Raikkonen had "no idea" why Verstappen was penalised

Raikkonen had "no idea" why Verstappen was penalised

Kimi Raikkonen says he had "no idea" why rival Max Verstappen was penalised for his overtaking move on the final lap of the United States Grand Prix.

Red Bull driver Verstappen was handed a five-second penalty after the race had finished for having gone off-track to overtake Raikkonen for third at Turn 17.

The penalty meant the Ferrari driver was promoted to a podium finish, while Verstappen dropped down to fourth, having started from 16th.

Raikkonen admitted he did not know how Verstappen had passed him.

"I have no idea what happened with Verstappen or why he got the penalty," said Raikkonen. "I had no idea what happened to him apart from he got past me at the second-last corner.

"Obviously I was disappointed just after the race when I thought I had finished fourth but there was some issue with Max. 

"I got to go on the podium but didn't see it, I don't know where he went," he added. 

Raikkonen, who admitted Verstappen's move surprised him, said he was angry he had let the Dutchman through. 

"Obviously I was half surprised," said the Finn. "I saw him in my mirror and tried to slow down the whole thing before, the previous corners, and I thought I had enough covering on the corner, and then suddenly he was there. 

"I saw in my mirror and I was a bit surprised, at that speed - I was a bit pissed off he got past me."

Fonte: Motorsport.com

Eu só soube que a punição tinha acontecido porque minha mãe me ligou. Desliguei a transmissão na hora que Kimi cruzou a linha de chegada.

E quer saber? Para mim, Kimi ter terminado em terceiro ou quarto, pouco importa. Era para ele ter sido segundo nesta prova, isto sim, mas não foi possível, já que ele é obrigado a abrir para o companheiro desde sempre.

Beijinhos, Ludy