Tyre mistake capped "sh** weekend" for Raikkonen
Kimi Raikkonen says he had a "sh** weekend" in Monza after a mistake by his Alfa Romeo Formula 1 team earned him a stop-and-go penalty in the race.


After crashing at Parabolica in FP1 on Friday, Raikkonen made the top 10 in Q2, only to have a second accident at the same corner.
The team was forced to change the gearbox, earning him a five-place grid penalty, and also took the opportunity to upgrade him to the latest Ferrari Spec 3 engine.
Read Also:
Because that decision entailed a change of specification from the Spec 2 he had used in qualifying, he was relegated to a pitlane start.
Alfa Romeo mistakenly thought that a pitlane start forfeits the obligation for drivers who make Q3 to start with their Q2 fastest lap tyres, switching him from his set of used softs to a new set of mediums with the intent of gaining a strategic advantage.
However, the Q2 tyre rule still applies to a pitlane start – unless the chassis has been changed, which wasn't the case on this occasion.
The offence was quickly reported to the stewards, who were obliged to give the mandatory penalty of a 10 second stop-and-go. Raikkonen eventually finished 15th.
"Well, that was a sh** weekend," he said. "First my mistake in qualifying which unfortunately meant that we had to change gearbox.
"Then we decided to also change engine and start from the pitlane, but we had the wrong tyres on and with the penalty my race was more or less over.
"Looking forward to Singapore, as it can't get worse."
Alfa Romeo team boss Fred Vasseur said the team accepted that Raikkonen had to push to the limit in qualifying.
"Sometimes a small mistake at the beginning can create a huge mess," he told Motorsport.com. We have to stay calm on this. He did a great job from the beginning of the season.
"We know perfectly if we want to do a P6 pr P7 in qualy we have to take a lot of risks, and we have to accept doing some risks that you can do some mistakes."
Regarding the tyre choice error, he said: "I don't know what happened, I need to investigate a little bit."

Warning flag won't lead to dangerous driving - Masi
Mercedes did not have right package for Spa/Monza - Wolff

Latest news
Why 2022 could be Leclerc's best chance to end his Monaco F1 curse
Charles Leclerc's ill-fortune at his home Formula 1 race is well-established. But his single lap pace and over longer runs during Friday practice will leave the Ferrari driver upbeat that he can make up for his Barcelona disappointment by finally recording a finish and perhaps even banking 25 world championship points in Sunday's Monaco Grand Prix...
The inevitable consequence of the Liberty F1 popularity boom
Sell out crowds at Formula 1 races are the norm rather than the exception these days, as grand prix racing is enjoying a massive boom under Liberty Media. But the Spanish Grand Prix highlighted numerous issues some circuits may face as demand for F1 soars
The danger for Red Bull in its Barcelona F1 team orders choice
OPINION: Red Bull walked into a team orders saga on its way to taking a Spanish Grand Prix 1-2 last weekend, where it took the lead of the 2022 Formula 1 world championships for the first time. But its decisions have added an element of risk to later races.
Why Mercedes' Spanish GP gains aren't as grand as they seemed
Mercedes' strong showing in last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix prompted team boss Toto Wolff to say it had halved its deficit to the leaders and its Formula 1 title chances were back on after a rocky start to the 2022 campaign. But a closer inspection of the team's performance suggests its gains aren't as grand as they first appeared
What's next for the Green Red Bull controversy?
From the 'pink Mercedes' to the 'Green Red Bull', the Silverstone-based team has received suspicious glares from up and down the Formula 1 paddock over its car design exploits. But after being cleared by the FIA over its Spanish Grand Prix updates amid a backdrop of cries of foul play, what's next in this saga?
Spanish Grand Prix Driver Ratings 2022
In an unusually hectic Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix, Charles Leclerc was denied a dominant performance by his Ferrari engine letting go which allowed Max Verstappen to pick up the pieces. But numerous flashpoints kept the race twisting and turning throughout, with one perfect score from an emerging contender
How Verstappen overcame his and Red Bull’s errors to win in Spain
Charles Leclerc’s Ferrari engine disaster offered an open goal for Max Verstappen and Red Bull to strike, but the reigning Formula 1 world champion still had to solve multiple errors and profit from a begrudged assist from team-mate Sergio Perez, which created an unexpectedly eventful Spanish Grand Prix
Why Red Bull can win a Spanish GP that looked perfect for Ferrari
Formula 1's return to Spain on Friday ended with Ferrari leading the way from Mercedes, while Red Bull could only manage third fastest overall courtesy of Max Verstappen. But its chances of victory are far from remote with a deeper dig into the times despite Ferrari's strong start...