Kimi Raikkonen says he lost ground at the start of the Australian Grand Prix because his Ferrari’s engine went into anti-stall mode following contact with a rival.
However he does not believe it was caused by contact with his team mate Sebastian Vettel.
“No I think it was somebody behind, somebody else from behind me. I don’t think it was between us,” he told reporters after the race.
“I got hit from behind in the start and went into anti-stall because of that. And then on the next corner I got hit from the side so I was quite surprised that the car was in one piece, I think we got some damage but not too badly.”
Raikkonen was making his way back through the field when he was delayed by a slow left-rear tyre change at his first pit stop. On his next visit to the pits the same corner caused a problem: the wheel wasn’t fitted properly, forcing him to retire.
“We had good speed but obviously both pit stops we had an issue and then unfortunately that stopped us,” Raikkonen added.
Nx
15th March 2015, 8:37
Sky was pushing hard the “it was contact between team mates” theory, even when their own “simulation” of the incident didn’t show that. I didn’t see it, and it seems that the BBC and Autosport didn’t either.
It’s the first race I’ve seen in Sky. Didn’t like the coverage, it felt too sensasionalist.
Nx
15th March 2015, 8:39
Add:
Shame for Kimi’s race, he was doing a great job. Good to see him in better shape.
Malik (@)
15th March 2015, 8:44
@Nx : I followed sky and had the same impression. Shame on Martin Brundle
puneeth Bharath (@puneethvb)
15th March 2015, 9:05
They did touch each other though.. To be fair brundle did say vettel couldn’t do much to avoid the contact and it was just one of those things that happen on the first lap of a gp… On another note it looked like there was nothing to choose between kimi and seb interms of pace…should be a great intra team battle
MattDS (@mattds)
15th March 2015, 9:16
So Kimi didn’t think they touched but you do?
I looked at overhead shots, pretty certain they didn’t touch.
puneeth Bharath (@puneethvb)
15th March 2015, 9:41
@mattds
I suggest watch the first lap again… They certainly touched … It may not have caused any damage but they touched…also I don’t think either of them could’ve done anything to avoid it
MattDS (@mattds)
15th March 2015, 10:00
@puneethvb no need to suggest as I’ve watched it on 1/4 speed about 30 times already. No image suggests a touch. If you’re so certain, please provide footage proving it.
If you’re not, I’m certainly not going to take your word over Kimi’s (or over my eyes).
Supremacy (@supremacy)
15th March 2015, 13:26
@puneethvb
Everytime drivers touch, something could’ve been done to avoid it.
Alex (@axmaxone)
16th March 2015, 18:13
http://www1.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/f1/9760409/aus-gp-first-corner-analysis
Proof there is no contact between Vettel and Raikkonen – they get close, Raikkonen backs out, gets hit by Sainz, goes into anti-stall. FACT. Aggressive (for a teammate) but fair driving from Vettel.
periwinkle (@shena)
15th March 2015, 9:08
It’s been this way, especially when it comes to Vettel. They can’t help but twist his comment/team radio message or any incident on the track. To be fair, I believe it’s exactly what most of their viewers wanted to listen to. The villain against good and innocent teammates frame. Now he’s a clear underdog and in a more popular team, it may not work as well as it has been though.
Strontium (@strontium)
15th March 2015, 15:14
I’ve always been a fan of David Croft and Martin Brundle, and found the sky coverage pretty decent, but today was embarrassingly shameful for them. Constant rubbish like this being said, some of the time they didn’t understand what was going on. Just very poor.
Bradley Downton (@bradley13)
15th March 2015, 8:38
Seemed as though the interviewer was trying to spark something between Kimi and Seb by insisting there was some sort of contact. Viewing the reply, perhals there was, but it was neither of their faults. Kimi got a punt from Sainz Jr if I remember correctly.
Nx
15th March 2015, 8:41
That’s exactly what she (I think) was trying to do.
BigAlex
16th March 2015, 7:20
And even if the contact was caused by Vettel I don´t see any problem? There was so many cars too close, it happens. They´re racing guys!
michel
15th March 2015, 8:45
i bet the whole sky thing makes sense for the people making money of it, but for the viewers its a very big step back from the quality, fun and enthousiasm the bbc would bring. I can’t see how worse coverage available to fewer people is a step forward.
they are basicly hiding f1 from new fans, no-one can check out f1 without paying for some expensive and overly commercial coverage.
btw i would be pretty upset if i had to pay for sky and still be forced to watch those awful commercials in-between
Jeroen
15th March 2015, 9:24
I would love to pay for Sky because I am stuck with crappy Dutch commentary… It is all perspective. Can’t wait for the BBC covered races though :)
montreal95 (@montreal95)
15th March 2015, 8:55
It was Sainz Jr. He apologized for hitting “one of the Ferraris at the start” in the interview
pH (@ph)
15th March 2015, 9:44
I have big expectations for Ferrari this year. After a decade of finishing P2 or worse, now they are finally guaranteed to end the season in the first place – in the alphabetic list of teams :-).
Bolide (@mim5)
15th March 2015, 10:22
David Croft actually said that Nasr hit Kimi from behind. I guess Martin Brundle saw things differently because he kept insisting that the teammates had hit each other
Patrickl (@patrickl)
15th March 2015, 15:48
One doesn’t exclude the other. Raikkonen got hit several times.
lippalappa (@alipappa)
15th March 2015, 13:20
Is Kimi now the official target for rookies? Mangnussen collided with him several times last season and now sainz.
erix
15th March 2015, 15:15
Yes, thats what happen when driver getting old..got hit from everywhere. Kimi is being too nice now, he should more intimidating to next driver, or else getting hit.
Patrickl (@patrickl)
15th March 2015, 15:47
Raikkonen got hit from behind after Vettel pretty much pushed him off track forcing Raikkonen to slow down so much that drivers behind him couldn’t avoid him anymore.
Either way he really has his team “mate” to thank for the mess in turn 1.
George (@george)
15th March 2015, 16:06
Raikkonen pretty much opened the door for Vettel, if Vettel had slowed down to leave space on the outside they would have both been mobbed.
rm
16th March 2015, 0:54
Vettel did not “push him off the track”. He simply drove his own line through the turn, as he was entitled to do. Sainz was the one who pushed Kimi off the track.
kpcart
15th March 2015, 17:07
i thought kimi got 2 touches, one by being ousted by vettel at t1, very small, looked like a piece of debris fell off raikonnens car, and then he was slow to accerelate(anti stall kicking in), then in the next sweeping turn a car came over his wheel.
pastaman (@)
15th March 2015, 21:37
No. Once from behind, then once from the side. Neither was Vettel
Ajmal Hussain (@ajmal92)
16th March 2015, 15:49
Ha! Stupid Interviewer (British Press) at the end of the race trying to stir things up got put in her place when Kimi did the post race interview, there wasn’t any contact between Seb and Kimi for sure it was close, Kimi got the better start, Seb was later on brakes, Kimi gave room and momentum meant that had to take a tighter line out of Turn 2.
A real shame for the Iceman as could have been P3. Really nice also to see Seb in the press conference saying of course he’s happy for first podium on debut but need to stay grounded as unfortunate & disappointing to see Kimi not finishing. #ForzaFerrari #Forza Seb & Kimi
P.S Shame on Brundle, and Sky commentators esp Brundle I certainly didn’t see it and it seems that the BBC and Autosport didn’t either.