Since then the ex-Formula One world champion has made his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut, finishing 15th at Charlotte, a result he followed up by claiming 27th on his first appearance in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at the same venue one week later.Räikkönen has yet to compete on the Loutraki-based Acropolis Rally and will be braced for a tough test on the punishing gravel stages. He spent today (Wednesday) reacclimatising to the rigours of driving his turbocharged Citroen on gravel roads during a test near Marseille in the south of France where he covered approximately 150 kilometres.
Benoit Nogier, who manages the Citroen Racing Technologies operation, the company responsible for running Raikkonen’s DS3 WRC, spoke to Wrc.com following the test. He said: “We were very happy with his performance in Jordan and he has a good opportunity for Greece. We found a road with a condition as close as possible to Greece and Kimi was quite happy. It will be a tough rally, not necessarily for the drivers but for the cars. The first day is very long with only a remote service but Kimi is not a rookie anymore and will be able to manage this situation.”
Räikkönen, who is co-driven by fellow Finn Kaj Lindstrom, will be anxious to kick start his promising 2011 WRC campaign in Greece after skipping the last two rounds in Italy and Argentina. He had described his performance on the Jordan Rally in mid-April as his best in the series so far and would have equalled his career-best fifth place but for a late puncture.
“The driving has been better and we’re pushing harder now,” Räikkönen was quoted as saying recently. “My only target really is to improve in the WRC.”
The Acropolis Rally will mark the fourth of Räikkönen’s planned 10 appearances in the WRC. He’s currently ninth in the drivers’ standings on 18 points. Ice 1 Racing is sixth in the manufacturers’ standings with 26 points.
Source: WRC
