Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen in his typical demeanor played down the unfair call over stewards decision for his teammate Sebastian Vettel during the 2018 Formula 1 French GP.
Vettel collided with Mercedes’ Valtteri Bottas at the start of the race, damaging his and Bottas’ race in the process. Both managed to continue, but Vettel finished fifth while Bottas was a long way off in seventh with a damaged floor.
The stewards handed Vettel a five-second penalty which he took during his second pit stop without losing huge time. The German admitted to the mistake he made owing to a quicker start he had which left him nowhere to go in the approach to Turn 1.
When asked Raikkonen – who finished on the podium having overtaken Red Bull Racing’s Daniel Ricciardo on the road – he felt the decisions sometimes could seem unfair, but it happens with everyone and that it gets settled in one or the other in the longrun.
“I saw quickly kind-of what happened but I only see the part when they touched,” he said. “[But then] things happen and obviously, there is stewards, they give penalties if they feel it is the right thing, sometimes they think not for others and we live with it.
“Is it fair sometimes? Maybe not – but y’know, I think it’s balancing out in the long run between all of us. So, yeah, unfortunate for both of them – but that’s what happens sometimes,” he added.
Bottas’ teammate Lewis Hamilton after winning handsomely felt disappointed for the Finn as they wanted to get a Mercedes 1-2. The British driver felt it was unfair that the German was able to finish ahead, even though he caused the collision.
“I’ve not seen it in detail but they quickly played something back there,” he started. “I saw an image of it on-screen. For me it’s disappointing because for the team we had the chance to get a one-two.
“It’s always an incredible feeling to get a one-two, that’s the ultimate goal within the team. Valtteri had really done a solid job all weekend, as he has really been doing this year. I mean, we’re all going into Turn One as hard as we could.
“But ultimately when someone destroys your race through an error and it’s only kind-of a tap on the hand really, and just allowed to come back and still finish ahead of that person that they took out, it doesn’t weigh up, y’know?
“Ultimately, he shouldn’t really be able to finish ahead of him, because he took him out of the race. But, yeah… that’s the call they made.” A non-finish or a harsher penalty for Vettel would have not only affected the drivers’ standings, but also the constructors’.