Kimi Raikkonen to Race in Both WRC and NASCAR in 2011
The 2007 Formula One champion will tackle a split schedule this year, running a full World Rally Championship campaign while making his NASCAR debut in the United States.
Kimi Raikkonen will add NASCAR to his 2011 schedule, combining a second season in the World Rally Championship with a debut in American stock car racing. The Finn, who won the Formula One world title with Ferrari in 2007, confirmed plans to enter selected NASCAR events in addition to his WRC commitments.
Raikkonen’s NASCAR adventure is set to begin before the summer, with his initial appearances coming in the Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series. These are considered stepping stones to the premier Sprint Cup, but Raikkonen’s entry is still notable as few Formula One drivers have attempted the transition. The project will run under the Ice1 Racing banner, the same name as his rally team, and is being organised in partnership with Foster Gillett, previously involved with Richard Petty Motorsports.
According to Finnish newspaper Turun Sanomat, Raikkonen’s team is in advanced talks with a manufacturer to supply machinery for his NASCAR campaign. No official confirmation of the manufacturer or the number of races planned has been given. Raikkonen is expected to fit the US races around his WRC outings, rather than contesting a full NASCAR season.
A rare move for a Formula One champion
Raikkonen’s decision to try NASCAR follows the path taken by former McLaren teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, who moved to the US series in 2006 after leaving Formula One. Nelson Piquet Jr, another ex-F1 driver, also made the switch in recent years. Raikkonen, however, is the first modern F1 world champion to attempt both top-level rallying and NASCAR in the same season.
His interest in NASCAR has been longstanding. Raikkonen described the series as “fun and challenging” and said he has followed it for years. The move comes as he continues to explore motorsport outside Formula One, having left Ferrari at the end of 2009. Speculation about a possible F1 return continues to swirl, but for 2011, Raikkonen’s focus is firmly on rally and stock cars.
What it means for Raikkonen’s motorsport career
Raikkonen’s dual programme will require careful scheduling, with WRC rounds taking place across Europe and further afield, while NASCAR events are concentrated in the US. The combination is unusual even by the standards of multi-discipline drivers. While his WRC campaign is expected to remain the priority, the NASCAR outings will provide a new challenge and a different audience.
- Raikkonen’s 2011 WRC campaign continues with his Ice1 Racing Citroën.
- His NASCAR debut will be with the Ice1 Racing team, in partnership with Foster Gillett.
- No full-season NASCAR schedule is planned; races will fit around WRC commitments.
