Raikkonen tests his Citroen C4 for the first time

WRC convert Kimi Raikkonen got his first taste of the Citroen C4 WRC on Tuesday, at a private gravel test track close to the team’s workshops in Satory, France.

This initial shakedown allowed the Finn to start getting used to the car that he will drive in the 2010 FIA World Rally Championship.

With only a few weeks left before this year’s World Rally Championship season gets underway in Sweden on 12 February, Raikkonen has already started his preparations in earnest.

The 2007 Formula 1 World Champion, and his co-driver Kaj Lindstrom, visited Citroën Racing’s facilities in Versailles on Tuesday for seat fittings and to meet team personnel.

The Finn was then able to drive the C4 WRC on a gravel test track within the Satory complex. Having covered around 50 kilometres, the latest Citroen Junior Team signing appreciated the chance to familiarise himself with his new car.

"I very much enjoyed meeting the team properly for the first time," he said. "It was good to try out a few different things; I was very interested to see how the car reacted when you changed some of the settings. Now, I’m really keen to get back behind the wheel of the C4 again!"

Raikkonen’s first competitive outing will be on 28 January. In order to prepare for the forthcoming Swedish Rally, the Finn is scheduled to compete on the Arctic Lapland Rally.