Aug.3 (GMM) Sebastien Loeb has praised Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen's performance after the Finn made his World Rally Championship debut at the weekend.
29-year-old Raikkonen ultimately crashed out of the event with a spectacular roll into a ditch, but he was classified 15th overall and was running third in his class at the time."I think he did really well," Frenchman Loeb, a multiple WRC champion and second overall in Finland, said."He was about one second per kilometre from Hanninen and the other best drivers and in Finland that is a very good performance," he added.Rally winner Mikko Hirvonen added: "I have the same thoughts as Sebastien; I think he did really well, considering he has only ever done two rallies with pace notes. He was setting really good times."Hirvonen's Ford teammate Jari-Matti Latvala finished Rally Finland third and said of Raikkonen: "I agree, he did really well considering his lack of experience. Okay, he went off the road, but even I had a little moment in the same place."It is not an easy corner, and these things can happen."Sebastian Vettel meanwhile attended Rally Finland as a guest of Loeb's Citroen team.
