Räikkönen escapes grid penalty

Kimi Räikkönen will ultimately not move back onto the starting grid for the Bahrain Grand Prix even though the stewards judged that the Finn was released onto the track in a dangerous manner by Ferrari during the second free practice session in Sakhir.

Published on 06/04/2018 à 19:29

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Author of the best time in FP2, Räikkönen was however forced to interrupt his session before the checkered flag due to a problem with a poorly attached wheel following a pit stop. Placed under investigation for “unsafe release”, the stable Ferrari risked seeing the 2007 world champion receive a grid penalty.

The Italian team will ultimately have to pay a fine of 5 euros, as indicated in the official report below:

« The stewards reviewed the video of Räikkönen's stop and listened to the explanations from the team representatives. They determined that the car was released in a dangerous manner, which contravenes article 28.13.b of the 2018 sporting regulations, but also that the team immediately ordered the driver to stop and that the latter stopped. is carried out immediately in the best possible security conditions. As was the case in similar situations, the stewards decided that the step back on the grid did not apply, the team having reacted by all means possible. The stewards fined the team 5 euros. »