Räikkönen: “I’ll do barrels”

Was it inevitable to see you leave the circuits?
“I always wanted to try my hand at rally but I arrived in F1 too young. Then it was difficult to find time to try the experiment. I had to put this desire aside. In fact, I only had the chance to be at the start of a rally last season? at 30 years old. »

But a career in rallying wasn?t your ultimate goal? Isn't that what made you leave F1?
“This is the direction my career is taking today. It was the right time to go rallying with the right people and the right car. I negotiated with another F1 team before making this decision but we could not agree 100%. Red Bull made me an offer to go to WRC. I felt it was the right time. »

Other F1 drivers would have simply bought a rally car and done a few rallies for fun? Why did you choose to embark on a full season with an established team?
“It’s a challenge for me. I have to learn everything, I'm starting from a blank sheet. I have to learn the car, the events, working with a co-driver, everything. I am impatient. You have to set yourself goals to know where to stand. I could always do laps in a forest with a private rally car later. »

Are you confident in your driving on the special stages?
“The driving itself shouldn't be a problem. When all the drivers know the roads, there are no big gaps. What makes the difference are the ratings and the pilot's ability to rely on them. This will be my biggest difficulty. I only know the Arctic Rally and Rally Finland. »

Would you see yourself as co-pilot?
“I’ve already ridden with Tommi Mäkinen. I had confidence but I would not repeat the experience! Maybe I'll ride next to Sébastien Loeb during tests but I think he won't want to ride on my right..."

What is your first rally memory?
“My brother’s Ford Escort. But like every Finn, I have seen rallying on television since I was very young. I loved them Peugeot 205 T16 by Ari Vatanen and Juha Kankkunen. The first rally I had to attend had to be the 1000 1991 Lakes won by Juha Kankkunen on a Lancia Delta Integrale. »

Was your brother Rami a rally driver? Is it still active?
?No, he?s a good father today. One year, he finished second in a championship just behind Mikko Hirvonen. »

Have your nephews also caught the motorsport bug?
" Absolutely. They are only three and four years old and have already made their debut in karting. I even bought them a quad. »

When was your first barrel?
“I was 14, it was with my brother's Lada. There was a track three kilometers from the house on which Marcus Grönholm trained. I braked too hard and the car went over the roof. I rolled twice. The arch was broken. »

Do you expect to do more this season?
“Of course I will do barrels. During the year, we have many opportunities to perform such tricks in the WRC. Everyone makes mistakes in this discipline? and a mistake often leads to the destruction of the car. How many cars were destroyed by Jari-Matti Latvala or Mikko Hirvonen before their first World Championship victory? The only driver who does not go on the roof is Sébastien Loeb. He is an exception. »

Do you think you are more comfortable on asphalt or on dirt?
?We were incredibly fast on gravel last year but I think asphalt will suit me more. Snow will be the most difficult surface. You need perfect trajectories on snow whereas it is possible to brake a meter too late on asphalt, you just need to steer more. On land, you have to be able to read the grip. With dirt tires, can you have a very high level of grip? and sometimes none. »

What results do you expect?
“The first rallies will be difficult. As long as I can't compare myself to the other drivers, I keep my goals to myself. I'm sure I won't be in the top 4."

Your teammate Sébastien Ogier is often presented as the future star of the discipline. What do you think ?
" He is very good. He will be a perfect stallion for me. »

What would a WRC title mean?
“More than my F1 title. I'm just starting out in rallying and I'm measuring the route I'll have to cover to get to this point. »

No one has ever done it?
“That?s what makes things interesting. »

Are you going to follow F1 now that you are no longer on the starting grids?
“I will watch all the Grands Prix. Maybe I'll go to the Monaco Grand Prix and I might even get back into a seat. But there's a lot going on in F1 at the moment with manufacturers leaving. We'll talk about it again in a year. »