Could another ex-Formula 1 driver be coming to NASCAR?
Finland’s World Champion driver, Kimi Raikkonen, told a Finnish publication, Turun Sanomat, that he will be racing with a new team first in the Camping World Truck Series aiming at a full-fledged Sprint Cup program in the future.
Although he races in the World Rally Championship in Red Bull livery the new team is reportedly connected to Foster Gillett, the former principal of RPM (now Richard Petty Motorsports) which had merged with GEM previously.
Foster's family owned the Montreal Canadiens' NHL franchise and had to sell their interest in RPM team due to obligations arising out of his British soccer team.
No date has been announced for the launch of the new team.
Raikkonen told Turun Sanomat "I'm really looking forward to get there to familiarize to the world of NASCAR."
"I have been following it for a long time. I know it's a very tough and open top racing series. I just love the American spirit of racing. It feels just great to get involved with that. Obviously, it will be very challenging and great fun for me."
If the deal comes through Raikkonen would be joining drivers like Jacques Villeneuve, and Narain Karthikeyan who briefly ran in NASCAR events and Juan Pablo Montoya who is running full-time in the Sprint Cup Series and Brazil’s Nelson Piquet Jr. who is running full-time in the Truck Series.
Finland’s World Champion driver, Kimi Raikkonen, told a Finnish publication, Turun Sanomat, that he will be racing with a new team first in the Camping World Truck Series aiming at a full-fledged Sprint Cup program in the future.
Although he races in the World Rally Championship in Red Bull livery the new team is reportedly connected to Foster Gillett, the former principal of RPM (now Richard Petty Motorsports) which had merged with GEM previously.
Foster's family owned the Montreal Canadiens' NHL franchise and had to sell their interest in RPM team due to obligations arising out of his British soccer team.
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| Kimi Raikkonen (Photo: Citroen Racing) |
No date has been announced for the launch of the new team.
Raikkonen told Turun Sanomat "I'm really looking forward to get there to familiarize to the world of NASCAR."
"I have been following it for a long time. I know it's a very tough and open top racing series. I just love the American spirit of racing. It feels just great to get involved with that. Obviously, it will be very challenging and great fun for me."
If the deal comes through Raikkonen would be joining drivers like Jacques Villeneuve, and Narain Karthikeyan who briefly ran in NASCAR events and Juan Pablo Montoya who is running full-time in the Sprint Cup Series and Brazil’s Nelson Piquet Jr. who is running full-time in the Truck Series.