallycross would also be nice to try as it looks good fun. I enjoy rallying a lot, it’s a difficult sport with a good challenge.”
Raikkonen famously only did 23 junior single seater races before being fast-tracked into Formula 1 by Sauber. After stints with Sauber and McLaren, in 2007 Raikkonen moved to Ferrari and promptly won the F1 world title that year (their last to date) before taking a huge pay cut to leave the team at the end 0f the 2009 season.
Raikkonen departed the F1 and dabbled in rally where he had modest success in the the World Rally Championship. He also tried out NASCAR truck racing, before making his Formula 1 come back in 2012 with Lotus. He returned to Ferrari, to partner Fernando Alonso, in 2014.
quoteShell to present John Surtees and Kimi Raikkonen at 2014 Goodwood
Surtees and Räikkönen to take part in one-off Hillclimb run in their championship-winning Formula One cars
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of John Surtees’ 1964 Formula One World Championship triumph Shell will proudly present Surtees and Scuderia Ferrari driver Kimi Räikkönen at the fabled Goodwood Festival of Speed Hillclimb on Sunday 29 June 2014.
In a never-before-seen spectacle, the two World Champions will get behind the wheels of their Shell-powered championship-winning cars and ascend the hill together. Surtees will drive his 1964 Ferrari 158 F1, while Räikkönen will take his seat in the Ferrari F2007 that he steered to victory in 2007.
“As Technical Partner of Scuderia Ferrari, Shell supplied bespoke fuels and lubricants to both John and Kimi during their victorious Formula One championships. We are honoured to partner them once again at this special occasion to mark the 50th anniversary of John’s extraordinary achievement and to celebrate our own motorsport heritage.” David Bunch, Shell VP Retail Marketing .....
I attended it two times only to be honest and both times on thursday (before official first day which is Friday), so I didn't see many of those stars anyway. It was a lucky chance to see John Surtees, due to Honda brought him and their car was in the historical section
Nomad, you're the rider so mysterious Nomad, you're the spirit that men fear in us
one must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star - it's a satanic drug thing you wouldn't understand...
quoteInterview with Kimi Raikkonen: Let the loudest F1!
by Grégory Demoen, Special Envoy on 06/19/14 at 18:05
The release points are rarely interesting Kimi Raikkonen, the Finn is known to be very tight-lipped with the media.
Yet when the F1i met today in the Ferrari hospitality, along with several of our colleagues from the foreign press, Iceman has delivered a clear-cut on some topics of the moment notice.
What do you think of this new circuit?
"I especially like the natural setting within which this Grand Prix. I'm happy to be here, the circuit is great."
Do you think it might suit you?
"It's hard to say, we hope, as always. On paper, this should be better than Canada, which remains the most difficult path for us with one of Bahrain. But for now, we can not to suppose that we'll know more tomorrow with the two free practice sessions. "
Austria makes his return to the calendar this year. Will he have a chance to see Formula 1 to go one day in Finland?
"No! We have some good circuits but I do not think a Grand Prix will be born in our country. You know, hosting a round of the Formula 1 calendar costs a lot of money, and I do not know who would willing to pay the cost of a Grand Prix in our country. "
How do you find Marco Mattiacci, which is at the head of the Scuderia since April?
"It's a different person Stefano [Domenicali]. It is just a few months, so it does not take long it took the direction of the team and is therefore has less knowledge of F1 than its predecessor. "
"But what I can say is that it is a nice guy. He wants to do well and so far I must say he does things. Signs are positive, and as I said it's really a good person, even if I maintained a very good relationship with Stefano. It's just a different person and I am sure he will give us something. "
Ferrari seems to be interested in endurance. Could we see you one day compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans?
"There is some interest in this race, for sure, but it's too early to say for me. Others championships also interest me, as Rallycross, because I love the rally. Le Mans is closer to F1. Afterwards, it is always good to try other disciplines because you always learn something. "
Luca di Montezemolo, chairman of Ferrari, is that Formula 1 has become boring. What do you think?
"I think F1 would not be boring if we enchaînions victories, believe me! Then, from a personal point of view, I think the sport has lost its appeal since the F1 will make more noise. "
Noise, or rather the lack of noise, the new V6 turbo bother you?
"Sure! We, pilots, have no influence on the settlement. We just have to accept what they decide and do our best when they introduce new rules. But the fact is that F1 do more noise. "
"I'll take a very simple example. Previously, people who went on a Grand Prix for the first time, what struck immediately was the shrill sound that was emitted by cars. And it is deafening noise that gave the impression to viewers that the F1 cars were very fast race. "
"Today, there is more noise. F1 not impress as much as before, they are no longer as rapid air. We took a step back, this is not as exciting because of the lack of noise. We lost that sense of speed. "
quoteKimi Raikkonen says the corner entry problems that have hurt his 2014 Formula 1 campaign are being compounded by a perfect storm of harder tyres and traction issues ...
I agree with Kimi, it just feel so flat and under-power with the F1 cars... Especailly the Ferrari... a lot of time we didn't even notice Kimi had came past our stand...
GP2 and even GP3 cars sounded much more powerful than F1 now, really a big shame....
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Tue Jun 10, 2014 10:42 pm
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But now we also know he's human and reacts to some of the sh*t some say about him too 
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