ICE 1 Racing excluded from Championship

ICE 1 Racing, Kimi Raikkonen's WRC Team, have been excluded from the 2011 WRC Manufacturers Championship.

The exclusion came about after the team elected not to go to Australia, owing to organising problems and logistical difficulties. The decision was made some weeks back, but the stewards came to the decision to not only remove ICE 1 Racing from the Manufacturer's Championship, but to fine them €16,200 too. Before the exclusion, the team held 5^th in the points table with a total of 48 points.

The statement issued by the Stewards (Stewards Decision 1) stated:

“The stewards received notification that car #8 (Entrant: ICE 1 Racing / Driver: Kimi Raikkonen) had advised the organisers that he would not contest the 2011 Rally Australia.

“Having considered the provisions of the 2011 FIA World Rally Championship Sporting Regulations and specifically article 7.3.8, the stewards decide to require the team, ICE 1 Racing, to pay the entry fee to the organisers of the 2011 Rally Australia, to pay to the FIA a fine equal to the amount of the registration fee being 16,200 Euros [and] to exclude ICE 1 Racing from the classification of the [manufacturers'] Championship.”

Despite being unable to score Manufacturers points, Raikkonen will be allowed to contest the remaining 3 rallies of the year, being France, Spain and Wales. Indeed, Raikkonen has put in an entry for France, at the end of this month.