Kimi Raikkonen has been offered a test drive by Malcolm Wilson in a Ford Focus WRC

Posted by Scott Coursey 6 August, 2008

raik kubi mona 2008 470313 Kimi Raikkonen has been offered a test drive by Malcolm Wilson in a Ford Focus WRC

Image f1fanatic.co.uk

Raikkonen, who recently commented that he wanted to go rallying after F1, has been offered the chance to test drive a Ford Focus WRC by Malcolm Wilson in an article by Motorsport News.

Malcolm Wilson stated to Motorsport News about offering the test to Raikkonen:

I'd offer him a test. It'd be a great opportunity for us," said Wilson. "We can do it because we've got the forest [stages] on our doorstep"

Wilson also stated he was also delighted by the interest shown by other (Lewis Hamilton and Robert Kubica as well as Raikkonen) Formula 1 stars:

I'm really pleased guys that are in Formula One would like to be driving a world rally car. One or two of them would like to be driving a world rally car rather than an F1 car if the same sort of rewards were there. Sadly we're not in that position but I'm sure that at some point the three drivers we're talking about would end up behind the wheel of a rally car."

Defending WRC champion Sebastien Loeb said to Motorsport News:

I would welcome [Raikkonen] because it's good to have big names coming into rallying. It's difficult to come from circuit racing to rallying because you have pacenotes and gravel driving is different to what he is used to. But with the talent he has and with some practice he will adapt and find the feeling."

A route into rallying could be provided by Ferrari's parent company Fiat, as it owns the Abarth team in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge - while it intends to move into the WRC in 2010.

Reports have indicated that they would be thrilled at the prospect of running Raikkonen in either the IRC or WRC.

Raikkonen could be seen like this if he takes up Malc's offer

Kimi Raikkonen has been offered a test drive by Malcolm Wilson in a Ford Focus WRC