Improving rally star Raikkonen not missing life in Formula 1
The Rally of Turkey has been part of the WRC calendar since 2003, but takes to new roads this weekend with the race taking place close to Istanbul.
And after passing the venue for the Turkish Grand Prix en route to the pre-race press conference, Raikkonen insisted he has no regrets about leaving Formula One.
“I don’t miss it,” said Raikkonen, a winner of 18 grands prix in 157 starts and the 2007 F1 world champion.
“If I missed it I wouldn’t be here, I’d be there (Shanghai for the Chinese Grand Prix). This is something I chose for myself and I’m enjoying it.”
Raikkonen picked up his first points of the season in his Citroen at the last WRC round in Jordan, finishing eighth for four points.
“I am learning all the time. It’s getting a little bit easier,” added the 30-year-old Finn.
“All of the time it changes, the surface, the stages, everything is coming at a similar level of difficulty.
“I have no idea for more or less (difficulty on) any rallies; it’s not one thing which is more difficult than others. I just have to drive.”
Raikkonen expects this weekend’s event to be slightly less challenging than in Jordan.
He added: “It was probably the most difficult thing so far, in that way this event looks slightly more easy. I hope we can go well.”
Raikkonen was equal seventh in the shakedown while World championship leader Sebastien Loeb was quickest, with his team-mate Dani Sordo second fastest.
Team work has come under scrutiny following events in Jordan.
Race stewards announced on the eve of the Rally of Turkey that they would act on a breach of competition rules in a bulletin which follows a controversial finish to the last round of the championship in Jordan.
Citroen’s Sebastian Ogier and Ford’s Mikko Hirvonen both apparently picked up deliberate penalties on the final leg to ensure they ran in front of their team-mates in order to clear the road and create a faster line.
Frenchman Loeb (Citroen), who is seeking a seventh straight drivers’ title, was the main beneficiary, winning his 56th WRC event.
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