Kimi Raikkonen was nonchalant about Ferrari’s decision to move him out of the way for Sebastian Vettel during the German Grand Prix on Sunday.
The Finn was on a different strategy to his teammate during the race at Hockenheim, pitting early on Lap 16, and his pace was such that when Vettel made his own stop 11 laps later, Kimi emerged in front.
Now with the faster car, the long-time leader closed up but was frustrated at being unable to get past Raikkonen and complained over the radio that he was ruining his tyres.
Later the call would come from Jock Clear to allow Vettel through, however, trying to use the tyres as the reasoning for the switch, the Ferrari engineer’s wording simply annoyed the ‘Iceman’.
“If you want me to let him go, just tell me…,” he said.
“Affirm, Kimi, affirm,” was the response, with the move done at the hairpin just as it was when Felipe Massa let Fernando Alonso by in 2010.
“We have certain rules but it wasn’t clear,” Raikkonen said later. “I had the speed and it was at a moment in the race that I needed to two-stop and it was what happened.”
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The decision ultimately came to nothing as Vettel would slide into the barriers at the Sachskurve as rain ultimately ruined the Scuderia’s race, as Kimi too lost out on second to Valtteri Bottas.
“It was a tricky race with the rain, pretty slippery in some places,” the 38-year-old said.
“I had a moment with one of the lappers, the Sauber, and then Valtteri got past me.
“Happy to finish, a bit disappointed but I’ll take it today and we’ll try next time again.”
