WRC part two: The Guru's view - Kimi Räikkönen

WRC part two: The Guru's view

We're six rounds in, the summer break has come and gone, and in Bulgaria this week the curtain comes up on the second half of the 2010 World Rally Championship.

And after five weeks without a rally, one man especially glad to be back on tour again is WRC TV stage end reporter (and World Rally Radio star) Julian Porter, aka 'The Guru'.

Before he headed off into the Bulgarian mountains to recce interview spots, wrc.com asked The Guru what he was most excited about in the second half of the season. Here’s what he said:

1: Will P.G. Andersson make the most of his chance?

"Rally Bulgaria marks the Stobart team debut of P-G Andersson, who will take the wheel of the Focus RS WRC vacated - temporarily - by Henning Solberg. This is a massive break for the young Swede, and about time too. Maybe people will think it’s a bit strange that he’s in for an asphalt rally but P-G has proved his promise and versatility this year. The story is that his appearance is just for one rally, but I’m hoping Bulgaria won’t the last time that P-G’s name is on an entry list in a Ford Focus. Malcolm Wilson has a good deal of faith and belief in Andersson, now it's up to the Swede to make the most of this opportunity."

2: Will Kimi shine when he's back on the black stuff?

"Kimi Raikkonen is half way through his first full season in the WRC and it’s proved to be a steep learning curve. Will the second half of the season give Kimi the satisfaction he wants and convince him to stay for another season? On paper, the second half of the season should suit him better. The fact that four of the seven rallies are on asphalt should make him feel at home - but will his F1 car skills transfer to a rally car? Personally, I hope he does a great job, enjoys every moment and sets the world alight, but I think that’s a tall order. But not everyone agrees. There are still stories on the internet and in magazines suggesting Kimi might beat Loeb on asphalt. Come on guys, get real. Yes we are talking about Kimi Raikkonen here, one of the fastest drivers in the world, but the guy’s in his first year of WRC and has to learn!"

3: Can Ford get back ahead of the Citroens?

"It’s no secret that the Ford team have had it tough so far this year. Despite a great start, and a confidence-boosting performance from Mikko in Sweden which left Loeb on the ropes, the team hasn't been able to repeat that sort of dominance since. In the circumstances, you can bet Ford would have wanted the second half of the season to start in Finland, a place where they could give Loeb a run for his money and perhaps gain some winning momentum. Instead, the tarmac of Bulgaria awaits them: a surface which isn't their best - but certainly suits Loeb. Ford will have to dig deep in the second half of the year and take what they can when they can."

4: Will Loeb wrap up his seventh drivers' title?

"Sebastien is on cracking form - both in the car and in his mind. Winning three rallies so far this year means he's 50 points clear of the first non-Citroen driver and in a very confident frame of mind. Looking to the second half of the season, Loeb says it's Rally Finland that he fears the most. There are seven rallies left, four of them on his favoured tarmac, and he’s only worrying about Finland! What’s he trying to say - if I win in Finland you boys have no chance at all this season? He's going to be tough to beat - that's for sure."

5: How will Chris Patterson get on?

"For me, the biggest story of the season so far has been Phil Mills decision to vacate the co driver’s seat in Petter Solberg’s car. The second biggest story was who would be chosen to replace him. Well, we now know that the seat will be filled by Chris Patterson, an experienced co-driver and now a man with a chance to fulfil all his career dreams. I hope it all goes well and he and Petter make it to the top step of the podium soon."

Fonte: wrc.com/Dica: luieluv

Eu acho que Kimi vai fazer uma boa segunda metade de temporada. Embora já tenha achado que a primeira foi bem bacana. O cara não conhecia nada e está em décimo no campeonato, com performances marcantes na Jordânia e Turquia, e mesmo sentindo a dificuldade em Portugal, ele conseguiu terminar nos pontos. A Suécia foi estreia e no México as coisas não foram bem!

Agora que faltam sete etapas para acabar a temporada e quatro delas serão no asfalto, acredito que pelo menos mais à vontade e confiante ele vá se sentir! E para finalizar, gostei da análise do Guru!

Beijinhos, Ice-Ludy