Kimi's Column: The third time


Well, it’s flat-out time once again. Hopefully I’ll find the best feeling with driving straight away from the start. This is the rally, where you need to get the right rhythm on since the very beginning of the special stage one, while we go so fast.

This is the rally I’ve been looking forward the whole summer along. The home race is the greatest of them all for every racing driver. This is my third time in Rally Finland and, obviously, this is the rally, where we have the most experience so far.

Twice I have started the rally in Jyväskyla. This time the first day is a little bit different compared to previous ones, but the most remarkable change is day two, while we go to new roads in Lahti area.

I think it’s good to have experience of two rallies here. We know some roads, some are there for the first time, but, all in all, they are very fast roads and it’s a huge challenge to get them right.

The test and the preparation for this rally went very well. I’ve been training hard both with bicycles and in the gym. We had a nice rally show downtown Helsinki, too. Obiously, my feeling is great and I just cannot wait to get things going on.

We have had good results this year in all the rallies we have had so far. This gives me a solid boost to my confidence to keep the car on the road.

The work with the pace notes has been improving all the time. Listening to the pace notes goes better and better. Still, it’s a huge challenge for every rally driver.

My goal is to finish the rally without major mistakes. Two years ago we had a D.N.F. and last year we finished, but I made too many mistakes, still.

Hopefully this time we get everything right and improve again like we have done in every rally so far.

To finish a rally is always a good achievement and especially it’s a great achievement in Jyväskyla, in the fastest rally of them all.

All I can promise is that we try our very best. Let’s wait and see, what it brings along this time.


Source: KIMIRAIKKONEN.COM
Courtesy: _TaniaS_