Raikkonen claims Bottas clash was racing incident
Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen has claimed his last-lap collision that took out fellow Finn Valtteri Bottas was simply a racing incident, and doesn’t believe he should be punished for it.
Raikkonen hit Bottas' Williams at the apex of Turn 5, punting him into the tyrewall where he retired.
Kimi went on to finish fifth, with his left-front wheel hanging off.
"Obviously I tried to overtake, I overtook him once before in the race there, and I was catching him through Turn 3 and I wasn't too far and I thought I'd try again," said Raikkonen.
"Once I'd decided to try I cannot back off any more. I go there, and I don't know if he didn't see me at all, or expect me to go there.
"I tried to turn as much inside as I could, and there was nowhere to go and we collided."
When asked if he deserved a penalty, he replied: "For me it was racing, I tried to pass and unfortunately we ended up like this. But I'm not the steward."
Bottas "very disappointed"
Bottas took the opposite view, and believes he was simply taken out by his fellow countryman.
"I don't think it was really a racing incident," countered Bottas. "I didn't see anyone there, then at the apex someone hits me.
"Very disappointed obviously to be running third on the last lap and then ending up with zero points.
"It doesn't matter if he's penalised, because I'm never getting those points back. Let's see what they have to say."
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