Celebrating Kimi’s Arctic Run

Over the past two days, Finnish favourite Kimi Raikkonen has been brushing up his rallying skills and taking part in the Arctic Rally. He didn’t have an easy ride, managing to collide with a tree and end up quite a bit slower than his teammate, but I think it’s fair to say he has potential.

Combine Kimi Raikkonen, with some ice and snow and throw in a Red Bull photographer, and you end up with some stunning imagery. Although not technically F1 anymore, we were keen to highlight some of the best images from the event, and so we’ve picked our ten best for this F1 Big Picture – Kimi Special.

1. Happy For a New Challenge – Kimi poses in front of his new car, ready for the rallying still to be done.
2. Keeping a Roof Over His Head – He certainly looks different in the car, and it’s a whole new style of racing.
3. Something in the Air – It’s fair to say that the Arctic Rally was sometimes a bit a dark and often pretty cold. Rather him than me!
4. As Cold as Ice – You have to have nerves of steel to race across the snowy path, winding your way through (or around) the trees.
5. Out of the Limelight – The rally scene is completely different to F1, which is probably exactly why Kimi chose it!
6. Raging Bull – With a relaxed and friendly team like Red Bull behind him, Kimi can concentrate on what he does best – driving fast.
7. Taking the Rough With the Smooth – Some of the scenery surrounding the Arctic Rally is pretty breathtaking, particularly as we’re so used to the dull grey of F1 circuits.
8. Comfort Zone – Although sometimes pausing for thought, Kimi looked more happy than I’ve ever seen him during the entire two day stint.
9. You Can’t Fit Quicker – There’s still plenty of room for the mechanics to get involved though, particularly when your car meets a tree at high speed.
10. White Riot – To sum up, throw Kimi into a car with some ice and snow and a co-pilot, and he seems to be the happiest driver around.

I don’t know what the photography will be like when the WRC starts officially, but I’m hoping we can feature some more Kimi pictures in the future.