Raikkonen’s car fails floor test after qualifying

2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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Kimi Raikkonen could lose his fifth place on the grid after his car failed a technical inspection following qualifying for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Lotus team members have been summoned to the stewards after Raikkonen’s car did not pass a floor deflection test after he qualified fifth for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

A statement from the stewards said: “car number seven [Raikkonen] did not comply with Article 3.17.5 of the 2013 FIA Formula One Technical Regulations as the front floor deflected more than 5mm vertically when the load was applied vertically to it at the point which lies 100mm of car centre line on the [left-hand side].”

Raikkonen’s team mate Romain Grosjean escaped a penalty after his car failed the same test at the Hungarian Grand Prix as the stewards ruled the floor had been damaged.

Update: Raikkonen excluded from qualifying, will start last

2013 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix

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Image © Lotus/LAT

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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36 comments on “Raikkonen’s car fails floor test after qualifying”

  1. And so, the plot thickens…

    1. Convenient, right? Sending a message to Kimi…try to embarrass us in public, and we (Genii) will smack you down, but not so obviously that it’s apparent what we’re doing. Yes of course Lotus team needs points for WCC position and prize money, and they will still obtain some tomorrow from Kimi b/c he is the Iceman and the best, but now he will not enjoy doing so as he will not be fighting for the win and Lopez has shown Kimi who is the boss?

      1. Hope you are joking and being sarcastic

  2. It looks like in recent years some cars get disqualified in Yas Marina, but no prize money challenge for the win when one starts last.

  3. just out of curiousity: what are the floor test aim for?

    1. As I understand it, they don’t want floors too low, so there is a minimum height. But then to protect from a floor that basically deforms to a lower height while racing, they stress test it so that it maintains a certain clearance even when force is applied.

    2. same thing as with front wing – to prevent flexibility, which is in an aerodynamic advantage

  4. Great!

    I was wondering why everything started to work as expected.

    /sarcasm

  5. the way I see it, something like that is by no means the fault of the driver. if a penalty is administered, the team should be fined or docked the points car # 7 received. I absolutely believe its unfair to the drivers.
    drivers should only be penalized for on track faults; using too much track, blocking, bad driving to fellow drivers. but why get penalized for what the team did wrong. yes its a team sport, but at the same time its two different aspects.

    1. It could be argued that Mimi only got this 5th place because of an illegal car. If, for example, Vettel’s red bull was found to have an illegal traction control device in India, do you not agree that he should be stripped of his win?

      Although I agree it is very harsh to penalise the driver for something like this, I don’t really see a fair alternative.

    2. The driver wasn’t responsible for the fault, but he did benefit from it. These violations allow drivers to set overly fast laps, so they qualify higher than they would have if they followed the rules. By your logic, a team could cheat, then get docked some money, and keep the pole position, which defeats the whole purpose of the rules. Losing a race in a bad pit-stop isn’t necessarily the driver’s fault either, but it’s part of the sport.

      1. Yeah, the driver isn’t responsible… but he’s gaining from “it”, doesn’t he ?!?

    3. I disagree. In terms of competition, the car and driver are treated as one entity, and always have been. If a driver is in a car that is illegal, then of course they should not be allowed to benefit from an unfair advantage.

      Is it the driver’s fault? No. But drivers should not be allowed to keep grid positions that they earned with illegal cars, whether knowingly, intentionally or otherwise.

    4. @scuderia_fan85
      That is all very well, but if the car is illegal, then all results achieved in that car, simply cannot stand. It would be massively unfair to all the other teams and drivers who have done their homework, has a legal car.
      And why exactly is it unfair to punish the driver for a team mistake, when EVERY driver error and penalty also punishes the team?
      The driver, simply cannot be separate from his team. He is just like any other team member, the only difference is, he sits in the car. So I don’t see why he should get any special treatment in that aspect.

      1. I will await on the outcome b4 I respond to the comments on mine.

        1. @scuderia_fan85 Whatever the outcome, it won’t make your comment any more logical, I’m afraid.

          Not penalizing the driver for this kind of things would simply open the door to teams to cheat and break rules as they deem fit, knowing the results won’t be affected.

          The outcome of this particular case won’t change that.

    5. A driver and team are one and the same in F1.

    6. @scuderia_fan85 that’s ridiculous… He might not be at fault, but he did gain an unfair advantage over the others.

      What’s next? X-trac being fined because they provided a team and a driver with a faulty gearbox that didn’t comply with the rules??

    7. Scuderia: If the driver received zero penalty for a car infringement, then a driver could win the WDC with an illegal car.

  6. Kimi should just take an early vacation and wait for his new employer who will at least pay him.

  7. Out of curiosity, what would be the penalty if the car was found not to comply to the regulations? I would assume exclusion from qualifying, yes?

    1. @vettel1 oh I just bet on a five places, but exclusion is possible. Would be at the advantage of ALO.

      1. I think it might come under a similar category to a fuel irregularity but I’m not sure @spoutnik!

        1. if found guilty, he would be moved to back of grid. oh wait…

    2. @vettel1
      Considering Sauber got excluded from the race for a rear wing which didn’t comply with the regs. a couple of years back, I think Kimi will be facing the same.

      1. @mads exclusion from the race or just qualifying? I’ve read Keith’s response below which seems to imply that he’ll just be excluded from qualifying if the car can be proved to comply before the start of the race.

        1. @vettel1
          Only qualifying I would think. I see no reason why he wouldn’t be allowed to start the race tomorrow from last or pitlane, assuming that they can fix the floor in time.

          1. I wasn’t sure what you were meaning from the slight ambiguity in this is all @mads!

            Considering Sauber got excluded from the race…I think Kimi will be facing the same.

          2. Ah yes i see the cause for confusion. But saubers problem was first discovered after the race. So they was disqualified from the race. Since kimi’s was discovered now, if they can fix it, they will be starting the race tomorrow.

  8. that sounds like a five places penalty…

    1. @spoutnik No, if a car fails to comply with the technical regulations then exclusion is the punishment. Exactly the same as with Vettel last year.

      But you have to suspect this will turn out to be damage again and there’ll be no need for such drastic measures.

    2. Joao Pitol (@)
      2nd November 2013, 18:19

      He is allowed to start last on the grid.

  9. So that’s how Kimi is going to boycott tomorrow’s race!

  10. @keithcollantine Can we have an article on the superb GP3 champion Daniil Kyvat, this guy looks so promising. No doubts the names of Da Costa and are not being uttered any more for F1

  11. maarten.f1 (@)
    2nd November 2013, 19:58

    The stewards also cleared Sergio Perez of

    @keithcollantine You’re such a tease!

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