Raikkonen: No excuse for ‘f**k up’ on final Q3 lap

Kimi Raikkonen has taken full responsibility for the mistake that saw him run wide on his final Formula 1 qualifying lap in Azerbaijan on Saturday, costing him the chance to score his first pole position in almost one year.

Raikkonen was two-tenths up on Ferrari teammate and provisional pole-sitter Sebastian Vettel’s fastest time heading into the final sector at the end of Q3, only to lose the rear of his car at Turn 16.

The error left Raikkonen a lowly sixth in the final qualifying classification, nine-tenths of a second down on Vettel’s initial time after the German failed to improve on his last run in Q3.

“I went sideways, that’s about  it. It was really frustrating losing a pretty decent lap at that point,” Raikkonen said after the session.

“[There’s] no excuse. I took it easier even on the entry because obviously it’s been a bit tricky all day and I went sideways.

“I got it back but at that point already, I knew it was all gone as it’s all flat out and long straights.

“It was a fuck up, a mistake and cost us quite a few places. Not the greatest ending.”

The setback came as a blow to Raikkonen after showing impressive speed through the early part of the 2018 season, having recorded podium finishes in both Australia and China.

Although Raikkonen was unhappy with the end result in Baku on Saturday as he lost his chance for his first pole since Monaco last year, he remained content with his feeling in the car.

“The end result matters, the rest doesn’t really count. In the end, we count the points on Sunday and at the end of the year,” Raikkonen said.

“The people that we work with know what is happening and what is not. I don’t really care if people think that you are slow or fast. I know what we’re doing. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not.

“Today, we had a good speed but it didn’t really work out. Like I said, I can only look in the mirror and deal with it and go forward. I know the speed is there.

“But it’s frustrating when you’re fast and you don’t get the result that you want. Today [the speed] came pretty easily. I was taking care of it and then in the last corners, and then having a mistake is silly, even more painful.

“It’s not the first time unfortunately and I doubt it’s the last time. It’s just one of those days.”