Raikkonen explains pit stop incident after mechanic injury

Kimi Raikkonen has explained his side of the incident that saw him hit a mechanic with his car at his second pit stop during Sunday’s Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix.

Raikkonen retired from the race when in podium contention after hitting the crew member on the left-rear side of his car, having pulled away from his box before the wheel was attached.

Francesco Cigarini was taken to hospital where he was found to have suffered a fractured fibula and shinbone.

Raikkonen confirmed the green light on Ferrari’s traffic light system above his head was on, telling him to go, but that the team was yet to find out how that happened before the left-rear wheel was attached.


“I don’t know yet, we’ll see. My job is to go when the light changes green,” Raikkonen said.

“That’s the only thing what we look. Unfortunately, one of the guys paid a hefty price on whatever the mistake is.

“So, for sure, not very good.”

Raikkonen confirmed the issue that saw the left-rear wheel fail to attach properly was related to the problem that emerged in FP2, when he was forced to park his car up at the side of the track.

The issue denied the Finn a possible ninth podium in Bahrain, having been sat third at the time.

“I was told to stop because obviously the rear tyre wasn't on properly. It’s pretty similar what happened earlier, on Friday, but obviously we stopped much earlier,” Raikkonen said.

“It doesn’t matter how good unfortunately things are: if you don’t finish, you don’t score points, it’s obviously far from what I want.

“But this is unfortunately what happened. There’s nothing I can change so we’ll try to do better next time.”