P1racenews AI automatic summary:
What could have been: The F1 to WRC switch that didn’t come off
Kimi Raikkonen, Robert Kubica, and Heikki Kovalainen, all Formula 1 race winners, shared the podium at the 2008 Malaysian Grand Prix. In addition to their F1 success, each of them has tested their skills in the World Rally Championship. Raikkonen and Kubica achieved a best finish of fifth in the WRC, while Kovalainen, a two-time All-Japan Rally champion, finished tenth overall in the Rally Japan in 2022. Other F1 drivers like Valtteri Bottas and Carlos Sainz have also shown interest in rallying, potentially following in the footsteps of those before them. The world of motorsport has seen ex-F1 drivers like Carlos Reutemann, Stephane Sarrazin, and Jos Verstappen make the crossover to rallying, expanding the list of elite talents in both disciplines. Tomas Enge, a former Prost F1 racer, could have joined this unique club had circumstances aligned differently, showing the allure of rallying even to established F1 figures.
